Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation for cranial-cervical dystonia: optimal stimulation sites and networks

Background and objectives: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is an effective treatment for medically refractory cranial-cervical dystonia (CCD or Meige syndrome). However, clinical responses vary substantially across individuals, likely due to differences in electrode pla...

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Main Authors: Hutao Xie, Jiansong Huang, Ningfei Li, Houyou Fan, Shihang Yang, Zixiao Yin, Zhaoting Zheng, Zehua Zhao, Yin Jiang, Lin Shi, Anchao Yang, Fangang Meng, Guanyu Zhu, Quan Zhang, Jianguo Zhang
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/S1935861X25002979
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author Hutao Xie
Jiansong Huang
Ningfei Li
Houyou Fan
Shihang Yang
Zixiao Yin
Zhaoting Zheng
Zehua Zhao
Yin Jiang
Lin Shi
Anchao Yang
Fangang Meng
Guanyu Zhu
Quan Zhang
Jianguo Zhang
author_facet Hutao Xie
Jiansong Huang
Ningfei Li
Houyou Fan
Shihang Yang
Zixiao Yin
Zhaoting Zheng
Zehua Zhao
Yin Jiang
Lin Shi
Anchao Yang
Fangang Meng
Guanyu Zhu
Quan Zhang
Jianguo Zhang
author_sort Hutao Xie
collection DOAJ
description Background and objectives: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is an effective treatment for medically refractory cranial-cervical dystonia (CCD or Meige syndrome). However, clinical responses vary substantially across individuals, likely due to differences in electrode placement and modulation of target neural circuits. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 51 patients with CCD treated with STN-DBS at a single center. Pre- and postoperative imaging was used to reconstruct electrode locations and model patient-specific electric fields. We then performed (i) voxel-wise sweet spot mapping to identify optimal stimulation sites, (ii) fiber filtering using normative tractography to determine white matter pathways associated with clinical improvement, and (iii) network mapping based on resting-state fMRI to identify functional connectivity patterns predictive of DBS response. Results: Voxel-wise correlation analysis revealed that the optimal stimulation localized to the STN motor subregion (R = 0.52, p < 0.001). Normative structural connectivity analysis showed that symptom improvement correlated strongly with modulation of fibers projecting to the cranial and cervical regions of sensorimotor cortex (R = 0.52, p < 0.001) and sensorimotor-associated basal ganglia pathways (R = 0.62, p < 0.001). Functional network mapping further revealed connectivity to the sensorimotor cortex as significantly associated with clinical improvement (R = 0.43, p = 0.002). Conclusion: These findings inform refinement of STN targeting strategies in DBS for CCD. The involvement of cranial and cervical sensorimotor regions highlights the importance of symptom-based dystonia classification for individualized neuromodulation approaches.
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spelling doaj-art-6783661d1376442e942e8141963b40e92025-08-20T05:06:18ZengElsevierBrain Stimulation1935-861X2025-09-011851539155010.1016/j.brs.2025.08.003Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation for cranial-cervical dystonia: optimal stimulation sites and networksHutao Xie0Jiansong Huang1Ningfei Li2Houyou Fan3Shihang Yang4Zixiao Yin5Zhaoting Zheng6Zehua Zhao7Yin Jiang8Lin Shi9Anchao Yang10Fangang Meng11Guanyu Zhu12Quan Zhang13Jianguo Zhang14Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaMovement Disorders and Neuromodulation Unit, Department of Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaSchool of Electronics Engineering and Computer Science, Peking University, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Functional Neurosurgery, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Neurostimulation, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Department of Functional Neurosurgery, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Corresponding author. The South Fourth Ring Road, West Road, Fengtai District &amp; No. 119, Beijing, 100070, China.Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Corresponding author. The South Fourth Ring Road, West Road, Fengtai District &amp; No. 119, Beijing, 100070, China.Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Department of Functional Neurosurgery, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Neurostimulation, Beijing, China; Corresponding author. The South Fourth Ring Road, West Road, Fengtai District &amp; No. 119, Beijing, 100070, China.Background and objectives: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is an effective treatment for medically refractory cranial-cervical dystonia (CCD or Meige syndrome). However, clinical responses vary substantially across individuals, likely due to differences in electrode placement and modulation of target neural circuits. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 51 patients with CCD treated with STN-DBS at a single center. Pre- and postoperative imaging was used to reconstruct electrode locations and model patient-specific electric fields. We then performed (i) voxel-wise sweet spot mapping to identify optimal stimulation sites, (ii) fiber filtering using normative tractography to determine white matter pathways associated with clinical improvement, and (iii) network mapping based on resting-state fMRI to identify functional connectivity patterns predictive of DBS response. Results: Voxel-wise correlation analysis revealed that the optimal stimulation localized to the STN motor subregion (R = 0.52, p < 0.001). Normative structural connectivity analysis showed that symptom improvement correlated strongly with modulation of fibers projecting to the cranial and cervical regions of sensorimotor cortex (R = 0.52, p < 0.001) and sensorimotor-associated basal ganglia pathways (R = 0.62, p < 0.001). Functional network mapping further revealed connectivity to the sensorimotor cortex as significantly associated with clinical improvement (R = 0.43, p = 0.002). Conclusion: These findings inform refinement of STN targeting strategies in DBS for CCD. The involvement of cranial and cervical sensorimotor regions highlights the importance of symptom-based dystonia classification for individualized neuromodulation approaches.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1935861X25002979Cranial-cervical dystoniaMeige syndromeDeep brain stimulationSubthalamic nucleusConnectome
spellingShingle Hutao Xie
Jiansong Huang
Ningfei Li
Houyou Fan
Shihang Yang
Zixiao Yin
Zhaoting Zheng
Zehua Zhao
Yin Jiang
Lin Shi
Anchao Yang
Fangang Meng
Guanyu Zhu
Quan Zhang
Jianguo Zhang
Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation for cranial-cervical dystonia: optimal stimulation sites and networks
Brain Stimulation
Cranial-cervical dystonia
Meige syndrome
Deep brain stimulation
Subthalamic nucleus
Connectome
title Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation for cranial-cervical dystonia: optimal stimulation sites and networks
title_full Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation for cranial-cervical dystonia: optimal stimulation sites and networks
title_fullStr Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation for cranial-cervical dystonia: optimal stimulation sites and networks
title_full_unstemmed Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation for cranial-cervical dystonia: optimal stimulation sites and networks
title_short Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation for cranial-cervical dystonia: optimal stimulation sites and networks
title_sort subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation for cranial cervical dystonia optimal stimulation sites and networks
topic Cranial-cervical dystonia
Meige syndrome
Deep brain stimulation
Subthalamic nucleus
Connectome
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1935861X25002979
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