Deep Brain Stimulation Reshapes the Brain's Internal State Observed by Microstate-Improved Brain Network Analysis

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) with appropriate parameters can improve clinical motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the relationship between enhanced motor function and brain's internal states remains unclear. This study explores how DBS reshapes brain states through functional networks, revealing mechanisms underlying motor function improvement. We propose an improved brain network analysis strategy based on microstate analysis of electroencephalography (EEG) data under DBS intervention. Through microstate analysis, four transient brain states (A to D) were identified in the temporal domain, and functional networks were constructed based on these microstates. Applying graph theory, we explored the modulatory effects of DBS on both static and microstate-based networks. We found that DBS enhanced the information integration capability and transmission speed of the whole brain network. Moreover, DBS reshaped specific brain network structures corresponding to different microstate classes in PD patients, manifested by promoting functional connectivity in the occipital, parietal, and temporal lobes and activating the frontal lobe, particularly evident in microstate A networks. This work contributes to the development of functional network analysis and deepens our understanding of the DBS mechanisms in the field of neuroscience.