High frequency electrical stimulation of thalamus and basal ganglia has been used during the past 15 years for the treatment of advanced stages of Parkinson's disease. Its mechanism of action remains uncertain, however, and the choice of target location and stimulation parameters have been determined by empirical algorithms. Both improving existing therapies and deployment for other brain disorders (dystonias, OCD) can benefit greatly from a better understanding of the biophysical mechanisms of this therapy.
We are using large scale finite element models to compute stimulation-induced electric fields within deep brain structures. Combining these models with compartmental neuron models allows us to predict the effects of these electric fields on specific neuronal elements, such as axons and cell bodies. Guided by these predictions, we are also performing simultaneous micro-stimulation and micro-recordings in-vitro to gain insight into how DBS affects neuronal firing.