Скачать или смотреть Evaluating the A13 Nucleus as a Novel Deep Brain Stimulation Target: Parkinson’s Disease -Ryan Karch

Full Title: Evaluating the A13 Nucleus as a Novel Deep Brain Stimulation Target for Locomotor Recovery in Parkinson’s Disease

Abstract: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder leading to the death of dopaminergic neurons within the substantia nigra pars compacta. PD is characterized by motor symptoms including rigidity, resting tremor, and gait disturbances such as freezing. Traditional treatments for PD can be effective for some individuals, however, they are often insufficient to treat the freezing of gait which creates a demand for a suitable solution. Previous work by the Whelan lab shows that electrical stimulation of the A13 region can produce a robust locomotor response in healthy rats, and that optogenetic stimulation of the A13 nucleus can rescue locomotion in parkinsonian mice. This raises the question of whether the A13 nucleus may be a suitable target for deep brain stimulation (DBS) in alleviating the motor symptoms of PD. The purpose of this experimental study is to assess the efficacy of the A13 nucleus as a stimulation target for rescuing the locomotion of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) modelled parkinsonian rats. We hypothesize that stimulation of the A13 region will enhance locomotion in both healthy and lesioned rats; potentially offering benefits not present in traditional DBS targets. By combining a battery behavioural assays with immunohistochemistry, this study aims to establish proof-of-concept evidence for the A13 as a therapeutic DBS target for PD. The intended outcome is to identify if A13 stimulation will be sufficient to rescue PD motor deficits, determine whether it can address the freezing of gait, and provide a foundation for further translational research into PD therapies.