Hippocampal deep brain stimulation reduces glucose utilization in the healthy rat brain.

PURPOSE

The effects of deep brain stimulation (DBS) have been studied primarily by cellular studies, which lack the ability to elucidate DBS-related responses on a whole-brain scale. 2-Deoxy-2-[(18)F]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography ([(18)F]FDG-PET) reflects changes in neural activity throughout the entire brain volume. The aim of this study was to investigate the whole-brain effect of DBS on the glucose utilization in healthy rats.

PROCEDURES

Seven rats were implanted with a DBS electrode in the right hippocampus and injected with [(18)F]FDG to measure the glucose metabolism during DBS.

RESULTS

Analysis reveals significant DBS-induced decreases in the glucose metabolism in the bilateral hippocampus and other limbic structures.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates that DBS exhibits not only a local effect around the electrode tip but also in other limbic regions. [(18)F]FDG-PET studies have the potential to provide better insight into the mechanism of action of DBS by simultaneously observing activity at multiple sites in the brain.