Safety and feasibility of faecal microbiota transplantation for patients with Parkinson's disease: a protocol for a self-controlled interventional donor-FMT pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: Experimental studies suggest a role of gut microbiota in the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease (PD) via the gut-brain axis. The gut microbiota can also influence the metabolism of levodopa, which is the mainstay of treatment of PD. Therefore, modifying the gut microbiota by faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) could be a supportive treatment strategy. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We have developed a study protocol for a single-centre, prospective, self-controlled, interventional, safety and feasibility donor-FMT pilot study with randomisation and double-blinded allocation of donor faeces. The primary objectives are feasibility and safety of FMT in patients with PD. Secondary objectives include exploring whether FMT leads to alterations in motor complications (fluctuations and dyskinesias) and PD motor and non-motor symptoms (including constipation), determining alterations in gut microbiota composition, assessing donor-recipient microbiota similarities and their association with PD symptoms and motor complications, evaluating the ease of the study protocol and examining FMT-related adverse events in patients with PD. The study population will consist of 16 patients with idiopathic PD that use levodopa and experience motor complications. They will receive FMT with faeces from one of two selected healthy human donors. FMT will be administered via a gastroscope into the duodenum, after treatment with oral vancomycin, bowel lavage and domperidone. There will be seven follow-up moments during 12 months. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study was approved by the Medical Ethical Committee Leiden Den Haag Delft (ref. P20.087). Study results will be disseminated through publication in peer-reviewed journals and international conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: International Clinical Trial Registry Platform: NL9438.

Predicting Motor Outcome and Quality of Life After Subthalamic Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease: The Role of Standard Screening Measures and Wearable-Data.

BACKGROUND: Standardized screening for subthalamic deep brain stimulation (STN DBS) in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients is crucial to determine eligibility, but its utility to predict postoperative outcomes in eligible patients is inconclusive. It is unknown whether wearable data can contribute to this aim. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the utility of universal components incorporated in the DBS screening, complemented by a wearable sensor, to predict motor outcomes and Quality of life (QoL) one year after STN DBS surgery. METHODS: Consecutive patients were included in the OPTIMIST cohort study from two DBS centers. Standardized assessments included a preoperative Levodopa Challenge Test (LCT), and questionnaires on QoL and non-motor symptoms including cognition, psychiatric symptoms, impulsiveness, autonomic symptoms, and sleeping problems. Moreover, an ambulatory wearable sensor (Parkinson Kinetigraph (PKG)) was used. Postoperative assessments were similar and also included a Stimulation Challenge Test to determine DBS effects on motor function. RESULTS: Eighty-three patients were included (median (interquartile range) age 63 (56-68) years, 36% female). Med-OFF (Stim-OFF) motor severity deteriorated indicating disease progression, but patients significantly improved in terms of Med-ON (Stim-ON) motor function, motor fluctuations, QoL, and most non-motor domains. Motor outcomes were not predicted by preoperative tests, including covariates of either LCT or PKG. Postoperative QoL was predicted by better preoperative QoL, lower age, and more preoperative impulsiveness scores in multivariate models. CONCLUSION: Data from the DBS screening including wearable data do not predict postoperative motor outcome at one year. Post-DBS QoL appears primarily driven by non-motor symptoms, rather than by motor improvement.

A Screening Tool to Quickly Identify Movement Disorders in Patients with Inborn Errors of Metabolism.

BACKGROUND: Movement disorders are frequent in patients with inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs) but poorly recognized, particularly by nonmovement disorder specialists. We propose an easy-to-use clinical screening tool to help recognize movement disorders. OBJECTIVE: The aim is to develop a user-friendly rapid screening tool for nonmovement disorder specialists to detect moderate and severe movement disorders in patients aged ≥4 years with IEMs. METHODS: Videos of 55 patients with different IEMs were scored by experienced movement disorder specialists (n = 12). Inter-rater agreements were determined on the presence and subtype of the movement disorder. Based on ranking and consensus, items were chosen to be incorporated into the screening tool. RESULTS: A movement disorder was rated as present in 80% of the patients, with a moderate inter-rater agreement (κ =0.420, P < 0.001) on the presence of a movement disorder. When considering only moderate and severe movement disorders, the inter-rater agreement increased to almost perfect (κ = 0.900, P < 0.001). Dystonia was most frequently scored (27.3%) as the dominant phenotype. Treatment was mainly suggested for patients with moderate or severe movement disorders. Walking, observations of the arms, and drawing a spiral were found to be the most informative tasks and were included in the screening tool. CONCLUSIONS: We designed a screening tool to recognize movement disorders in patients with IEMs. We propose that this screening tool can contribute to select patients who should be referred to a movement disorder specialist for further evaluation and, if necessary, treatment of the movement disorder. © 2023 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Functional Movement Disorders and Deep Brain Stimulation: A Multi-Center Study.

Background: Functional movement disorders (FMD) are a commonly under-recognized diagnosis in patients with underlying neurodegenerative diseases. FMD have been observed in patients undergoing deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson's disease (PD) and other movement disorders. The prevalence of coexisting FMD among movement disorder-related DBS patients is unknown, and it may occur more often than previously recognized. Methods: We retrospectively assessed the relative prevalence and clinical characteristics of FMD occurring post-DBS, in PD and dystonia patients (FMD+, n = 29). We compared this cohort with age at surgery-, sex-, and diagnosis-matched subjects without FMD post-DBS (FMD-, n = 29). Results: Both the FMD prevalence (0.2%-2.1%) and the number of cases/DBS procedures/year varied across centers (0.15-3.65). A total of nine of 29 FMD+ cases reported worse outcomes following DBS. Although FMD+ and FMD- manifested similar features, FMD+ showed higher psychiatric comorbidity. Conclusions: DBS may be complicated by the development of FMD in a subset of patients, particularly those with pre-morbid psychiatric conditions.

Medical and Surgical Treatment for Medication-Induced Tremor: Case Report and Systematic Review.

Objective: To present a case of refractory medication-induced tremor successfully treated with deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the thalamic ventral intermediate nucleus (Vim) and to propose a medical and surgical treatment algorithm based on a systematical review of the literature. Methods: Patient data were retrospectively collected. A systematic search was performed in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library. Subjective and objective data were pooled for analysis by classifying them into 5 predefined categories(no, minimal, moderate, good, and excellent effects). Results: The patient presented with lithium-induced bilateral progressive hand tremor lasting 25 years. After DBS, he reported excellent tremor suppression until the last follow-up (36 months after Vim-DBS). For the review, 34 of 140 studies were included and evaluated (178 unique subjects, 31 different treatments). A good-to-excellent tremor suppression (50%-100%) in at least 50% of subjects was achieved using propranolol (12 studies, 50% of 56 subjects), tetrabenazine (5 studies, 51% of 13 subjects), and metoprolol (4 studies, 75% of 8 subjects). The effect of benztropine and diphenhydramine was none or only minimal to moderate (up to 50% improvement; both: 3 studies, 50% of 4 patients). One article reported minimal-to-moderate effectiveness after DBS of the ventral oral posterior nucleus of the thalamus. Methods were highly heterogeneous. All studies scored grade III or IV quality of evidence, which was insufficient for recommendations (level U). Conclusion: Treatment decision making should be performed on a case-by-case basis considering the low level of evidence, and we propose a practically oriented treatment algorithm. Propranolol, tetrabenazine, and metoprolol might be effective. For selected and refractory cases, DBS might be considered.

Patient-Related Factors Influencing Caregiver Burden in Parkinson's Disease Patients: Comparison of Effects Before and After Deep Brain Stimulation.

BACKGROUND: Caregivers of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients provide important support during the pre- and postoperative phase of deep brain stimulation (DBS). High levels of caregiver burden have been reported after DBS. However, a comparison between preoperative and postoperative burden and associated factors has been insufficiently studied. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of DBS on caregiver burden, and to identify the differential impact of patient-related factors on caregiver burden before and after DBS. METHODS: Consecutive patients referred for DBS eligibility screening or during one-year follow-up assessments were included. Caregiver burden was measured with the short Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI-12). Inverse Probability Weighting (IPW) was used to compare caregiver burden between preoperative and postoperative assessments. RESULTS: We included 47 patients (24 screening, 23 follow-up) (median age 65 years, 29.4% female sex). DBS did not impact caregiver burden (screening: median ZBI-12 9.5 (IQR 3.25, 16.75); follow-up median ZBI-12 6 (IQR 4, 14); IPW-coefficient 0.57 (95% CI -2.75, 3.89)). Worse caregiver burden during DBS screening was associated with worse patient-related scores on depressive symptoms, anxiety, QoL, and impulsiveness. Worse scores on depressive symptoms, anxiety, apathy, postural-instability-gait-disorder, and QoL were associated with worse caregiver burden at one-year follow-up. CONCLUSION: DBS appears not associated with changes in caregiver burden. Various symptoms are valued differently between screening and follow-up assessments in terms of caregiver burden. Early recognition of caregivers "at risk" may improve guidance of patient-caregiver dyads throughout the DBS process.

Assessment of Parkinson's Disease Severity From Videos Using Deep Architectures.

Parkinson's disease (PD) diagnosis is based on clinical criteria, i.e., bradykinesia, rest tremor, rigidity, etc. Assessment of the severity of PD symptoms with clinical rating scales, however, is subject to inter-rater variability. In this paper, we propose a deep learning based automatic PD diagnosis method using videos to assist the diagnosis in clinical practices. We deploy a 3D Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) as the baseline approach for the PD severity classification and show the effectiveness. Due to the lack of data in clinical field, we explore the possibility of transfer learning from non-medical dataset and show that PD severity classification can benefit from it. To bridge the domain discrepancy between medical and non-medical datasets, we let the network focus more on the subtle temporal visual cues, i.e., the frequency of tremors, by designing a Temporal Self-Attention (TSA) mechanism. Seven tasks from the Movement Disorders Society - Unified PD rating scale (MDS-UPDRS) part III are investigated, which reveal the symptoms of bradykinesia and postural tremors. Furthermore, we propose a multi-domain learning method to predict the patient-level PD severity through task-assembling. We show the effectiveness of TSA and task-assembling method on our PD video dataset empirically. We achieve the best MCC of 0.55 on binary task-level and 0.39 on three-class patient-level classification.

The actual use of directional steering and shorter pulse width in selected patients undergoing deep brain stimulation.

INTRODUCTION: Directional deep brain stimulation (DBS) and pulse with <60µs increase side-effects threshold, enlarging the therapeutic window. However, new systems allowing these advanced features are more expensive and often available only for a limited number of patients in some centers. It is unknown how many and which DBS patients actually need the advanced features because of an insufficient improvement with standard parameters. METHODS: We included in the analysis all patients with Parkinson's disease, dystonia and tremor who were selected to receive implantation of advanced DBS systems based on specific preoperative or intraoperative clinical features. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 15 months, 54.9% of the 51 patients implanted with directional leads were using the advanced features in one or both leads (n = 42 leads, 42%), meaning these leads were programmed either with directional stimulation (n = 9, 9%), a shorter pw (n = 20, 20%) or both (n = 13, 13%). This included 92% of patients implanted in the Vim, 44% of those implanted in the STN, and 40% of those implanted in the GPi. CONCLUSIONS: DBS systems with advanced features may be particularly indicated for selected patients based on some clinical characteristics and the chosen target. This data may help clinicians allocate resources in a more informed way.

The sensitivity of ECG contamination to surgical implantation site in brain computer interfaces.

BACKGROUND: Brain sensing devices are approved today for Parkinson's, essential tremor, and epilepsy therapies. Clinical decisions for implants are often influenced by the premise that patients will benefit from using sensing technology. However, artifacts, such as ECG contamination, can render such treatments unreliable. Therefore, clinicians need to understand how surgical decisions may affect artifact probability. OBJECTIVES: Investigate neural signal contamination with ECG activity in sensing enabled neurostimulation systems, and in particular clinical choices such as implant location that impact signal fidelity. METHODS: Electric field modeling and empirical signals from 85 patients were used to investigate the relationship between implant location and ECG contamination. RESULTS: The impact on neural recordings depends on the difference between ECG signal and noise floor of the electrophysiological recording. Empirically, we demonstrate that severe ECG contamination was more than 3.2x higher in left-sided subclavicular implants (48.3%), when compared to right-sided implants (15.3%). Cranial implants did not show ECG contamination. CONCLUSIONS: Given the relative frequency of corrupted neural signals, we conclude that implant location will impact the ability of brain sensing devices to be used for "closed-loop" algorithms. Clinical adjustments such as implant location can significantly affect signal integrity and need consideration.

Dystonia Management: What to Expect From the Future? The Perspectives of Patients and Clinicians Within DystoniaNet Europe.

Improved care for people with dystonia presents a number of challenges. Major gaps in knowledge exist with regard to how to optimize the diagnostic process, how to leverage discoveries in pathophysiology into biomarkers, and how to develop an evidence base for current and novel treatments. These challenges are made greater by the realization of the wide spectrum of symptoms and difficulties faced by people with dystonia, which go well-beyond motor symptoms. A network of clinicians, scientists, and patients could provide resources to facilitate information exchange at different levels, share mutual experiences, and support each other's innovative projects. In the past, collaborative initiatives have been launched, including the American Dystonia Coalition, the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST-which however only existed for a limited time), and the Dutch DystonieNet project. The European Reference Network on Rare Neurological Diseases includes dystonia among other rare conditions affecting the central nervous system in a dedicated stream. Currently, we aim to broaden the scope of these initiatives to a comprehensive European level by further expanding the DystoniaNet network, in close collaboration with the ERN-RND. In line with the ERN-RND, the mission of DystoniaNet Europe is to improve care and quality of life for people with dystonia by, among other endeavors, facilitating access to specialized care, overcoming the disparity in education of medical professionals, and serving as a solid platform to foster international clinical and research collaborations. In this review, both professionals within the dystonia field and patients and caregivers representing Dystonia Europe highlight important unsolved issues and promising new strategies and the role that a European network can play in activating them.

Preoperative Electroencephalography-Based Machine Learning Predicts Cognitive Deterioration After Subthalamic Deep Brain Stimulation.

BACKGROUND: Subthalamic deep brain stimulation (STN DBS) may relieve refractory motor complications in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Despite careful screening, it remains difficult to determine severity of alpha-synucleinopathy involvement which influences the risk of postoperative complications including cognitive deterioration. Quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) reflects cognitive dysfunction in PD and may provide biomarkers of postoperative cognitive decline. OBJECTIVE: To develop an automated machine learning model based on preoperative EEG data to predict cognitive deterioration 1 year after STN DBS. METHODS: Sixty DBS candidates were included; 42 patients had available preoperative EEGs to compute a fully automated machine learning model. Movement Disorder Society criteria classified patients as cognitively stable or deteriorated at 1-year follow-up. A total of 16,674 EEG-features were extracted per patient; a Boruta algorithm selected EEG-features to reflect representative neurophysiological signatures for each class. A random forest classifier with 10-fold cross-validation with Bayesian optimization provided class-differentiation. RESULTS: Tweny-five patients were classified as cognitively stable and 17 patients demonstrated cognitive decline. The model differentiated classes with a mean (SD) accuracy of 0.88 (0.05), with a positive predictive value of 91.4% (95% CI 82.9, 95.9) and negative predictive value of 85.0% (95% CI 81.9, 91.4). Predicted probabilities between classes were highly differential (hazard ratio 11.14 [95% CI 7.25, 17.12]); the risk of cognitive decline in patients with high probabilities of being prognosticated as cognitively stable (>0.5) was very limited. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative EEGs can predict cognitive deterioration after STN DBS with high accuracy. Cortical neurophysiological alterations may indicate future cognitive decline and can be used as biomarkers during the DBS screening. © 2021 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Intraoperative vs. Postoperative Side-Effects-Thresholds During Pallidal and Thalamic DBS.

Background: It is currently unknown whether results from intraoperative test stimulation of two types of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), either during awake pallidal (GPi) or thalamic (Vim), are comparable to the results generated by chronic stimulation through the definitive lead. Objective: To determine whether side-effects-thresholds from intraoperative test stimulation are indicative of postoperative stimulation findings. Methods: Records of consecutive patients who received GPi or Vim were analyzed. Thresholds for the induction of either capsular or non-capsular side-effects were compared at matched depths and at group-level. Results: Records of fifty-two patients were analyzed (20 GPis, 75 Vims). The induction of side-effects was not significantly different between intraoperative and postoperative assessments at matched depths, although a large variability was observed (capsular: GPi DBS: p = 0.79; Vim DBS: p = 0.68); non-capsular: GPi DBS: p = 0.20; and Vim DBS: p = 0.35). Linear mixed-effect models revealed no differences between intraoperative and postoperative assessments, although the Vim had significantly lower thresholds (capsular side-effects p = 0.01, non-capsular side-effects p < 0.01). Unpaired survival analyses demonstrated lower intraoperative than postoperative thresholds for capsular side-effects in patients under GPi DBS (p = 0.01), while higher intraoperative thresholds for non-capsular side-effects in patients under Vim DBS (p = 0.01). Conclusion: There were no significant differences between intraoperative and postoperative assessments of GPi and Vim DBS, although thresholds cannot be directly extrapolated at an individual level due to high variability.

Effect of deep brain stimulation on caregivers of patients with Parkinson's disease: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Caregivers of patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD) often provide important support in the pre- and postoperative phase of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). DBS-associated changes of patient-functioning may affect caregiver wellbeing and impact the support system. Factors influencing caregiver-wellbeing under these circumstances are incompletely known. OBJECTIVE: to systematically review studies of sufficient methodological quality on the impact of DBS on caregivers of PD patients. METHODS: using PRISMA guidelines, major databases were searched up to May 2020. Five subcategories were identified: Caregiver burden, Caregiver cognitive and psychiatric functioning, Caregiver Quality of Life (QoL), Marital Satisfaction/Conflicts, and Caregiver Satisfaction. Quality was assessed using an in-house checklist. RESULTS: 293 studies were identified; 12 were ultimately included. Caregiver burden, psychiatric and cognitive functioning and QoL remained relatively unchanged. Results on marital satisfaction/conflicts were contrasting: an increase in marital conflicts despite improved relationship quality scores DBS. Caregiver satisfaction with surgery was low with 50-58% of caregivers being disappointed with DBS outcomes. Concerning caregiver related factors: a higher preoperative caregiver QoL, younger age, lower scores on psychiatric rating scales, and more favourable preoperative relationship quality scores, were associated with better caregiver wellbeing. A favourable patient-profile includes younger age and age-at-onset, shorter disease duration, lower medication requirements, and lower scores on psychiatric rating scales. CONCLUSION: Although most patient- and caregiver-related subdomains remained unchanged after DBS, dissatisfaction among caregivers and marital problems may constitute a large risk for a well-functioning patient-caregiver dyad. Early recognition of potential problem situations may improve post-DBS care for both patients and caregivers.

Khodakarami, H., et al., Prediction of the Levodopa Challenge Test in Parkinson's Disease Using Data from a Wrist-Worn Sensor. Sensors 2019, 19, 5153.

The authors wish to make the following erratum to this paper [...].

Lack of Accredited Clinical Training in Movement Disorders in Europe, Egypt, and Tunisia.

BACKGROUND: Little information is available on the official postgraduate and subspecialty training programs in movement disorders (MD) in Europe and North Africa. OBJECTIVE: To survey the accessible MD clinical training in these regions. METHODS: We designed a survey on clinical training in MD in different medical fields, at postgraduate and specialized levels. We assessed the characteristics of the participants and the facilities for MD care in their respective countries. We examined whether there are structured, or even accredited postgraduate, or subspecialty MD training programs in neurology, neurosurgery, internal medicine, geriatrics, neuroradiology, neuropediatrics, and general practice. Participants also shared their suggestions and needs. RESULTS: The survey was completed in 31/49 countries. Structured postgraduate MD programs in neurology exist in 20 countries; structured neurology subspecialty training exists in 14 countries and is being developed in two additional countries. Certified neurology subspecialty training was reported to exist in 7 countries. Recommended reading lists, printed books, and other materials are the most popular educational tools, while courses, lectures, webinars, and case presentations are the most popular learning formats. Mandatory activities and skills to be certified were not defined in 15/31 countries. Most participants expressed their need for a mandatory postgraduate MD program and for certified MD sub-specialization programs in neurology. CONCLUSION: Certified postgraduate and subspecialty training exists only in a minority of European countries and was not found in the surveyed Egypt and Tunisia. MD training should be improved in many countries.

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Neurological Disorders.

Background: Several studies suggested an important role of the gut microbiota in the pathophysiology of neurological disorders, implying that alteration of the gut microbiota might serve as a treatment strategy. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is currently the most effective gut microbiota intervention and an accepted treatment for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infections. To evaluate indications of FMT for patients with neurological disorders, we summarized the available literature on FMT. In addition, we provide suggestions for future directions. Methods: In July 2019, five main databases were searched for studies and case descriptions on FMT in neurological disorders in humans or animal models. In addition, the ClinicalTrials.gov website was consulted for registered planned and ongoing trials. Results: Of 541 identified studies, 34 were included in the analysis. Clinical trials with FMT have been performed in patients with autism spectrum disorder and showed beneficial effects on neurological symptoms. For multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease, several animal studies suggested a positive effect of FMT, supported by some human case reports. For epilepsy, Tourette syndrome, and diabetic neuropathy some studies suggested a beneficial effect of FMT, but evidence was restricted to case reports and limited numbers of animal studies. For stroke, Alzheimer's disease and Guillain-Barré syndrome only studies with animal models were identified. These studies suggested a potential beneficial effect of healthy donor FMT. In contrast, one study with an animal model for stroke showed increased mortality after FMT. For Guillain-Barré only one study was identified. Whether positive findings from animal studies can be confirmed in the treatment of human diseases awaits to be seen. Several trials with FMT as treatment for the above mentioned neurological disorders are planned or ongoing, as well as for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Conclusions: Preliminary literature suggests that FMT may be a promising treatment option for several neurological disorders. However, available evidence is still scanty and some contrasting results were observed. A limited number of studies in humans have been performed or are ongoing, while for some disorders only animal experiments have been conducted. Large double-blinded randomized controlled trials are needed to further elucidate the effect of FMT in neurological disorders.

Relative Contribution of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Microelectrode Recordings, and Awake Test Stimulation in Final Lead Placement during Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery of the Subthalamic Nucleus in Parkinson's Disease.

INTRODUCTION: For deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) in Parkinson's disease (PD), many centers employ visualization of the nucleus on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), intraoperative microelectrode recordings (MER), and test stimulation in awake patients. The value of these steps is a subject for ongoing debate. In the current study, we determined the relative contribution of MRI targeting, multitrack MER, and awake test stimulation in final lead placement during STN DBS surgery for PD. METHODS: Data on PD patients undergoing MRI-targeted STN DBS surgery with three-channel MER and awake test stimulation between February 2010 and January 2014 were analyzed to determine in which MER trajectory final leads were implanted and why this tract was chosen. RESULTS: Seventy-six patients underwent implantation of 146 DBS leads. In 92% of the STN, the final leads were implanted in one of the three planned channels. In 6%, additional channels were needed. In 2%, surgery was aborted before final lead implantation due to anxiety or fatigue. The final leads were implanted in the channels with the longest STN MER signal trajectory in 60% of the STN (38% of the bilaterally implanted patients). This was the central channel containing the MRI target in 39% of the STN (18% bilaterally). The most frequently noted reasons why another channel than the central channel was chosen for final lead placement were (1) a lower threshold for side effects (54%) and (2) no or a too short trajectory of the STN MER signal (40%) in the central channel. The latter reason correlated with larger 2D (x and y) errors in our stereotactic method. CONCLUSIONS: STN DBS leads were often not implanted in the MRI-planned trajectory or in the trajectory with the longest STN MER signal. Thresholds for side effects during awake test stimulation were decisive for final target selection in the majority of patients.

Differential response to pallidal deep brain stimulation among monogenic dystonias: systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Genetic subtypes of dystonia may respond differentially to deep brain stimulation of the globus pallidus pars interna (GPi DBS). We sought to compare GPi DBS outcomes among the most common monogenic dystonias. METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses and Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. We searched PubMed for studies on genetically confirmed monogenic dystonia treated with GPi DBS documenting pre-surgical and post-surgical assessments using the Burke-Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale Motor Score (BFMMS) and Burke-Fahn-Marsden Disability Score (BFMDS). We performed (i) meta-analysis for each gene mutation; (ii) weighted ordinary linear regression analyses to compare BFMMS and BFMDS outcomes between DYT-TOR1A and other monogenic dystonias, adjusting for age and disease duration and (iii) weighted linear regression analysis to estimate the effect of age, sex and disease duration on GPi DBS outcomes. Results were summarised with mean change and 95% CI. RESULTS: DYT-TOR1A (68%, 38.4 points; p<0.001), DYT-THAP1 (37% 14.5 points; p<0.001) and NBIA/DYT-PANK2 (27%, 21.4 points; p<0.001) improved in BFMMS; only DYT-TOR1A improved in BFMDS (69%, 9.7 points; p<0.001). Improvement in DYT-TOR1A was significantly greater than in DYT-THAP1 (BFMMS -31%), NBIA/DYT-PANK2 (BFMMS -35%; BFMDS -53%) and CHOR/DYT-ADCY5 (BFMMS -36%; BFMDS -42%). Worse motor outcomes were associated with longer dystonia duration and older age at dystonia onset in DYT-TOR1A, longer dystonia duration in DYT/PARK-TAF1 and younger age at dystonia onset in DYT-SGCE. CONCLUSIONS: GPi DBS outcomes vary across monogenic dystonias. These data serve to inform patient selection and prognostic counselling.