Sensory Filtering in the Human Basal Ganglia as a Mechanism of Parkinson's Disease
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Summary
The investigators are investigating the brain activity associated with sensory information in movement disorders in order to improve treatment of these symptoms beyond what is currently available.
Description
The purpose of this study is to investigate the functional role of the human basal ganglia in the sensorimotor system. In particular, the investigators are interested in the possibility that the basal ganglia participate in "filtering out" sensory stimuli that are irrelevant to the current behavioral goal. Additionally, the investigators are interested in how this type of sensorimotor processing in these brain areas is related to the severity of movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease and essential tremor. To do this, the investigators will study both healthy individuals and Parkinson'…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–89 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion criteria (PD participants): 1. Age \>18 years 2. Clinically definite, advanced idiopathic PD based on consensus criteria. 3. Normal, or essentially normal, preoperative brain MRI. 4. Patient is available for follow-up visits over the length of the study 5. Patient has elected to undergo DBS surgery as part of routine care, and subthalamic nucleus (STN) is determined as the appropriate surgical target Inclusion criteria (control participants): 1. Age \>18 years. 2. No diagnosis of PD, other movement disorder, or other significant neurological disease. Exclusion criteria (PD partic…
Interventions
- Diagnostic TestIntraoperative Behavioral Testing
During DBS surgery, tasks will be administered via a tablet PC or mounted monitor, and the subject may hold a response box, joystick, or dynamometer to record responses. During task periods, sensory stimuli will be delivered to the participant, who may be asked to perform a motor behavior in response. Stimuli will consist of audiovisual cues presented on a computer screen, vibration applied to specific parts of the body via a tactor, mild electrical pulses delivered through the skin of specific parts of the body via the attached EMG electrodes, and/or a movement of the arm or joint. Motor responses will consist of simple movements such as finger-tapping or hand-opening, or use of a joystick or dynamometer to move a computer cursor on the screen. Participants may be asked to respond only to a particular sensory stimulus and ignore others, in order to modulate the relevance of each stimulus to the task.
- Diagnostic TestBehavioral Testing
In the lab, tasks will be administered via a tablet PC or mounted monitor, and the subject may hold a response box, joystick, or dynamometer to record responses. During task periods, sensory stimuli will be delivered to the participant, who may be asked to perform a motor behavior in response. Stimuli will consist of audiovisual cues presented on a computer screen, vibration applied to specific parts of the body via a tactor, mild electrical pulses delivered through the skin of specific parts of the body via the attached EMG electrodes, and/or a movement of the arm or joint. Motor responses will consist of simple movements such as finger-tapping or hand-opening, or use of a joystick or dynamometer to move a computer cursor on the screen. Participants may be asked to respond only to a particular sensory stimulus and ignore others, in order to modulate the relevance of each stimulus to the task.
Location
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham HospitalBirmingham, Alabama