Electrical vibrations ofNerve cells in the brainand in the cortex are pathologically linked and suggest symptoms of Parkinson's. Researchers know this from recordings taken during surgery from Parkinson's patients to adapt them to a brain pacemaker. New study results show that this causes the characteristic slowing of movement in patients with Parkinson's disease.
Rapid diagnosis with EEG identifies symptoms of Parkinson's
There is therefore the possibility of detecting the coupling if the electrical nerve activity is derived from the patient's scalp using only electroencephalogram (EEG). A team of scientists from the Department of Neurology at Leipzig University Hospital investigated this possibility. In measurements that only lasted five minutes, the researchers found such connections in Parkinson's patients. Compared to healthy test subjects, this connection is strengthened in the brain regions that control movement. Breaking the coupling between vibrations at different locations could be particularly important for therapeutic approaches to treating Parkinson's symptoms. Using external electrical or magnetic stimulation, the researchers hope that in the future it will be possible to correct the coupled electrical oscillations in Parkinson's patients. This could also be done without surgery, according to the study authors.
Currently, stimulators can only be clinically programmed and are not adaptable to the disease's fluctuating symptoms, which can include tremors, slowness, or difficulty walking. The biomarkers are the key to improving the technology to make it responsive or intelligent. With thismathematical modelingThe scientists want to find out what properties such novel therapies would require.
These new findingsof the studyAccording to the researchers, they could represent an important building block in this regard. Furthermore, pathological coupling was also found in a single area of the cerebral cortex. This is only slightly involved in motor control. Perhaps the cognitive disorders that occur in some Parkinson's patients are a common cause of motor disorders. Future studies will further investigate this hypothesis.
