Microscale electrophysiological functional connectivity in human cortico-basal ganglia network

Abstract

ObjectiveWe investigated the electrophysiological relationships in the cortico-basal ganglia network on a sub-centimeter scale to increase our understanding of neural functional relationships in Parkinson’s disease (PD). MethodsData was intraoperatively recorded from 2 sources in the human brain—a microelectrode in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and a micro-electrocorticography grid on the motor association cortex—during bilateral deep brain stimulation (DBS) electrode placement. STN neurons and local field potential (LFP) were defined as functionally connected when the 99.7% confidence intervals of the action potential (AP)-aligned average LFP and control did not overlap. ResultsAPs from STN neurons were functionally connected to the STN LFP for 18/46 STN neurons. This functional connection was observed between STN neuron APs and cortical LFP for 25/46 STN neurons. The cortical patterns of electrophysiological functional connectivity differed for each neuron. ConclusionsA subset of single neurons in the STN exhibited functional connectivity with electrophysiological activity in the STN and at a distance with the motor association cortex surveyed on a sub-centimeter spatial scale. These connections show a per neuron differential topography on the cortex. SignificanceThe cortico-basal ganglia circuit is organized on a sub-centimeter scale, and plays an important role in the mechanisms of PD and DBS.