Differential neuronal activity in segments of globus... : NeuroReport (original) (raw)

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Differential neuronal activity in segments of globus pallidus in Parkinson's disease patients

Hutchison, W. D.; Lozano, A. M.; Davis, K. D.; Saint-Cyr, J. A.; Lang, A. E.; Dostrovsky, J. O.

Dept of Physiology, Anatomy and Cell Biology and Dept of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A8; Division of Neurosurgery and Division of Neurology, The Toronto Hospital (Western Division), 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 2S8

Abstract

Microelectrode trajectories through the globus pallidus of 6 Parkinson's disease (PD) patients yielded neurophysiological ‘landmarks' which enabled the identification of neurones located in the external segment (GPe) and internal segments, exterior (GPi,e) and interior (GPi,i) of globus pallidus and the surrounding borders (Bor). Firing rate histograms and inter-spike interval time histograms were constructed for neurones in each region. The neuronal activity in GPi,i was higher than in the other segments, and a high degree of bursting was found in GPe and GPi neurones. This profile of neuronal activity is similar to that observed in monkeys treated with MPTP, suggesting that the observed level of activity of neurones in GPi,i is excessive, and contributes to the bradykinesia and rigidity of PD patients.