New imaging to map tiny brain wiring near deep brain stimulation targets
Official title: Label-free optical imaging for human mesoscale connectivity with a focus on deep brain stimulation targets
Funded at University of Minnesota · NIH-11284034 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project builds a label-free, high-resolution imaging system to map microscopic brain wiring around areas used for deep brain stimulation, aiming to help people with movement and psychiatric disorders.
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 start | March 7, 2022 |
| Project end | January 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $476,929 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH126923-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11284034 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with conditions commonly treated by DBS—such as Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, dystonia, or certain psychiatric disorders—or individuals willing to donate brain tissue would be most directly relevant to this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without conditions related to DBS or those not participating in tissue donation or related clinical programs are unlikely to see direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
Researchers are building a special light-based scanner that images brain tissue layer by layer without dyes, to reveal axons and fiber tracts at microscopic detail. They will use this system on whole brain samples and compare the images to traditional tract-tracing methods to improve accuracy. The focus is on regions targeted by deep brain stimulation so the maps can inform where stimulation works best. The team will refine the approach to create detailed, depth-resolved wiring maps that could guide future clinical targeting.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could improve understanding of the precise brain wiring involved in disorders treated with deep brain stimulation and help target treatment more accurately.
How similar studies have gone: Related optical and polarization-based imaging techniques have shown promise for mapping brain fibers ex vivo, but this whole-brain, label-free, depth-resolved approach is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
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University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Akkin, Taner — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Akkin, Taner
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Improving deep brain stimulation with MRI and AI
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Adaptive deep brain stimulation to help Parkinson's patients respond to daily changes
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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.