A pipeline for individualized whole head dbs simulations
Thomas Keizers (EEMCS-BSS), Maria Carla Piastra (TNW-CNPH), Bettina Schwab (EEMCS-BSS)
Abstract
Parkinson's Disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease globally, with a prominent range of motor impairments significantly impacting patients and reducing their quality of life. In advanced stages of disease progression, Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is a possible, additional treatment option for eligible patients. The exact mechanism for the therapeutic effects of DBS is still debated. As such, a large body of research is dedicated to investigating the effects of DBS evoked electric fields mostly limited to the local environment of the electrode. Field strengths further away from the basal ganglia are much weaker and considered less impactful. However, recent studies on non-invasive brain stimulation have shown that comparatively weak electric fields have neuromodulatory effects via interactions with ongoing neural synchrony. This suggests that the weaker electrical effects of DBS in the cortex might have an impact as well.
This project aims to model the electric fields generated by DBS in cortical regions using personalized whole-head geometries to explore field distributions in the motor cortex. The process begins with MRI-based segmentation of different tissue types, followed by integration with post-operative CT scans to obtain geometric descriptions of electrode positions and orientations. These geometries are then combined into a volumetric mesh. By applying the finite element method, we aim to simulate the electric field distribution within the whole head, based on clinical DBS protocols. The results will quantify electric fields in cortical areas of the brain, enhancing our understanding of DBS's effects on motor functions in PD patients.