How deep brain stimulation of frontal white matter changes brain circuits
Establishing the anatomical and functional mechanisms of white matter deep brain stimulation
Researchers are using a macaque model to learn how stimulating specific white matter pathways near the frontal cortex might help people with treatment‑resistant mood and anxiety problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11158914 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project uses monkeys to mimic deep brain stimulation placed where three frontal white matter tracts overlap near the subcallosal anterior cingulate. Scientists will record microscopic and midscale brain activity and anatomy to see what changes right away and what develops over weeks. The team will link those changes to the fast mood shifts and slower clinical improvements seen in people. Findings are meant to help refine where and how stimulation is delivered for hard‑to‑treat mood and anxiety disorders.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with treatment‑resistant mood disorders or severe anxiety who have not responded to standard treatments and are considering advanced options like DBS would be most relevant to these findings.
Not a fit: People whose symptoms are well controlled with existing therapies or whose conditions do not involve the targeted frontal white matter circuits are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could clarify how white matter DBS produces clinical effects and help improve targeting to increase benefit and reduce side effects for people with treatment‑resistant mood disorders.
How similar studies have performed: Clinical observations suggest stimulation of these white matter tracts can produce rapid mood changes and slower improvements in some patients, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unproven and this macaque work is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rudebeck, Peter — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Rudebeck, Peter
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.