How Electrophysiology Informs Deep Brain Stimulation

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has become a key therapy for movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, and essential tremor. By delivering controlled electrical pulses to specific brain regions, DBS can alleviate symptoms that are often resistant to medication. However, optimizing where and how to stimulate remains an important challenge.

In this article, we and our co-authors show how various electrophysiological tools—ranging from non-invasive methods like EEG and MEG to invasive measures such as local field potentials (LFP) and microelectrode recordings—offer critical insights into brain activity across different spatial and temporal scales. EEG and MEG are excellent for capturing rapid oscillations across large-scale networks, whereas LFP and microelectrode recordings provide detailed views of local circuitry within targeted areas like the subthalamic nucleus.

We also discuss innovative approaches that combine these methods, allowing researchers to pinpoint brain regions and abnormal rhythms more precisely. Such “multimodal” data pave the way for closed-loop or “adaptive” DBS, where stimulation can be automatically tailored in real time based on a patient’s brain signals. Ultimately, this work highlights how understanding brain rhythms and connectivity fosters more personalized and effective DBS interventions, promising better clinical outcomes and fewer side effects for patients.

Read the full report in free, open access.