Effect of DBS Targeting Striatum on beta Oscillations in Parkinson’s Disease

The akinesia symptoms for Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the abnormal beta (13-30Hz) oscillations in the basal ganglia. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) can alleviate the movement disorders by targeting include thalamic ventralis intermedius nucleus, subthalamic nucleus, and globus pallidus. Here, we construct a computational model, an inhibitory loop between the striatum and globus pallidus externa (GPe). We present the firing pattern and spectral characteristics of striatal neurons and GPe neurons in simulated healthy and Parkinsonian states. Our model predicts that DBS can be applied to striatum neurons to inhibit beta oscillations. We show that the beta frequency activity of the GPe neurons is reduced when DBS is added to the medium spiny neuron (MSN) in the striatum. In particular, as the frequency of DBS becomes higher, the inhibition of beta oscillations in GPe neurons is better. Our model presents new predictions about the target of DBS for PD treatment.