Medical Research Council Brain Network Dynamics Unit, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
Flavie Torrecillos
Medical Research Council Brain Network Dynamics Unit, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
Alek Pogosyan
Medical Research Council Brain Network Dynamics Unit, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
Manuel Bange
Movement Disorders and Neurostimulation, Biomedical Statistics and Multimodal Signal Processing Unit, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
Movement Disorders and Neurostimulation, Biomedical Statistics and Multimodal Signal Processing Unit, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
Sergiu Groppa
Movement Disorders and Neurostimulation, Biomedical Statistics and Multimodal Signal Processing Unit, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
Natasha Hulse
Department of Neurosurgery, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
Harutomo Hasegawa
Department of Neurosurgery, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
Keyoumars Ashkan
Department of Neurosurgery, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
Fahd Baig
Neurosciences Research Centre, Molecular and Clinical Sciences Institute, St. George' s, University of London, London, United Kingdom
Francesca Morgante
Neurosciences Research Centre, Molecular and Clinical Sciences Institute, St. George' s, University of London, London, United Kingdom
Erlick A Pereira
Neurosciences Research Centre, Molecular and Clinical Sciences Institute, St. George' s, University of London, London, United Kingdom
Nicolas Mallet
Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, CNRS UMR5293, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
Peter J Magill
Medical Research Council Brain Network Dynamics Unit, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
Periodic features of neural time-series data, such as local field potentials (LFPs), are often quantified using power spectra. While the aperiodic exponent of spectra is typically disregarded, it is nevertheless modulated in a physiologically relevant manner and was recently hypothesised to reflect excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance in neuronal populations. Here, we used a cross-species in vivo electrophysiological approach to test the E/I hypothesis in the context of experimental and idiopathic Parkinsonism. We demonstrate in dopamine-depleted rats that aperiodic exponents and power at 30–100 Hz in subthalamic nucleus (STN) LFPs reflect defined changes in basal ganglia network activity; higher aperiodic exponents tally with lower levels of STN neuron firing and a balance tipped towards inhibition. Using STN-LFPs recorded from awake Parkinson’s patients, we show that higher exponents accompany dopaminergic medication and deep brain stimulation (DBS) of STN, consistent with untreated Parkinson’s manifesting as reduced inhibition and hyperactivity of STN. These results suggest that the aperiodic exponent of STN-LFPs in Parkinsonism reflects E/I balance and might be a candidate biomarker for adaptive DBS.
