Congratulations to Drs. Vyshak Chandra, Joshua Wong, Justin Hillard, and Kelly Foote on the publication of their article, “ID #1902137 Does Cerebellar Circuitry Explain Stimulation-Induced Ataxia in Thalamic Deep Brain Stimulation?” in the October issue of Neuromodulation. This important work explores the role of cerebellar pathways in DBS-related side effects, shedding new light on the mechanisms underlying stimulation-induced ataxia.
Abstract
In Essential tremor (ET) patients with medically refractory tremor, deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a proven, safe and effective treatment. The most common DBS target for ET is the ventralis intermedius (VIM) nucleus of the thalamus. Given the narrow dimensions of the VIM, stimulation-induced side effects (SISE) can limit the ability to deliver optimal therapeutic benefit. Ataxia is one such SISE that is well described and thought to be associated with stimulation of the dentato-rubro-thalamic-tract (DRTT).