Intraoperative microelectrode recording for parkinson's disease, essential tremor and dystonia

Microelectrode recording, the use of a microelectrode during DBS surgery, to record and stimulate, helps guide intraoperative decisions about DBS electrode location. The first part of this chapter reviews pros and cons of the technique, relevant basics of biophysics and stereotaxis, equipment and general techniques for recording, stimulating, and testing responsiveness of neuronal activity. The second part of the chapter discusses MER with respect to individual DBS targets. Thalamus (for tremor, and less often Parkinson's Disease), subthalamic nucleus (for Parkinson's disease, and less often dystonia) and globus pallidus (for dystonia, and less often Parkinson's disease) are reviewed, including typical electrophysiological findings confirming DBS electrode target, atypical findings suggesting a need for target adjustment, and information to be gleaned from multiple microelectrode tracks.