Improving personalized deep brain stimulation models using brain recordings
Official title: Optimizing Patient-Specific Deep Brain Stimulation Models Using Electrophysiology
Funded at Emory University · NIH-11249623 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work uses each person's brain images and electrical recordings to build better computer models that predict how deep brain stimulation affects brain circuits in Parkinson's disease and related conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2022 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $492,370 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS125143-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11249623 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are people receiving or being evaluated for deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease or related movement or neuropsychiatric conditions who can undergo imaging and electrophysiologic recordings.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not candidates for DBS, cannot have MRI or invasive recordings, or who have unrelated medical issues are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this work.
What this research studies
You would be helping researchers combine your MRI and electrode data to make a 3-D, patient-specific computer model of how DBS spreads electrical signals in the brain. The team will add realistic nerve pathway maps to those models and record electrical activity near the electrode to see where neurons are actually activated. They will compare simpler volume-based models with more detailed axon-based models to find which one matches real recordings. The goal is to improve targeting and programming of DBS so stimulation helps intended brain areas and reduces side effects.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help doctors choose electrode targets and stimulation settings that give better symptom relief with fewer side effects.
How similar studies have gone: Previous DBS modeling work exists but has had mixed links to real clinical outcomes, so directly matching model predictions to human electrophysiology is a newer and still-developing approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Emory University
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Miocinovic, Svjetlana — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Miocinovic, Svjetlana
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Cerebellar Deep Brain Stimulation for Spinocerebellar Ataxias
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Improving deep brain stimulation with MRI and AI
We use brain scans and artificial intelligence to speed up and personalize deep brain stimulation settings for people getting DBS.
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Adaptive deep brain stimulation to help Parkinson's patients respond to daily changes
A new, smarter brain stimulation approach for Parkinson’s disease aims to automatically adjust therapy throughout the day to better control symptoms.
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Automated programming for personalized deep brain stimulation in Parkinson’s disease
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Ventral pallidum brain stimulation for epilepsy
A brain stimulation therapy in people with epilepsy whose seizures aren’t controlled by medicines or surgery is being studied to see if it can help achieve seizure freedom.
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TinyML-powered closed-loop DBS for Parkinson's disease
A small, energy-efficient brain-stimulation system using lightweight AI runs on an implanted device to adapt DBS in real time for people with Parkinson's disease.
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.