Researchers may have discovered a new way to target the cause of certain brain diseases.
In a study led by Massachusetts General Brigham scientists, deep brain stimulation (DBS) was able to pinpoint the brain malfunctions that cause four cognitive disorders. parkinson’s diseasedystonia (a muscle disorder condition that causes repetitive or twisting movements), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and Tourette syndrome.
The findings, published in Nature Neuroscience on February 22, could help doctors determine new treatments for these diseases.
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The study included 261 patients from around the world: 70 with dystonia, 127 with Parkinson’s disease, 50 with OCD, and 14 with Tourette syndrome.
The researchers implanted electrodes in each participant’s brain and used special software to determine which participants’ brains were affected. brain circuits malfunction for each of the four disorders.
Deep brain stimulation has been used to pinpoint the brain dysfunction that causes four cognitive disorders. (St. Petersburg)
“Simply put, when a brain circuit malfunctions, it can act as a brake on certain brain functions that that circuit normally performs,” said Dr. said Andreas Horn, MD, in a press release. release.
“Applying DBS may release the brakes and partially restore functionality.”
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Horn, one of 39 researchers from 16 institutions who co-authored the study, elaborated further in a conversation with Fox News Digital.
“Based on our findings, we can now better understand why deep stimulation of the brain’s small subcortical structures helps patients with a variety of disorders,” he said.
The researchers implanted electrodes in each participant’s brain (not pictured) and used specialized software to determine which brain circuits were malfunctioning in each of the four diseases. (St. Petersburg)
The doctor said that in each disorder, different brain networks were found to be “dysfunctional”, causing the condition.
“Identifying these ‘dysfunctional networks’ may help us better understand the four diseases and better target neuromodulation to alleviate symptoms and help patients.” said.
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In three cases, the researchers found that applying DBS produced “preliminary improved results.”
At Massachusetts General Hospital, a female patient in her early 20s was diagnosed with severe, treatment-resistant OCD.
After implanting the electrodes and receiving targeted stimulation, researchers measured a “significant improvement” in her symptoms after one month. After treatmentAccording to the release.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder was one of the cognitive symptoms targeted in the new study. (St. Petersburg)
Dr. Shannon Dean, a pediatric neurologist at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Maryland, who was not involved in the study, shared her reaction to the findings.
“This study is an elegant demonstration of how treatment-focused research and basic mechanism-based research can benefit each other,” she told FOX News Digital.
“The authors used deep brain stimulation electrodes, which are invasive. surgical treatment “It can help treat a variety of neurological conditions when drugs alone are not sufficient,” Dean continued.
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“I was interested in seeing how researchers could use that discovery to actually refine the exact way they treat some patients, and see their symptoms improve as a result,” she said. Told.
Given the small number of participants, Dean emphasized that the results should be interpreted with caution.
“We need to replicate what the authors found for these diseases to see if their conclusions are correct,” she says.
“But what they found is exciting and makes sense based on what we already know about these disorders. This gives me an idea of where future research should look.” We are showing you.”
For each disorder, researchers say a different brain network was identified as “dysfunctional”, causing the condition. (St. Petersburg)
“This study provides hope for people living with these diseases that are resistant to standard treatments,” she added.
Dr. Arif Dalvi, a neurologist at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Florida, also commented on the study as an outside expert.
“Deep brain stimulation has been part of the standard treatment for neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and tremors for decades, yet the technology remains continue to evolve” he told FOX News Digital.
“This study brings hope to people living with these diseases that are resistant to standard treatments.”
“This analysis identified ‘sweet spots’ within these circuits that could significantly reduce symptoms, demonstrating the effectiveness of DBS in modulating neural activity.”
The findings highlight the need for individualized treatment, Dalvi noted.
“This highlights the need for neurologists to carefully assess each patient as a unique individual and develop a specific treatment plan, rather than working based on general best practices or treatment guidelines.” he said.
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The study is seen as the first step in a long process, Horn said.
He told Fox News Digital: “This study is based on retrospective data. The main results should be confirmed by prospective trials, which serve as the gold standard for accumulating evidence in science and medicine.” he said.
Neurologists said it will be important to develop more sophisticated mapping techniques and understand the long-term effects of deep brain stimulation. (St. Petersburg)
The study’s sample size was also relatively small, especially for Tourette’s, he said.
“Globally, not many patients have undergone deep brain stimulation surgery for this disease,” Horn said.
The study is a first step in defining what researchers call “human dysfunctions” – the set of connections that can malfunction in a particular nervous system or nervous system. mental disorder of the human brain.
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“We first paint a picture of dysfunction, but we need additional data to complete the picture and map other symptoms onto human brain circuitry,” Horn said.
While the study results may not yet lead to dramatic changes, they may help experienced clinicians fine-tune their approach to neurological treatment, Horn said.
Experts said the study’s results point toward more individualized cognitive therapy. (St. Petersburg)
“Additional clarity and small improvements here and there could be given to make the intervention more successful,” Horn said. “However, the information should not be followed blindly and should be verified in prospective studies.”
Researchers have already started making plans clinical trial Validate the results.
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As Dalvi pointed out, it will be important to develop more sophisticated mapping techniques and understand the long-term effects of deep brain stimulation.
“Furthermore, extending this approach to other brain regions and disorders could lead to the discovery of new treatments and usher in a new era in the treatment of neurological diseases,” he added.
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