Abstract
ObjectiveOscillatory activity in the beta band is increased in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Rigidity and bradykinesia are associated with the low-beta component (13–20Hz) but the neurophysiological correlate of freezing of gait in PD has not been ascertained. MethodsWe evaluated the power and coherence of the low- and high-beta bands in the STN and cortex (EEG) of PD patients with (p-FOG) (n=14) or without freezing of gait (n-FOG) (n=8) in whom electrodes for chronic stimulation in the STN had been implanted for treatment with deep brain stimulation. Resultsp-FOG patients showed higher power in the high-beta band (F=11.6, p=0.002) that was significantly reduced after l-dopa administration along with suppression of FOG (F=4.6, p=0.042). High-beta cortico-STN coherence was maximal for midline cortical EEG electrodes, whereas the low-beta band was maximal for lateral electrodes (χ2=20.60, p<0.0001). ConclusionsThe association between freezing of gait, high-beta STN oscillations and cortico-STN coherence suggests that this oscillatory activity might interfere in the frontal cortex–basal ganglia networks, thereby participating in the pathophysiology of FOG in PD.
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