Micro vs macro electrode DBS stimulation: A dosimetric study

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is a clinically suitable technique for the treatment of the Parkinson's disease. Recently, also other neurological disorders such as Tourette syndrome, obsessive-compulsive disorder, epilepsy are being to be treated with DBS. However, the debate on its therapeutic mechanisms of action is still open. In order to a better understanding of such mechanisms, in this work the attention is focused on the DBS micro-stimulation. Indeed, a micro electrodes registration and stimulation is a fundamental step, during the surgical phase, to optimize the technique in terms of DBS lead positioning and DBS signal parameters. In this paper a dosimetric analysis with micro electrodes has been carried out, showing a more focused distribution of the electrical potential induced in the neuroanatomical tissues and changes of the excited/inhibited regions, respect to a macro electrodes stimulation. © 2010 IEEE.