BGRL: Basal Ganglia inspired Reinforcement Learning based framework for deep brain stimulators

Abstract

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is an implantable medical device used for electrical stimulation to treat neurological disorders. Traditional DBS devices provide fixed frequency pulses, but personalized adjustment of stimulation parameters is crucial for optimal treatment. This paper introduces a Basal Ganglia inspired Reinforcement Learning (BGRL) approach, incorporating a closed-loop feedback mechanism to suppress neural synchrony during neurological fluctuations. The BGRL approach leverages the resemblance between the Basal Ganglia region of brain by incorporating the actor–critic architecture of reinforcement learning (RL). Simulation results demonstrate that BGRL significantly reduces synchronous electrical pulses compared to other standard RL algorithms. BGRL algorithm outperforms existing RL methods in terms of suppression capability and energy consumption, validated through comparisons using ensemble oscillators. Results shown in the paper demonstrate BGRL suppressed the synchronous electrical pulses across three signaling regimes namely regular, chaotic and bursting by 40%, 146% and 40% respectively as compared to soft actor–critic model. BGRL shows promise in effectively suppressing neural synchrony in DBS therapy, providing an efficient alternative to open-loop methodologies.