Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC);
Laboratorio de Imagen Médica, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón; Departamento de Bioingeniería e Ingeniería Aeroespacial, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.
J Vis Exp. 2022 Mar 23(181). doi: 10.3791/63478.
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an invasive neurosurgical technique based on the application of electrical pulses to brain structures involved in the patient's pathophysiology. Despite the long history of DBS, its mechanism of action and appropriate protocols remain unclear, highlighting the need for research aiming to solve these enigmas. In this sense, evaluating the in vivo effects of DBS using functional imaging techniques represents a powerful strategy to determine the impact of stimulation on brain dynamics. Here, an experimental protocol for preclinical models (Wistar rats), combined with a longitudinal study [F]-fluorodeoxyclucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), to assess the acute consequences of DBS on brain metabolism is described. First, animals underwent stereotactic surgery for bilateral implantation of electrodes into the prefrontal cortex. A post-surgical computerized tomography (CT) scan of each animal was acquired to verify electrode placement. After one week of recovery, a first static FDG-PET of each operated animal without stimulation (D1) was acquired, and two days later (D2), a second FDG-PET was acquired while animals were stimulated. For that, the electrodes were connected to an isolated stimulator after administering FDG to the animals. Thus, animals were stimulated during the FDG uptake period (45 min), recording the acute effects of DBS on brain metabolism. Given the exploratory nature of this study, FDG-PET images were analyzed by a voxel-wise approach based on a paired T-test between D1 and D2 studies. Overall, the combination of DBS and imaging studies allows describing the neuromodulation consequences on neural networks, ultimately helping to unravel the conundrums surrounding DBS.
深部脑刺激 (DBS) 是一种基于向涉及患者病理生理学的脑结构施加电脉冲的侵入性神经外科技术。尽管 DBS 的历史悠久，但它的作用机制和适当的方案仍不清楚，这突出表明需要研究旨在解决这些谜团。从这个意义上说，使用功能成像技术评估 DBS 的体内效应代表了确定刺激对大脑动力学影响的有力策略。在这里，描述了一种用于临床前模型（Wistar 大鼠）的实验方案，结合纵向研究 [F]-氟脱氧葡萄糖正电子发射断层扫描 (FDG-PET)，以评估 DBS 对大脑代谢的急性影响。首先，动物接受立体定向手术，将电极双侧植入前额叶皮层。对每个动物进行手术后的计算机断层扫描 (CT) 扫描，以验证电极放置位置。在一周的恢复后，对每个手术动物进行第一次无刺激的静态 FDG-PET（D1），两天后（D2），在动物接受刺激时进行第二次 FDG-PET。为此，在向动物施用 FDG 后，将电极连接到隔离刺激器。因此，动物在 FDG 摄取期间（45 分钟）接受刺激，记录 DBS 对大脑代谢的急性影响。鉴于本研究的探索性质，FDG-PET 图像通过基于 D1 和 D2 研究之间配对 T 检验的体素分析方法进行分析。总体而言，DBS 和成像研究的结合允许描述神经调节对神经网络的影响，最终有助于解开 DBS 周围的难题。
