Long-term Brain Stimulation of the Motor Ventral Thalamus (VOP/VIM) to Improve Motor Function

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH · Jul 8, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This study is looking at how long-term brain stimulation, using a treatment called Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), can help improve movement, speech, and swallowing in people with movement disorders or brain injuries. DBS involves sending small electrical pulses to specific areas of the brain to help control symptoms like tremors or muscle stiffness. The researchers want to see how adjusting the DBS settings affects a person’s ability to move their arms, speak clearly, and swallow safely.

People who might join this study are adults between 18 and 80 years old who have movement problems and are already receiving or will receive DBS treatment. Healthy volunteers without these conditions may also participate for comparison. Participants will be asked to take part in several testing sessions where they’ll perform tasks like moving their arms, gripping objects, making facial movements, speaking, and swallowing — both with the brain stimulation turned on and off. The study excludes people with certain medical conditions like a history of seizures or fainting to keep everyone safe. This research could help improve how DBS is used to support everyday activities for people with movement difficulties.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• ALL PATIENTS:
• • Age lower than 80 to better tolerate intraoperative testing.
• • All Movement disorder patients, older than 18 and younger than 80, who will be implanted with DBS for treatment of motor symptoms.
• HEALTHY CONTROLS:
• • Subject has provided written informed consent and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) authorization, where applicable, prior to any study-related procedures.
• • Subject is ≥18 years of age and \< 80 years of age.
• • Subject is willing and able to comply with scheduled visits and study procedures.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• ALL PATIENTS:
• • Patients will be excluded from the study if there is any seizure history, to avoid the increased epileptogenic risk during stimulation testing.
• • Patients with bilateral tremors will be excluded.
• • Patients with vasovagal response history and loss of consciousness history will be excluded.
• HEALTHY CONTROLS:
• • Subject has severe behavioral or cognitive problems that preclude participation in the study, in the opinion of the investigator would impact participation in the study.
• • Participants who have any serious disease or disorder (e.g. cancer, severe cardiac or respiratory disease, neurological conditions other than stroke, etc.) or cognitive impairments that could affect their ability to participate in this study.
• • Female subjects are pregnant or breastfeeding.