How a deep motor brain circuit affects movement in Parkinson's
Characterizing the pathophysiological role of the pallido-thalamocortical motor pathway in Parkinson's disease
This project looks at whether abnormal signals in a deep brain motor circuit cause slowness and other movement problems in people with Parkinson's.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11247540 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers will record brain signals from the internal globus pallidus (GPi) and motor cortex in people with Parkinson's, especially around times of movement and during deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery or programming. They will map where neural activity is most synchronized within the GPi and along the pallidothalamocortical (lenticular fasciculus) pathway and see how that activity changes with movement. The team will test whether steering stimulation toward GPi subregions or pathways that show high coherence with motor cortex improves movement speed. Data will come from intraoperative recordings, DBS adjustments, and standardized movement tasks performed during clinic visits.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with Parkinson's who have prominent bradykinesia and are planning to receive or already have GPi deep brain stimulation at the study center.
Not a fit: People with early Parkinson's who do not need DBS, those whose main problems are non-motor, or individuals treated with other DBS targets may not benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help tailor DBS targets or settings to reduce slowness and improve movement in people with Parkinson's.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research shows GPi DBS can improve motor symptoms and reduce abnormal GPi–motor cortex coherence, but using pathway-level coherence mapping to guide stimulation is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Minneapolis, United States
- University of Minnesota — Minneapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Aman, Joshua E — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Aman, Joshua E
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.