Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an important therapy for movement disorders and DBS is expanding towards psychiatric illness. The mechanism of action is investigated by combining computer simulations, physiological measurements, imaging and clinical evaluations. Disorders of interest are Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, and new indications and targets where DBS is introduced.
A patient-specific modelling and simulation software using the finite element method (FEM) for investigation of the electric field around DBS electrodes has been developed. It is used with clinical evaluations of movement in Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor and is now introduced for new symptoms, brain targets and lead designs. ELMA, DBSim and DBViS are open access apps developed by us. These can be requested through our web. DBViSis is a 3D Slicer software for visualization of study results. With ELMA and DBSim own simulations can be set up. Present work focuses on group analysis of DBS volume of tissue activated (VTA) and prediction of DBS stimulation parameters.
Previous and ongoing major projects
- SNSF Project: Prediction of Patient-Specific Deep Brain Stimulation Parameters (ongoing)
- SSF Big Data Project: Deep brain stimulation-data analysis for clinical support
- FP7project IMPACT: Improving the lives of Parkinson’s Diseases patients while reducing side effects through tailored deep brain stimulation
