Intraoperative microelectrode recordings from deep brain structures

Abstract

My presentation will review the rationale for and methods used to obtain microelectrode recordings of neuronal activity and deliver electrical stimuli through microelectrodes in the brain of awake patients during functional stereotactic neurosurgery performed to make a lesion or implant chronic deep brain stimulation electrodes. I will then describe the types of physiological data that are typically obtained in order to determine the location of the target site. Finally, I will provide examples of some of the types of analysis we have performed from data obtained intraoperatively. These include analysis of firing patterns of single units and pairs of units, and spectral and coherence analysis.