Title:Deep Brain Stimulation for Stroke: Continuous Stimulation of the Pedunculopontine Tegmental Nucleus has no Impact on Skilled Walking in Rats After Photothrombotic Stroke
VOLUME: 17 ISSUE: 5
Author(s):Arne Bohr, Michael K. Schuhmann, Lena Papp, Jens Volkmann and Felix Fluri*
Affiliation:Department of Neurology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg
Keywords:Deep brain stimulation, pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus, mesencephalic locomotor region, photothrombotic
stroke, gait restoration, Beam-Walking-Test, Ladder-Rung-Walking-Test.
Abstract:
Background: Gait impairment after stroke is considered as a loss of cerebral function
but is also the result of dysfunctional cerebral signals travelling to the spinal motor centres. A therapeutic
option to restore disturbed cerebral network activity is deep brain stimulation (DBS).
Methods: A promising target for neuromodulation might be the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus
(PPTg), which contributes to the initiation and control of gait. To test this hypothesis, we
trained eighteen rats to cross a horizontal ladder and a wooden beam before inflicting a photothrombosis
in the right sensorimotor cortex and implanting a stimulating electrode in the ipsilateral
PPTg.
Results: Continuous high-frequency DBS (130 Hz; amplitude 55 ± 5 μA) of rats for 10 days yielded
no significant improvement of skilled walking when examined with the ladder rung walking test
and beam walking test compared to sham-stimulation.
Conclusion: In contrast to DBS of the cuneiform nucleus, PPTg-stimulation improves neither control
of gait nor balance after stroke.
