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Deep brain stimulation (DBS) can improve Parkinson disease (PD) as well as psychiatric disorders such as major depression. To elucidate its mechanism of action, researchers examined subdural electrocorticography recordings obtained during implantation of DBS electrodes in the subthalamic nucleus (STN), and afterwards, in 23 PD patients.
At baseline, low-frequency activity (13–30 Hz; beta band) in the STN was strongly correlated with fast activity (50–200 Hz; broadband gamma) in the motor cortex, a phenomenon known as phase-amplitude coupling (PAC). Active DBS attenuated PAC when patients were at rest and during preparation to move, movement toward a target, and touching the target. After the stimulus was turned off, PAC returned to the basel…