Simulating the therapeutic effects of deep brain stimulation in rodents using a cortico-basal ganglia network and volume conductor model

Models of the cortico-basal ganglia network and volume conductor models of the brain can help to gain insight into the mechanisms of action of deep brain stimulation (DBS). In this study, the coupling of a network model under Parkinsonian conditions to the extracellular field distribution obtained from a 3D finite element model of a rodent´s brain during DBS is presented. This coupled model is used to investigate the influence of variations in the electrical properties and thickness of the encapsulation tissue, which is formed around the electrode body after implantation, on the suppression of oscillatory neural activity during DBS. First results suggest that variation in the properties of the encapsulation tissue, within the range examined, have a limited influence on the suppression of pathological oscillatory activity during DBS in rodents.