Excitatory cortical inputs to pallidal neurons via the subthalamic nucleus in the monkey

Neurotransmitter release from high-frequency stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus

Object. High-frequency stimulation (HFS) delivered through implanted electrodes in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) has become an established treatment for Parkinson disease (PD). The precise mechanism of action of deep brain stimulation (DBS) in the STN is unknown, however. In the present study, the authors tested the hypothesis that HFS within the STN changes neuronal action potential firing rates during the stimulation period by modifying neurotransmitter release.

Methods. Intracellular electrophysiological recordings were obtained using sharp electrodes in rat STN neurons in an in vitro slice preparation. A concentric bipolar stimulating electrode was placed in the STN slice, and electrical stimulation (pulse width 50–100 µsec, duration 100–2000 µsec, amplitude 10–500 µA, and frequency 10–200 Hz) was delivered while simultaneously obtaining intracellular recordings from an STN neuron.

High-frequency stimulation of the STN either generated excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) and increased the action potential frequency or it generated inhibitory postsynaptic potentials and decreased the action potential frequency of neurons within the STN. These effects were blocked after antagonists to glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid were applied to the tissue slice, indicating that HFS resulted in the release of neurotransmitters. Intracellular recordings from substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) dopaminergic neurons during HFS of the STN revealed increased generation of EPSPs and increased frequency of action potentials in SNc neurons.

Conclusions. During HFS of STN neurons the mechanism of DBS may involve the release of neurotransmitters rather than the primary electrogenic inhibition of neurons.

Single Pulse Stimulation of the Human Subthalamic Nucleus Facilitates the Motor Cortex at Short Intervals

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is an effective treatment for Parkinson's disease (PD). The mechanism is poorly understood. High-frequency STN DBS has been reported to affect motor cortex excitability in a complex way, but the timing between STN stimuli and changes in motor cortical (M1) excitability has not been investigated. We examined the time course of changes in motor cortical excitability following single pulse STN DBS. We studied 14 PD patients with implanted DBS electrodes in the STN, 2 patients with electrodes in internal globus pallidus (GPi), and 1 patient with an electrode in the sensory thalamus. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was delivered to the M1 ipsilateral to the DBS with induced currents either in the anterior-posterior direction in the brain to evoke indirect (I) waves or in the lateral-medial direction to activate corticospinal axons directly. Single pulse stimulation through the DBS contacts preceded the TMS by 0–10 ms. Surface EMG was recorded from the contralateral first dorsal interosseous muscle. Three milliseconds after STN stimulation, the motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitudes produced by anterior-posterior current were significantly larger than control responses, while the responses to lateral-medial currents were unchanged. Similar facilitation also occurred after GPi stimulation, but not with thalamic stimulation. Single pulse STN stimulation facilitates the M1 at short latencies. The possible mechanisms include antidromic excitation of the cortico-STN fibers or transmission through the basal ganglia-thalamocortical pathway.

Synchronous Unit Activity and Local Field Potentials Evoked in the Subthalamic Nucleus by Cortical Stimulation

The responses of single subthalamic nucleus (STN) neurons to cortical activation are complex and depend on the relative activation of several neuronal circuits, making theoretical extrapolation of single neuron responses to the population level difficult. To understand better the degree of synchrony imposed on STN neurons and associated neuronal networks by cortical activation, we recorded the responses of single units, pairs of neighboring neurons, and local field potentials (LFPs) in STN to discrete electrical stimulation of the cortex in anesthetized rats. Stimulation of ipsilateral frontal cortex, but not temporal cortex, generated synchronized “multiphasic” responses in neighboring units in rostral STN, usually consisting of a brief, short-latency excitation, a brief inhibition, a second excitation, and a long-duration inhibition. Evoked LFPs in STN consistently mirrored unit responses; brief, negative deflections in the LFP coincided with excitations and brief, positive deflections with inhibitions. This characteristic LFP was dissimilar to potentials evoked in cortex and structures surrounding STN and was resistant to fluctuations in forebrain activity. The short-latency excitation and associated LFP deflection exhibited the highest fidelity to low-intensity cortical stimuli. Unit response failures, which mostly occurred in caudal STN, were not associated with LFPs typical of rostral STN. These data suggest that local populations of STN neurons can be synchronized by both direct and indirect cortical inputs. Synchronized ensemble activity is dependent on topography and input intensity. Finally, the stereotypical, multiphasic profile of the evoked LFP indicates that it might be useful for locating the STN in clinical as well as nonclinical settings.

Subcellular localization of GABAB receptor subunits in rat globus pallidus

The inhibitory amino acid gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the major neurotransmitter in the globus pallidus. Although electrophysiological studies have indicated that functional GABA(B) receptors exist in rat globus pallidus, the subcellular localization of GABA(B) receptor subunits and their spatial relationship to glutamatergic and GABAergic synapses are unknown. Here, we use pre-embedding immunogold labeling to study the subcellular localization of GABA(B) receptor subunits, GABA(B1) and GABA(B2), in globus pallidus neurons and identified populations of afferent terminals. Immunolabeling for GABA(B1) and GABA(B2) was observed throughout the globus pallidus, with GABA(B1) more strongly expressed in perikarya and GABA(B2) mainly expressed in the neuropil. Electron microscopic analysis revealed that the majority of GABA(B1) labeling was localized within the cytoplasm, whereas most of GABA(B2) labeling was associated with the plasma membrane. At the subcellular level, both the GABA(B1) and GABA(B2) immunogold labeling was localized at pre- and postsynaptic sites. At asymmetric, putative excitatory, synapses, GABA(B1) and GABA(B2) immunogold labeling was found at perisynaptic sites of both pre- and postsynaptic specializations. Double immunolabeling, using the vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGLUT2), revealed the glutamatergic nature of most immunogold-labeled asymmetric synapses. At symmetric, putative GABAergic, synapses, including those formed by anterogradely labeled striatopallidal terminals, GABA(B1) and GABA(B2) immunogold labeling was found in the main body of both pre- and postsynaptic specializations. These results demonstrate the existence of presynaptic GABA(B) auto- and heteroreceptors and postsynaptic GABA(B) receptors, which may be involved in modulating synaptic transmission in the globus pallidus.

Thalamic innervation of striatal and subthalamic neurons projecting to the rat entopeduncular nucleus

The present study analyses the anatomical arrangement of the projections linking the Wistar rat parafascicular thalamic nucleus (PF) and basal ganglia structures, such as the striatum and the subthalamic nucleus (STN), by using neuroanatomical tract-tracing techniques. Both the thalamostriatal and the striato-entopeduncular projections were topographically organized, and several areas of overlap between identified circuits were noticed, sustaining the existence of up to three separated channels within the Nauta-Mehler loop. Thalamic afferents arising from dorsolateral PF territories are in register with striatofugal neurons located in dorsolateral striatal areas, which in turn project to dorsolateral regions of the entopeduncular nucleus (ENT). Medial ENT regions are innervated by striatal neurons located within medial striatal territories, these neurons being the target for thalamic afferents coming from medial PF areas. Finally, afferents from neurons located in ventrolateral PF areas approached striatal neurons in ventral and lateral striatal territories, which in turn project towards ventral and lateral ENT regions. Efferent STN neurons projecting to ENT were found to be the apparent postsynaptic target for thalamo-subthalamic axons. The thalamo-subthalamic projection was also topographically organized. Medial, central and lateral STN territories are innervated by thalamic neurons located within medial, ventrolateral and dorsolateral PF areas, respectively. Thus, each individual PF subregion projects in a segregated fashion to specific parts of the striato-entopeduncular and subthalamo-entopeduncular systems. These circuits enabled the caudal intralaminar nuclei to modulate basal ganglia output.

Activation of group III metabotropic glutamate receptors presynaptically reduces both GABAergic and glutamatergic transmission in the rat globus pallidus

To investigate the role of group III metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) in the globus pallidus (GP), whole-cell recordings were performed using rat brain slice preparations. Application of the group III mGluRs specific agonist L(+)-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (L-AP4) suppressed the amplitude of striatal stimulation-induced IPSCs and internal capsule stimulation-induced EPSCs in most of the GP neurons that were capable of generating repetitive firing without spike accommodation. The suppression of IPSCs and EPSCs was accompanied by an increase in the paired-pulse ratio. The L-AP4 effects were antagonized by (R,S)-alpha-cyclopropyl-4-phosphophenylglycine, a blocker for group II/III mGluRs. L-AP4 reduced the frequency of mIPSCs and mEPSCs without changing their amplitude distribution. L-AP4 failed to change iontophoretic glutamate induced responses. These results suggest that the subthalamo-pallidal glutamatergic input might homo- and hetero-synaptically control GABAergic and glutamatergic transmission in the GP.

Synchronous, focally modulated beta-band oscillations characterize local field potential activity in the striatum of awake behaving monkeys

Synchronous oscillatory activity has been observed in a range of neural networks from invertebrate nervous systems to the human frontal cortex. In humans and other primates, sensorimotor regions of the neocortex exhibit synchronous oscillations in the beta-frequency band (approximately 15-30 Hz), and these are also prominent in the cerebellum, a brainstem sensorimotor region. However, recordings in the basal ganglia have suggested that such beta-band oscillations are not normally a primary feature of these structures. Instead, they become a dominant feature of neural activity in the basal ganglia in Parkinson's disease and in parkinsonian states induced by dopamine depletion in experimental animals. Here we demonstrate that when multiple electrodes are used to record local field potentials, 10-25 Hz oscillations can be readily detected in the striatum of normal macaque monkeys. These normally occurring oscillations are highly synchronous across large regions of the striatum. Furthermore, they are subject to dynamic modulation when monkeys perform a simple motor task to earn rewards. In the striatal region representing oculomotor activity, we found that small focal zones could pop in and out of synchrony as the monkeys made saccadic eye movements, suggesting that the broadly synchronous oscillatory activity interfaces with modular spatiotemporal patterns of task-related activity. We suggest that the background beta-band oscillations in the striatum could help to focus action-selection network functions of cortico-basal ganglia circuits.

Sodium channels and dendritic spike initiation at excitatory synapses in globus pallidus neurons

Glutamatergic inputs from the subthalamic nucleus are suspected to provide a prominent source of excitation to globus pallidus (GP) neurons, despite their scarce number and mainly distal dendritic location. In this study we address the issue of whether dendritic sodium channels may facilitate the effect of excitatory inputs in GP. First, we examined the subcellular distribution of sodium channels using electron microscopic observations of immunoperoxidase and immunogold labeling. Voltage-gated sodium channels were found throughout GP dendrites and furthermore exhibited a specific clustering at sites of excitatory synaptic inputs. To examine the possibility that these channels could mediate dendritic spike generation, synaptic stimulation at visualized dendritic sites was performed during whole-cell recordings in vitro. These recordings revealed dendritic spike initiation in response to small excitatory inputs even for very distal stimulation sites. In contrast, subthreshold responses were mostly or fully attenuated at the soma for stimulation sites on distal dendrites. Computer simulations support the hypothesis that postsynaptic clustering of sodium channels allows dendritic triggering of spikes in response to inputs that would be too small to trigger a spike given uniformly distributed dendritic sodium channels. These findings indicate that postsynaptic sodium channel clustering is an effective mechanism to mediate a novel form of synaptic amplification and dendritic spike initiation. The ability of small amounts of excitation to trigger spikes in GP dendrites supports the prominent role of subthalamic input in the control of GP activity.

A new dynamic model of the cortico-basal ganglia loop

An important issue in the neural control of posture and movement is how motor-related areas of the cerebral cortex modulate the activity of the output nuclei of the basal ganglia. In this chapter, the functional significance of the 'hyperdirect' cortico-subthalamo-pallidal pathway is emphasized, and further a new dynamic model of basal ganglia function is presented. When a voluntary movement is about to be initiated by cortical mechanisms, a corollary signal is conveyed through the 'hyperdirect' pathway to first inhibit large areas of the thalamus and cerebral cortex that are related to both the selected motor program and other competing programs. Next, another corollary signal is sent through the 'direct' cortico-striato-pallidal pathway to disinhibit this second pathway's targets, and ensure activation of only the selected motor program. Finally, a third corollary signal is sent through the 'indirect' cortico-striato-external pallido-subthalamo-internal pallidal pathway to strongly inhibit this third pathway's targets. This sequential information processing ensures that only the selected motor program is initiated, executed and terminated at the appropriate times, whereas other competing programs are canceled.

Globus pallidus discharge is coincident with striatal activity during global slow wave activity in the rat

The emergence of bursting and oscillations in the basal ganglia under normal and pathological conditions has attracted considerable interest, but the neural substrate of these patterns is poorly understood. Here we use multisite recordings in anesthetized rats to examine the relationship of globus pallidus (GP) spiking and striatal activity in relation to cortical slow-wave activity. We found that GP neurons displayed increased spike rates or bursts coincident with cortical activation and striatal up states. Furthermore, the onset of GP bursts typically coincides with transitions to striatal up states that precede striatal spiking. These data indicate that GP activity is driven by excitatory corticosubthalamic input during periods of synchronized bursting activity.

Information processing, dimensionality reduction and reinforcement learning in the basal ganglia

Modeling of the basal ganglia has played a major role in our understanding of this elusive group of nuclei. Models of the basal ganglia have undergone evolutionary and revolutionary changes over the last 20 years, as new research in the fields of anatomy, physiology and biochemistry of these nuclei has yielded new information. Early models dealt with a single pathway through the nuclei and focused on the nature of the processing performed within it, convergence of information versus parallel processing of information. Later, the Albin-DeLong "box-and-arrow" model characterized the inter-nuclei interaction as multiple pathways while maintaining a simplistic scalar representation of the nuclei themselves. This model made a breakthrough by providing key insights into the behavior of these nuclei in hypo- and hyper-kinetic movement disorders. The next generation of models elaborated the intra-nuclei interactions and focused on the role of the basal ganglia in action selection and sequence generation which form the most current consensus regarding basal ganglia function in both normal and pathological conditions. However, new findings challenge these models and point to a different neural network approach to information processing in the basal ganglia. Here, we take an in-depth look at the reinforcement driven dimensionality reduction (RDDR) model which postulates that the basal ganglia compress cortical information according to a reinforcement signal using optimal extraction methods. The model provides new insights and experimental predictions on the computational capacity of the basal ganglia and their role in health and disease.

Spontaneous and evoked activity of substantia nigra pars reticulata neurons during high-frequency stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus

The subthalamic nucleus (STN), a major component of the basal ganglia, exerts an excitatory influence on the output structures of this system i.e., the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNR) and the internal segment of the globus pallidus. High-frequency stimulation of the STN is a method currently used to treat parkinsonian symptoms. The aim of the present study was to analyze the effects of STN high-frequency stimulation on the activity of SNR neurons and to investigate its impact on the transfer of information between the cerebral cortex and the SNR. During STN high-frequency stimulation, the activity of SNR cells was decreased at low-intensity stimulation, whereas it was increased at a higher intensity. The decrease in the discharge of SNR cells likely results from the activation of a GABAergic transmission in the SNR because this effect was blocked by local application of bicuculline. The increased activity likely results from the activation of the glutamatergic subthalamonigral projection because the latency of the evoked excitations was consistent with the conduction time of the subthalamonigral neurons. Finally, during STN high-frequency stimulation, the transmission of cortical information along the direct trans-striatal pathway was preserved, whereas the functionality of the trans-subthalamic pathways was partly preserved or completely blocked depending on the stimulation intensity. The present data indicate that STN high-frequency stimulation influences the activity of SNR cells through activation of their excitatory and inhibitory synaptic afferent pathways as well as antidromic activation of the projection neurons.

Left and right basal ganglia and frontal activity during language generation: contributions to lexical, semantic, and phonological processes

fMRI was used to determine the frontal, basal ganglia, and thalamic structures engaged by three facets of language generation: lexical status of generated items, the use of semantic vs. phonological information during language generation, and rate of generation. During fMRI, 21 neurologically normal subjects performed four tasks: generation of nonsense syllables given beginning and ending consonant blends, generation of words given a rhyming word, generation of words given a semantic category at a fast rate (matched to the rate of nonsense syllable generation), and generation of words given a semantic category at a slow rate (matched to the rate of generating of rhyming words). Components of a left pre-SMA-dorsal caudate nucleus-ventral anterior thalamic loop were active during word generation from rhyming or category cues but not during nonsense syllable generation. Findings indicate that this loop is involved in retrieving words from pre-existing lexical stores. Relatively diffuse activity in the right basal ganglia (caudate nucleus and putamen) also was found during word-generation tasks but not during nonsense syllable generation. Given the relative absence of right frontal activity during the word generation tasks, we suggest that the right basal ganglia activity serves to suppress right frontal activity, preventing right frontal structures from interfering with language production. Current findings establish roles for the left and the right basal ganglia in word generation. Hypotheses are discussed for future research to help refine our understanding of basal ganglia functions in language generation.

Ablation of striatal interneurons influences activities of entopeduncular neurons

To characterize modulatory effects of striatal interneurons upon the output nucleus of the basal ganglia, we ablated striatal interneurons that express substance P receptors by using local injection of a selective neurotoxin, substance P-saporin, in rats. We then made extracellular recordings of the activity of entopeduncular neurons and examined their responses to stimulation in the motor cortex. In the interneuron-ablated animals, the spontaneous discharge rate of entopeduncular neurons was significantly decreased, and the proportion of entopeduncular neurons showing responses to cortical stimulation was significantly larger, in comparison with intact animals. It is suggested that striatal interneurons expressing substance P receptors are important for motor control mechanisms mediated by the cortico-basal ganglia pathways.

Pallidal neuronal activity: implications for models of dystonia

Dystonia is a neurological syndrome involving sustained contractions of opposing muscles leading to abnormal movements and postures. Recent studies report abnormally low pallidal neuronal activity in patients with generalized dystonia, suggesting hyperkinetic disorders result from underactive basal ganglia output. We examined this hypothesis in 11 patients with segmental and generalized dystonia undergoing microelectrode exploration of the internal globus pallidus (GPi) before pallidotomy or deep brain stimulation (DBS) implantation. The mean firing rates and firing patterns were compared with those in six patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). In seven patients who underwent surgery under local anesthesia, the mean GPi firing rate was 77 Hz, similar to the 74 Hz observed in the PD patients. However, in three dystonic patients under propofol anesthesia, GPi mean firing rate was much reduced (31 Hz), and the firing pattern was distinguished by long pauses in activity, as reported by others. Low-dose propofol in one other dystonia patient also seemed to suppress GPi firing. These results indicate that an abnormally low basal ganglia output is not the sine qua non of dystonia. The widely accepted pathophysiological models of dystonia that propose global decreases in basal ganglia output need to be viewed with caution in light of these findings.

Stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus changes the firing pattern of pallidal neurons

To clarify the mechanism underlying improvement of parkinsonian signs by high-frequency electrical stimulation (HFS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN), we investigated the effects of STN HFS on neuronal activity of the internal and external segment of the globus pallidus (GPi and GPe, respectively) in two rhesus monkeys rendered parkinsonian by administration of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine. A scaled-down version of the chronic stimulating electrode used in humans, consisting of four metal contacts 0.50 mm in length each separated by 0.50 mm, was implanted through a cephalic chamber targeting the STN. Histological reconstruction revealed that the cathode was located in the STN in both monkeys. Extracellular recordings from a total of 110 pallidal neurons during STN stimulation were performed. Poststimulus time histograms of single neurons triggered by 2 Hz STN stimulation pulses at 2.4-3.0 V revealed short-latency excitations at 2.5-4.5 and 5.5-7.0 msec after stimulation onset and inhibitions at 1.0-2.5, 4.5-5.5, and 7.0-9.0 msec for both GPe and GPi neurons. These short-latency responses were present with 136 Hz stimulation, at voltages effective for alleviation of parkinsonian signs, resulting in a significant increase in mean discharge rate and a stimulus-synchronized regular firing pattern. These results indicate that activation of the STN efferent fibers and resultant changes in the temporal firing pattern of neurons in GPe and GPi underlie the beneficial effect of HFS in the STN in Parkinson's disease and further support the role of temporal firing patterns in the basal ganglia in the development of Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders.

Activity and distribution patterns of monkey pallidal neurons in response to peripheral nerve stimulation

The response patterns of pallidal neurons to electrical stimulation of the median and tibial nerves were examined in awake monkeys. Around 30% of the recorded neurons responded to the stimulation of either the median or tibial nerve, while only 6% responded to the stimulation of both nerves. The vast majority of these pallidal neurons displayed monophasic excitation or monophasic inhibition. The latency of the excitation was shorter than that of the inhibition. In each pallidal segment, the neurons responding to the median nerve stimulation (representing the forelimb) tended to be located ventral to those responding to the tibial nerve stimulation (representing the hindlimb). The present results indicate that the somatotopical arrangement in the globus pallidus can be outlined based on the neuronal responses to peripheral nerve stimulation.

Systemic administration of dizocilpine maleate (MK-801) or L-dopa reverses the increases in GAD65 and GAD67 mRNA expression in the globus pallidus in a rat hemiparkinsonian model

This study examined the consequences of systemic treatment with either L-dopa or MK-801 on the levels of mRNAs encoding the 65 and 67 kDa isoforms of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD65 and GAD67) in the striatum and globus pallidus (GP) of rats rendered hemiparkinsonian by intranigral 6-hydroxydopamine injection. GADs mRNA levels were assessed by means of in situ hybridization histochemistry. In the striatum, dopamine denervation resulted in increased GAD67 mRNA levels at the rostral and caudal levels, whereas GAD65 showed selective increase at the caudal level. L-dopa and MK-801 treatments showed differential effects on the two GAD isoform levels in rats with 6-hydroxydopamine lesion. The lesion-induced increases in GAD67 transcripts were potentiated by L-dopa but unaffected by MK-801, whereas the increases in GAD65 were suppressed by MK-801 but unaffected by L-dopa. These data suggest a heterogeneity of glutamate-dopamine interaction in the anteroposterior extent of the striatum and show that NMDA-mediated mechanisms are involved in the 6-hydroxydopamine lesion-induced transcriptional changes in striatal GAD65 but not GAD67. In GP, the 6-OHDA lesion elicited increases in both GAD65 and GAD67 mRNA levels. L-dopa or MK-801 treatment suppressed the lesion-induced augmentations in the two GADs mRNA levels. These results indicate that dopamine denervation-induced changes in the functional activity of GP neurons involve both dopamine and glutamate NMDA receptor-mediated mechanisms. Comparison between the effects of L-dopa and MK-801 treatments on markers of the activity of striatal and pallidal GABA neurons further suggest that the impact of these treatments at the GP level do not depend solely on the striatopallidal input.

Rotational behavior and electrophysiological effects induced by GABA(B) receptor activation in rat globus pallidus

GABA is the major neurotransmitter used in the globus pallidus and there is evidence that GABA(B) receptors exist in this nucleus. Here we show that unilateral microinjection of baclofen, a GABA(B) receptor agonist, induced ipsilateral turning in Sprague-Dawley rats. This effect was prevented by preinjection of the GABA(B) receptor antagonist CGP55845A, which itself did not cause rotation. Thus, activation of GABA(B) receptor may suppress the activity of globus pallidus neurons, which is in line with the finding that the glutamate receptor antagonists (+/-)-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid and 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione also caused similar ipsilateral turning when injected into globus pallidus. Furthermore, in the presence of these glutamate receptor antagonists, injection of baclofen resulted in fewer rotations. To test the possibility that baclofen reduced glutamate release onto globus pallidus neurons, the effects of baclofen on miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents were studied in rat brain slices. Patch-clamp recordings showed that baclofen at 30 microM significantly reduced the frequency of the miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents. However, baclofen induced a weak outward current only in a minority of globus pallidus neurons. These pre- and postsynaptic effects of baclofen were reversed or prevented by CGP55845A. These results suggest that GABA(B) receptor in globus pallidus plays an important role in the regulation of movement by modulating glutamatergic inputs at a presynaptic site.

Localization of clinically effective stimulating electrodes in the human subthalamic nucleus on magnetic resonance imaging

OBJECT

The authors sought to determine the location of deep brain stimulation (DBS) electrodes that were most effective in treating Parkinson disease (PD).

METHODS

Fifty-four DBS electrodes were localized in and adjacent to the subthalamic nucleus (STN) postoperatively by using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in a series of 29 patients in whom electrodes were implanted for the treatment of medically refractory PD, and for whom quantitative clinical assessments were available both pre- and postoperatively. A novel MR imaging sequence was developed that optimized visualization of the STN. The coordinates of the tips of these electrodes were calculated three dimensionally and the results were normalized and corrected for individual differences by using intraoperative neurophysiological data (mean 5.13 mm caudal to the midcommissural point [MCP], 8.46 mm inferior to the anterior commissure-posterior commissure [AC-PC], and 10.2 mm lateral to the midline). Despite reported concerns about distortion on the MR image, reconstructions provided consistent data for the localization of electrodes. The neurosurgical procedures used, which were guided by combined neuroimaging and neurophysiological methods, resulted in the consistent placement of DBS electrodes in the subthalamus and mesencephalon such that the electrode contacts passed through the STN and dorsally adjacent fields of Forel (FF) and zona incerta (ZI). The mean location of the clinically effective contacts was in the anterodorsal STN (mean 1.62 mm posterior to the MCP, 2.47 mm inferior to the AC-PC, and 11.72 mm lateral to the midline). Clinically effective stimulation was most commonly directed at the anterodorsal STN, with the current spreading into the dorsally adjacent FF and ZI.

CONCLUSIONS

The anatomical localization of clinically effective electrode contacts provided in this study yields useful information for the postoperative programming of DBS electrodes.

Consequences of dopaminergic denervation on the metabolic activity of the cortical neurons projecting to the subthalamic nucleus in the rat

Parkinsonian symptoms are currently thought to be related to hyperactivity of the subthalamic nucleus (STN). Because the STN is known to receive many inputs including glutamatergic cortical afferent fibers, we sought to determine whether the activity of this pathway is altered after dopaminergic denervation to estimate its contribution to the impairment of STN activity. A precise mapping of the origin of the corticosubthalamic projection was first performed using retrograde and anterograde tracing methods. Cortical neurons projecting to the STN were found to originate in layer V of the motor, anterior cingulate, and dorsal insular cortices, and the most anterior tip of the frontal lobe, leading to different functional corticosubthalamic inputs. The metabolic activity of the neurons projecting to the STN, first identified by retrograde tracing, was then evaluated by in situ hybridization of the first subunit of cytochrome oxidase (COI), a marker of metabolic activity, in unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats. Measurements of COI mRNA expression showed a 38 and 41.5% decrease after dopaminergic denervation in the neurons projecting to the STN located in the motor and dorsal insular areas, respectively, whereas neuronal activity was mildly changed in neurons of the anterior cingulate cortex. The modified activity of STN neurons in parkinsonism may thus result in part from complex interactions between glutamatergic hyperactive fibers originating in the thalamus and the pedunculopontine nucleus and hypoactive fibers originating in the cerebral cortex.

Differential processing patterns of motor information via striatopallidal and striatonigral projections

The functional loop linking the frontal lobe and the basal ganglia plays an important role in the control of motor behaviors. To delineate the principal features of motor information processing in the cortico-basal ganglia loop, the present study aimed at investigating how corticostriatal inputs from the primary motor cortex (MI) and the supplementary motor area (SMA) are transposed onto the pallidal complex and the substantia nigra. In macaque monkeys, stimulating electrodes were chronically implanted into identified forelimb representations of the MI and SMA. Subsequently, the distribution of neurons exhibiting orthodromic responses was examined in the caudal putamen to demarcate striatal zones receiving inputs separately or confluently from the MI and SMA. Finally, anterograde double labeling was performed by paired injections of tracers into two of three identified zones: the MI-recipient zone, SMA-recipient zone, and the convergent zone. Data have revealed that inputs from the MI-recipient and SMA-recipient striatal zones were substantially segregated in the pallidal complex and that those from the convergent zone were distributed to fill in blanks made by terminal bands derived from the MI and SMA. On the other hand, striatonigral inputs from the SMA-recipient and convergent zones of the putamen largely overlapped, while the input from the MI-recipient zone was minimal. The present results clearly indicate that the mode to process corticostriatal motor information through the striatopallidal and striatonigral projections is target-dependent, such that the parallel versus convergent rules govern the arrangement of striatopallidal or striatonigral inputs, respectively.

An improved method with a long-shanked glass micropipette and ultrasonography for drug injection into deep brain structure of the monkey

We describe an improved method to inject drug into deep brain structure of the macaque monkey. A Teflon-coated tungsten wire for extracellular recording was passed through a long-shanked (4-5 cm) glass micropipette, which was then attached to a microsyringe with dental impression material. The surface of the micropippete was coated with Teflon to reduce acoustic artifact in ultrasound imaging. Thereby, it was possible to identify the micropipette in the brain with B-mode ultrasonography. Extracellular recording combined with electrical stimulation in the input source of the target nucleus was also helpful to determine the location of the micropipette. Here, we demonstrate injection of a neuronal tracer, wheat germ agglutinin conjugated to horseradish peroxidase, into the medial mammillary nucleus of the Japanese monkey.

Dependence of subthalamic nucleus oscillations on movement and dopamine in Parkinson's disease

Local field potentials and pairs of neurones in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) of patients with Parkinson's disease show high-frequency oscillations (HFOs) at 15-30 Hz. This study explores how these HFOs are modulated by voluntary movements and by dopaminergic medication. We examined 15 patients undergoing implantation of bilateral deep brain stimulating electrodes using microelectrode recordings of pairs of STN neurones (eight patients) and macroelectrode recordings of local field potentials from the STN (14 patients). Synchronized HFOs between STN neurones were observed in 28 out of 37 pairs in five patients who had tremor in the operating room and none of 45 pairs in three patients who did not. In two of the three non-tremulous patients, HFOs in the frequency spectra of local field potentials were detected but were weaker than in those patients with tremor. Active movement suppressed synchronized HFOs in three out of five pairs of neurones, independent of changes in firing rate. HFOs observed in the local field potentials in nine out of 14 patients were reduced with voluntary movement in six of the eight patients tested. Dopaminergic medication decreased the incidence of synchronized HFOs in STN neurone pairs, reduced HFO synchrony in a pair of tremor cells concurrent with a reduction in firing rate and limb tremor, and decreased HFOs of local field potentials in the STN. These results demonstrate that HFO synchronization in the STN is reduced by voluntary movements and by exogenous dopaminergic medication. A mechanism for neuronal oscillatory synchronization in basal ganglia is proposed. It is suggested that the firing of STN neurones can be synchronized by 15-30 Hz cortical beta oscillatory activity, particularly when dopamine deficiency results in a higher background firing rate of STN neurones, and that this synchronization contributes to parkinsonian pathophysiology.

Functional significance of the cortico-subthalamo-pallidal 'hyperdirect' pathway

How the motor-related cortical areas modulate the activity of the output nuclei of the basal ganglia is an important issue for understanding the mechanisms of motor control by the basal ganglia. The cortico-subthalamo-pallidal 'hyperdirect' pathway conveys powerful excitatory effects from the motor-related cortical areas to the globus pallidus, bypassing the striatum, with shorter conduction time than effects conveyed through the striatum. We emphasize the functional significance of the 'hyperdirect' pathway and propose a dynamic 'center-surround model' of basal ganglia function in the control of voluntary limb movements. When a voluntary movement is about to be initiated by cortical mechanisms, a corollary signal conveyed through the cortico-subthalamo-pallidal 'hyperdirect' pathway first inhibits large areas of the thalamus and cerebral cortex that are related to both the selected motor program and other competing programs. Then, another corollary signal through the cortico-striato-pallidal 'direct' pathway disinhibits their targets and releases only the selected motor program. Finally, the third corollary signal possibly through the cortico-striato-external pallido-subthalamo-internal pallidal 'indirect' pathway inhibits their targets extensively. Through this sequential information processing, only the selected motor program is initiated, executed and terminated at the selected timing, whereas other competing programs are canceled.

Amphetamine-induced Fos expression is evident in gamma-aminobutyric acid neurons in the globus pallidus and entopeduncular nucleus in rats treated with intrastriatal c-fos antisense oligodeoxynucleotides

Double immunostaining for Fos and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) was used in a previously established animal model of striatal dysfunction to examine whether GABA-immunoreactive neurons in the globus pallidus (GP) and entopeduncular nucleus (EP) are activated to express Fos immunoreactivity by intraperitoneal injection of amphetamine. Striatal efferent activity was suppressed by intrastriatal infusions of antisense oligodeoxynucleotide targeted to the messenger RNA of the immediate early gene, c-fos. This suppression produced robust rotational behavior and expression of Fos in the ipsilateral GP and EP following amphetamine challenge. The expression of Fos in the ipsilateral GP and EP following amphetamine challenge is not observed in naïve or control antisense-treated animals. Quantitative analysis revealed that a majority of the amphetamine-activated (Fos-immunoreactive) neurons in the GP and EP express GABA. The present results suggest that inhibitory GABAergic projection neurons within these two nuclei are regulated by inhibitory striatal output and suggests that decreased inhibitory striatal output may contribute to the motor dysfunction observed in patients with Huntington's disease.

Neostriatal and globus pallidus stimulation induced inhibitory postsynaptic potentials in entopeduncular neurons in rat brain slice preparations

Recent anatomical studies revealed that the entopeduncular nucleus of the rat receives GABAergic inputs from both the neostriatum and the globus pallidus. The present study was undertaken to reveal the physiological features of these inputs using the intracellular recording method in rat brain slice preparations. Most of the entopeduncular nucleus neurons generated repetitive firing without spike accommodation with intracellular current stimulation and thus were classified as Type-I. A small number of neurons were classified as Type-II since they generated spikes with pronounced accommodation. Most of the Type-I, but none of Type-II, entopeduncular nucleus neurons exhibited monosynaptic GABAergic inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) after stimulation of the neostriatum and the globus pallidus. Neostriatal stimulation induced long latency IPSPs while pallidal stimulation induced long latency IPSPs compounded with short latency IPSPs. The IPSPs were mediated by GABA(A) receptors. The unitary IPSPs to striatal stimulation were small while those to pallidal stimulation were large in amplitude and able to reset ongoing rhythmic firing. The short latency IPSPs induced by pallidal stimulation reversed at a somatic membrane potential that was a few millivolts more depolarized than the long latency IPSPs, suggesting that the striatal inputs were evoked in more distal portions of the neurons than the pallidal inputs. Repetitive activation of these inputs resulted in a poor amplitude summation but a prolongation of the duration of the IPSPs. The results of the present study indicate that the pallidal projection to the entopeduncular nucleus is physiologically significant and that the neostriatum and the globus pallidus play important roles in controlling the activity of the entopeduncular nucleus, although in different ways.

Organization of inputs from cingulate motor areas to basal ganglia in macaque monkey

The cingulate motor areas reside within regions lining the cingulate sulcus and are divided into rostral and caudal parts. Recent studies suggest that the rostral and caudal cingulate motor areas participate in distinct aspects of motor function: the former plays a role in higher-order cognitive control of movements, whereas the latter is more directly involved in their execution. Here, we investigated the organization of cingulate motor areas inputs to the basal ganglia in the macaque monkey. Identified forelimb representations of the rostral and caudal cingulate motor areas were injected with different anterograde tracers and the distribution patterns of labelled terminals were analysed in the striatum and the subthalamic nucleus. Corticostriatal inputs from the rostral and caudal cingulate motor areas were located within the rostral striatum, with the highest density in the striatal cell bridges and the ventrolateral portions of the putamen, respectively. There was no substantial overlap between these input zones. Similarly, a certain segregation of input zones from the rostral and caudal cingulate motor areas occurred along the mediolateral axis of the subthalamic nucleus. It has also been revealed that corticostriatal and corticosubthalamic input zones from the rostral cingulate motor area considerably overlapped those from the presupplementary motor area, while the input zones from the caudal cingulate motor area displayed a large overlap with those from the primary motor cortex. The present results indicate that a parallel design underlies motor information processing in the cortico-basal ganglia loop derived from the rostral and caudal cingulate motor areas.

Number, origins, and chemical types of rat pallidostriatal projection neurons

The dorsal globus pallidus (GP) receives major inputs from the dorsal neostriatum (Str), the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and the dorsal thalamus. The GP projects to multiple basal ganglia nuclei. One of the GP projection sites is the Str. The pallidostriatal projection has been considered minor. However, several recent studies have suggested that this projection is heavier than previously thought and that it might play a significant role in controlling the activity of the Str. To reveal more details of this projection, we examined the number of GP neurons that participated in the projection, their origins in the GP and their immunoreactivity for the calcium binding protein parvalbumin (PV), by using a combination of Fluoro-Gold (FG) retrograde labeling and immunohistochemical methods. Immunostaining for the calcium binding protein calbindin-28K (CaBP) was used to identify the CaBP-poor sensorimotor and CaBP-rich associative Str regions and the corresponding CaBP-poor middle, CaBP-rich border, and the caudomedial GP regions. The CaBP-poor dorsolateral Str region occupies a small portion of the Str, whereas the CaBP-poor middle GP region occupies a large portion of the GP. The immunostaining for neuron-specific nuclear protein (NeuN) was used to visualize neurons that were immunonegative for FG or PV. Cell counts revealed that the middle GP region contained a higher density of neurons and also a higher percentage of PV-positive neurons than the border and caudomedial regions of the GP. These observations suggested that the GP is involved more in sensorimotor function than associative function. Approximately 40% of neurons in the CaBP-poor middle GP region project to the CaBP-poor part of the dorsolateral Str. Approximately 30% of the neurons in both the CaBP-rich border and the caudomedial GP regions project to the CaBP-rich Str region. More than 40% of the pallidostriatal neurons in CaBP-poor middle GP region are PV-positive, whereas most of those in CaBP-rich GP regions are PV-negative. It was estimated from the cell count data that most of the PV-negative neurons in all three regions of the GP project to the Str. The results indicate that the sensorimotor and associative territories of the Str have reciprocal projections between corresponding territories of the GP. The involvement of a large number of GP neurons suggested that the pallidostriatal projection should be taken into account in the analysis of functional roles of the basal ganglia.

Segregation and convergence of information flow through the cortico-subthalamic pathways

Cortico-basal ganglia circuits are organized in parallel channels. Information flow from functionally distinct cortical areas remains segregated within the striatum and through its direct projections to basal ganglia output structures. Whether such a segregation is maintained in trans-subthalamic circuits is still questioned. The effects of electrical stimulation of prefrontal, motor, and auditory cortex were analyzed in the subthalamic nucleus as well as in the striatum of anesthetized rats. In the striatum, cells (n = 300) presenting an excitatory response to stimulation of these cortical areas were located in distinct striatal territories, and none of the cells responded to two cortical stimulation sites. In the subthalamic nucleus, both prefrontal and motor cortex stimulations induced early and late excitatory responses as a result of activation of the direct cortico-subthalamic pathway and of the indirect cortico-striato-pallido-subthalamic pathway, respectively. Stimulation of the auditory cortex, which does not send direct projection to the subthalamic nucleus, induced only late excitatory responses. Among the subthalamic responding cells (n = 441), a few received both prefrontal and motor cortex (n = 19) or prefrontal and auditory cortex (n = 10) excitatory inputs, whereas a larger number of cells were activated from both motor and auditory cortices (n = 48). The data indicate that the segregation of cortical information flow originating from prefrontal, motor, and auditory cortices that occurred in the striatum is only partly maintained in the subthalamic nucleus. It can be proposed that the existence of specific patterns of convergence of information flow from these functionally distinct cortical areas in the subthalamic nucleus allows interactions between parallel channels.

Dopamine dependency of oscillations between subthalamic nucleus and pallidum in Parkinson's disease

The extent of synchronization within and between the nuclei of the basal ganglia is unknown in Parkinson's disease. The question is an important one because synchronization will increase postsynaptic efficacy at subsequent projection targets. We simultaneously recorded local potentials (LPs) from the globus pallidus interna (GPi) and subthalamic nucleus (STN) in four awake patients after neurosurgery for Parkinson's disease. Nuclei from both sides were recorded in two patients so that a total of six ipsilateral GPi-STN LP recordings were made. Without medication, the power within and the coherence between the GPi and STN was dominated by activity with a frequency <30 Hz. Treatment with the dopamine precursor levodopa reduced the low-frequency activity and resulted in a new peak at approximately 70 Hz. This was evident in the power spectrum from STN and GPi and in the coherence between these nuclei. The phase relationship between the nuclei varied in a complex manner according to frequency band and the presence of exogenous dopaminergic stimulation. Synchronization of activity does occur between pallidum and STN, and its pattern is critically dependent on the level of dopaminergic activity.

Effects of STN lesions on simple vs choice reaction time tasks in the rat: preserved motor readiness, but impaired response selection

The subthalamic nucleus (STN) is a key structure within the basal ganglia, inactivation of which is a current strategy for treating parkinsonism. We have previously shown that bilateral lesions of the STN or pharmacological inactivation of this structure in the rat induce multiple deficits in serial reaction time tasks. The aim of the present study was to investigate further a possible role for the STN in response preparatory processes by using simple (SRT) and choice (CRT) reaction time tasks. In contrast to the CRT procedure, the information related to the location of where the response had to be made was given in advance in the SRT procedure. Accurate performance on these tasks requires not only the selection of the correct response (i.e. which response), but also preparation in order to perform when required. A comparison between the two tasks allows assessment of whether STN lesions affect which response ("which") or when to perform it ("when"). As previously observed in these procedures, the responses were faster as a function of the variable foreperiod preceding the trigger stimulus. This well-known effect, termed "motor readiness, was maintained after STN lesions, suggesting that STN lesions did not affect the "when" phase of action preparation. However, while performance on the SRT was faster than on the CRT task preoperatively, STN lesions slowed RTs and abolished the beneficial effect of advance information, suggesting a deficit in the selection ("which") phase of response preparation. This deficit in the selection phase was further supported by deficits in accuracy of responding after STN lesions, as well as increases in mislocated premature responding in the SRT condition. Together, these results suggest that the STN plays an important role in response preparatory processes, including response selection and inhibitory control processes.

Potentials recorded at the scalp by stimulation near the human subthalamic nucleus

OBJECTIVE

To record the potentials evoked at the scalp by stimulation through electrodes targeted at the human subthalamic nucleus (STN) and to determine whether the responsible pathways continue to be excited or become blocked with high frequency stimulation.

METHODS

We recorded the potentials evoked at the scalp in response to single and multiple stimuli delivered through STN contacts in 6 patients with Parkinson's disease.

RESULTS

On 9/11 sides tested, single stimuli elicited a negative potential with latency of approximately 3 ms which was largest over the frontal region. Its short chronaxie (50 micros) and refractory period imply that it arose from the activation of low threshold neural elements, possibly myelinated axons. This potential could follow at 100 Hz. This early potential was sometimes followed by later negative potentials at approximately 5 ms (6/11 sides) and approximately 8 ms (8/11 sides). The responsible neural elements had the same short chronaxie. These potentials were augmented by paired stimuli at separations of 2-7 ms and by trains of stimuli at 200 Hz.

CONCLUSIONS

Trains of stimuli delivered to the STN may excite low threshold neural elements which can transmit impulses at frequencies >100 Hz without blocking and which may produce postsynaptic facilitation at the cortex.

Pathophysiology of the basal ganglia in Parkinson's disease

Insight into the organization of the basal ganglia in the normal, parkinsonian and L-dopa-induced dyskinesia states is critical for the development of newer and more effective therapies for Parkinson's disease. We believe that the basal ganglia can no longer be thought of as a unidirectional linear system that transfers information based solely on a firing-rate code. Rather, we propose that the basal ganglia is a highly organized network, with operational characteristics that simulate a non-linear dynamic system.