Department of Neurology
Mentor: Jing Wang, Ph.D., Department of Neurology
Project: Optimizing the stimulation location for intermittent burst deep brain stimulation in Parkinsonian nonhuman primates
Dr. Amoozegar’s study focuses on the intermittent burst DBS (ibDBS) pattern for Parkinson’s disease (PD). Her study aims to identify the optimal stimulation location of ibDBS in the STN and the GPi regions and investigate the relationship between the optimal stimulation location and GPe neuronal responses in the NHP models of PD. Her research endeavors will further develop this novel burst stimulation for treating PD and move it one step forward toward translating this into clinical use. Once shown effective, the burst DBS can largely reduce the duration of stimulation while maintaining a level of motor improvement the same with, if not better than, the traditional DBS therapy. This can lead to a lower chance of side effects caused by DBS and reduced battery consumption leading to less exposure to the risks associated with surgical battery replacement or frequency battery recharge. Ultimately, this novel DBS approach has the potential to further improve the clinical outcome of DBS therapy and the quality of life for PD patients.
