Recruiting · registry status

Recording and stimulating brain areas during planned surgery

People already scheduled for brain stimulation surgery have additional temporary recordings and stimulation so researchers can learn about movement control.

Testing a treatment or activity · Study reference: NCT07056361

Plain-language introduction written with AI from the registry; not independently checked by a clinician. Read the original details below ↓

Open the official registry record ↗

Who can join?

Ages 18 years to 75 years · Does not accept healthy volunteers

These are starting points, not the full rules. The research team can tell you whether the study is right for your situation.

Read all the rules for taking part

Sex eligibility reported by registry: all

Inclusion Criteria: * Essential tremor patients who are scheduled to undergo deep brain stimulation surgery at UPMC Presbyterian with asymmetric essential tremor symptoms will be included, with the tested limb corresponding to the least affected arm to better approximate normal function. These patients are implanted bilaterally regardless of symptom laterality, as the natural history of essential tremor indicates eventual bilateral symptoms. * Parkinson's Disease patients who are scheduled to undergo deep brain stimulation surgery at UPMC Presbyterian with a history of Parkinson's Disease will also be recruited for intra-operative stimulation of their STN-targeted implants, to assess if VIM/VOP has high specificity for improving motor output. Confirmation that subjects' terms of insurance coverage for their standard of care procedure will not be altered by study enrollment. Exclusion Criteria: * Patients will be excluded from the study if there is any seizure history, to avoid the increased epileptogenic risk of intraoperative stimulation. * Patients with significant bilateral tremor that precludes completion of motor tasks.

Full study name & original research details

Official study title

VOP/VIM Direct Electrical Stimulation Increases Motor Cortex Excitability and Motor Output

Short title used by the registry

Stimulating Specific Brain Areas (VOP/VIM) With Electricity to Improve Movement and Muscle Control

Original description

In this study the investigators aim to enroll patients scheduled to undergo deep brain stimulation (DBS) implantation for movement disorders for intra-operative testing. In addition to standard-of-care surgical procedure to implant deep brain stimulation electrode leads, participants will also be stimulated and recorded from cortical areas by a temporary strip electrode (1X6) in the subdural space. The electrodes will be connected to external stimulators and a series of experiments will be performed to assess effects of the DBS on movement quality and electrophysiology measures. Results of this study will elucidate the biological mechanisms related to deep brain stimulation in modulating motor and speech function in patients with abnormal movement disorders.

Further description from the registry

In this study the investigators aim to enroll patients for intra-operative testing. Specifically, the investigators will recruit patients already undergoing DBS implantation for movement disorders. In addition to standard-of-care subcortical mapping using micro-electrode recording (MER) and macro-stimulation mapping during DBS placement, cortical local field potentials (LFPs) will be simultaneously recorded from primary motor (M1) and somatosensory (S1) cortical areas by placement of a temporary strip electrode (1X6) in the subdural space. Appropriate localization of this grid over M1 and S1 will be confirmed by the so-called phase-reversal of somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs). Once M1 is localized, the strip electrode over M1 will be used to produce motor evoked potentials to contralateral hand muscles from direct cortical stimulation (DCMEPs). The stimulation threshold of the DCMEPs will be used as a direct measure of the excitability of the cortical spinal tract and compared with and without stimulation of the VOP/VIM nuclei. Cortical and subcortical LFPs will be obtained alongside electromyographic (EMG) data while the patient performs contralateral upper extremity movement tasks measuring velocity, grip strength, and strength modulation and while the patient perform a variety of articulation exercises. Along with the DCMEP stimulation thresholds, these parameters of motor output will be obtained both with and without VOP/VIM stimulation to assess for stimulation induced potentiation of motor output.

Conditions reported: Movement Disorders (Incl Parkinsonism); Stroke; Traumatic Brain Injury; Brain Diseases; Parkinson Disease; Essential Tremor, Movement Disorders

Study type: Interventional
Interventions: Direct cortical stimulation and deep brain stimulation of motor thalamus
Phases: NA
Sponsor: Jorge Gonzalez-Martinez
Start date reported by registry: 2022-12-16 (actual)

Registry updated: 2026-09-18 · Status last verified by the registry submitter: 2026-09

Registry records retrieved 2026-10-11 (UTC). Individual records may have older updates. Recruitment and eligibility must be confirmed with the study team.

Contact the research team

Public study contacts supplied to the registry. Ask whether recruitment is still open and what participation involves.

Cierra Clark, MS · 240-441-4216 · cic27@pitt.edu

Elvira Pirondini, PhD · 412-636-0595 · elvirap@pitt.edu

Study locations

Site status can differ from overall study status. “Status not reported” means local availability needs confirmation. Remote participation and travel arrangements must be checked with the team.

University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Recruiting

Cierra Clark, MS · 240-441-4216 · cic27@pitt.edu

Elvira Pirondini, PhD · 412-636-0595 · elvirap@pitt.edu

Jorge Gonzalez-Martinez, MD, PhD

The original descriptions and participation rules come from the registry. Participation is voluntary and does not guarantee benefit.