In the search for the perfect spot to stimulate the subthalamic nucleus (STN) in deep brain stimulation (DBS) for primary dystonia, scientists turned to the medial STN border as a reference point. The location of the stimulation contacts within the dorsolateral sensorimotor area of the STN is crucial for treatment success, but what constitutes an optimal location has remained elusive. By analyzing data from 18 patients who underwent bilateral STN-DBS, researchers discovered that the position of the active contacts relative to the medial STN border played a significant role. Specifically, they found that more posterior placement of the electrode contacts resulted in better therapeutic effects. Cluster analysis further identified optimal and sub-optimal contact groups, with coordinates of the optimal group indicating lateral, anterior, and superior positions relative to the medial STN border. These findings have important implications for preoperative planning, stimulation programming, and prognostic assessment in primary dystonia. To learn more about optimizing deep brain stimulation for primary dystonia, check out the full article!

IntroductionAlthough the subthalamic nucleus (STN) has proven to be a safe and effective target for deep brain stimulation (DBS) in the treatment of primary dystonia, the rates of individual improvement vary considerably. On the premise of selecting appropriate patients, the location of the stimulation contacts in the dorsolateral sensorimotor area of the STN may be an important factor affecting therapeutic effects, but the optimal location remains unclear. This study aimed to define an optimal location using the medial subthalamic nucleus border as an anatomical reference and to explore the influence of the location of active contacts on outcomes and programming strategies in a series of patients with primary dystonia.MethodsData from 18 patients who underwent bilateral STN-DBS were retrospectively acquired and analyzed. Patients were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively (1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and last follow-up after neurostimulator initiation) using the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (for cervical dystonia) and the Burke–Fahn–Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale (for other types). Optimal parameters and active contact locations were determined during clinical follow-up. The position of the active contacts relative to the medial STN border was determined using postoperative stereotactic MRI.ResultsThe clinical improvement showed a significant negative correlation with the y-axis position (anterior–posterior; A+, P−). The more posterior the electrode contacts were positioned in the dorsolateral sensorimotor area of the STN, the better the therapeutic effects. Cluster analysis of the improvement rates delineated optimal and sub-optimal groups. The optimal contact coordinates from the optimal group were 2.56 mm lateral, 0.15 mm anterior, and 1.34 mm superior relative to the medial STN border.ConclusionSTN-DBS was effective for primary dystonia, but outcomes were dependent on the active contact location. Bilateral stimulation contacts located behind or adjacent to Bejjani’s line were most likely to produce ideal therapeutic effects. These findings may help guide STN-DBS preoperative planning, stimulation programming, and prognosis for optimal therapeutic efficacy in primary dystonia.

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