Reply: The peripeduncular and pedunculopontine nuclei: a putative dispute not discouraging the effort to define a clinically relevant target

Abstract

Our target coordinates, as detailed in the ‘Methods’ section of the manuscript (Stefani et al ., 2007), clearly state a final tip positioning into an area ( z = −13) where the caudal aspect of the peripeduncular-like structure (Ppd of the Schaltenbrand Atlas, Schaltenbrand and Wahren, 1977) is basically over. The figure 1 of the original paper and the enclosed Fig. 1A (both presenting latero-lateral CT scans) demonstrate that at least three of the four lead contacts artefacts are below the pontomesencephalic line (pml, yellow line in Fig. 1A) connecting the intercollicular point to the upper border of the pons of Varolio. Thus, 0 contact of the lead is undoubtedly about − 5 mm below the pml. By overlapping Table 57 of the Schaltenbrand Atlas (corresponding to Tc − 5 mm below pml) with the CT axial view (actual Fig. 1B), it is …