Analyses of biomarkers for tremor using local field potentials recorded from deep brain stimulation electrodes in the thalamus

Background: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) of the thalamus (TH) is an effective therapy for suppressing tremor. One of the critical challenges to optimizing VIM-DBS therapy is the lack of robust neural biomarkers that correlate well with tremor. Objective: To...

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Main Authors: Karthik Kumaravelu, Stephen L. Schmidt, Yi Zhao, Allison Vittert, Brandon D. Swan, Chintan S. Oza, Jennifer J. Peters, Kyle T. Mitchell, Dennis A. Turner, Warren M. Grill
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:Brain Stimulation
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1935861X25002967
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author Karthik Kumaravelu
Stephen L. Schmidt
Yi Zhao
Allison Vittert
Brandon D. Swan
Chintan S. Oza
Jennifer J. Peters
Kyle T. Mitchell
Dennis A. Turner
Warren M. Grill
author_facet Karthik Kumaravelu
Stephen L. Schmidt
Yi Zhao
Allison Vittert
Brandon D. Swan
Chintan S. Oza
Jennifer J. Peters
Kyle T. Mitchell
Dennis A. Turner
Warren M. Grill
author_sort Karthik Kumaravelu
collection DOAJ
description Background: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) of the thalamus (TH) is an effective therapy for suppressing tremor. One of the critical challenges to optimizing VIM-DBS therapy is the lack of robust neural biomarkers that correlate well with tremor. Objective: To quantify biomarkers for tremor using intraoperative TH local field potential (LFP) recorded from DBS electrodes. Further, we used computational modeling to understand the biophysical basis of the recorded LFP signal. Methods: We simultaneously recorded intraoperative TH LFP and tremor from the hand dorsum (32 participants) and during DBS at different frequencies (16 participants). Then, we simulated the effects of DBS and spatial distribution of tremor cells on calculated LFPs in a TH model. Results: There was a moderate correlation between tremor and LFP spectral power in the theta and alpha bands (r = 0.445 and 0.389, respectively). There was a strong correlation between tremor and peak coherence between LFP and tremor signal (r = 0.559). Postural tremor was decoded from the LFP signal with an area under the curve of ∼0.7. High frequency DBS reduced spectral power in the theta and alpha bands and tremor could be decoded from the LFP spectral power in the presence of DBS (0.429 goodness of fit R2). The theta power in the simulated LFP signal varied substantially with the specific location of the bipolar contact pair of the DBS electrode used for the LFP recordings as well as the spatial distribution of tremor cells. Conclusions: Theta power alone was not sufficient for prediction of tremor control. Simulations indicated that the number and distribution of tremor cells surrounding the DBS lead may explain the lack of a strong correlation between tremor and theta power.
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spelling doaj-art-04ebf55085e94b33a5ce7d585416223f2025-08-20T03:36:35ZengElsevierBrain Stimulation1935-861X2025-09-011851479148910.1016/j.brs.2025.08.006Analyses of biomarkers for tremor using local field potentials recorded from deep brain stimulation electrodes in the thalamusKarthik Kumaravelu0Stephen L. Schmidt1Yi Zhao2Allison Vittert3Brandon D. Swan4Chintan S. Oza5Jennifer J. Peters6Kyle T. Mitchell7Dennis A. Turner8Warren M. Grill9Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USADepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USADepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USADepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USADepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USADepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USADepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USADepartment of Neurology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USADepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USADepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; Corresponding author. Duke University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rm. 1427, Fitzpatrick CIEMAS, 101 Science Drive, Campus Box 90281, Durham, NC, 27708, USA,Background: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) of the thalamus (TH) is an effective therapy for suppressing tremor. One of the critical challenges to optimizing VIM-DBS therapy is the lack of robust neural biomarkers that correlate well with tremor. Objective: To quantify biomarkers for tremor using intraoperative TH local field potential (LFP) recorded from DBS electrodes. Further, we used computational modeling to understand the biophysical basis of the recorded LFP signal. Methods: We simultaneously recorded intraoperative TH LFP and tremor from the hand dorsum (32 participants) and during DBS at different frequencies (16 participants). Then, we simulated the effects of DBS and spatial distribution of tremor cells on calculated LFPs in a TH model. Results: There was a moderate correlation between tremor and LFP spectral power in the theta and alpha bands (r = 0.445 and 0.389, respectively). There was a strong correlation between tremor and peak coherence between LFP and tremor signal (r = 0.559). Postural tremor was decoded from the LFP signal with an area under the curve of ∼0.7. High frequency DBS reduced spectral power in the theta and alpha bands and tremor could be decoded from the LFP spectral power in the presence of DBS (0.429 goodness of fit R2). The theta power in the simulated LFP signal varied substantially with the specific location of the bipolar contact pair of the DBS electrode used for the LFP recordings as well as the spatial distribution of tremor cells. Conclusions: Theta power alone was not sufficient for prediction of tremor control. Simulations indicated that the number and distribution of tremor cells surrounding the DBS lead may explain the lack of a strong correlation between tremor and theta power.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1935861X25002967Essential tremorDeep brain stimulationVentral intermediate and ventralis oralis posterior nuclei of the thalamusLocal field potentialsThetaAlpha oscillations
spellingShingle Karthik Kumaravelu
Stephen L. Schmidt
Yi Zhao
Allison Vittert
Brandon D. Swan
Chintan S. Oza
Jennifer J. Peters
Kyle T. Mitchell
Dennis A. Turner
Warren M. Grill
Analyses of biomarkers for tremor using local field potentials recorded from deep brain stimulation electrodes in the thalamus
Brain Stimulation
Essential tremor
Deep brain stimulation
Ventral intermediate and ventralis oralis posterior nuclei of the thalamus
Local field potentials
Theta
Alpha oscillations
title Analyses of biomarkers for tremor using local field potentials recorded from deep brain stimulation electrodes in the thalamus
title_full Analyses of biomarkers for tremor using local field potentials recorded from deep brain stimulation electrodes in the thalamus
title_fullStr Analyses of biomarkers for tremor using local field potentials recorded from deep brain stimulation electrodes in the thalamus
title_full_unstemmed Analyses of biomarkers for tremor using local field potentials recorded from deep brain stimulation electrodes in the thalamus
title_short Analyses of biomarkers for tremor using local field potentials recorded from deep brain stimulation electrodes in the thalamus
title_sort analyses of biomarkers for tremor using local field potentials recorded from deep brain stimulation electrodes in the thalamus
topic Essential tremor
Deep brain stimulation
Ventral intermediate and ventralis oralis posterior nuclei of the thalamus
Local field potentials
Theta
Alpha oscillations
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1935861X25002967
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