Deep Brain Stimulation: from Mechanisms to Therapeutic Advances in Movement Disorders and Epilepsy

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has emerged as a standard of care in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders, such as dystonia and essential tremor, by offering improved and long-lasting symptom control where medical therapies prove insufficient. Increasingly, DBS is also used in epilepsy, where it offers a complementary clinical and mechanistic lens on how targeted stimulation modulates pathological brain networks. The growing ability to chronically sense and record neural activity in real-world settings, together with emerging adaptive “on-demand” stimulation paradigms, has transformed DBS from a therapeutic intervention into a tool for interrogating circuit dysfunction across disorders. As DBS research moves from focal targets to distributed connectomic effects, comparative work across movement disorders and epilepsy can clarify shared and disease-specific mechanisms, refine patient selection and programming strategies, and improve prediction and management of both motor and non-motor outcomes. This Research Topic aims to accelerate progress toward a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying DBS effects in neurological disorders (namely, movement disorders and epilepsy) by integrating basic neuroscience, genomics, translational research, and clinical innovation. We are particularly interested in studies that use DBS as a tool to elucidate complex brain circuits relevant to both movement disorders and epilepsy. By bridging clinical neurology, engineering, neuroimaging, and genomics, we seek to encourage efforts that disentangle the mechanisms by which DBS exerts its effects and translate these findings into improved, personalized therapies. Critical questions include: (1) how DBS-driven neural network modulation contributes to both therapeutic benefits and adverse effects; (2) which biomarkers best predict individual treatment response; (3) which technological and methodological advances can further refine continuous and adaptive stimulation paradigms and clarify their impact on long-term clinical outcomes; (4) whether DBS may confer a “neuroprotective” effect; (5) how patient access to DBS can be improved and how technology may support reducing patient and physician burden facilitating DBS programming in an increasingly complex parameter space. To gather further insights into the latest developments in DBS mechanistic understanding, neurophysiological exploration, and real-world clinical applications for movement disorders and epilepsy, we welcome submissions across a diverse range of manuscript types supported by the journal—including Original Research, Brief Research Reports, Perspectives, Protocols, Mini-Reviews, and more—exploring, but not limited to, the following themes:- Innovations in adaptive DBS, LFP-guided, and algorithm-driven programming- Connectome-based target and contact selection- The role of DBS in deciphering physiological and pathological brain mechanisms- Motor and non-motor (cognitive, speech, and language) effects of DBS- Quantitative and automated speech/language analysis for functional monitoring- Digital biomarkers and remote management tools- Genetic factors influencing DBS outcomes and treatment response- Strategies for optimizing outcomes, minimizing adverse effects, and expanding accessibility of the procedure to underrepresented patient populations- Translational studies bridging neuroimaging, neurophysiology, genetics, and clinical practice- Long-term studies of efficacy, safety, and quality of life- Personalized and multidisciplinary DBS therapy approachesArticles accepted after peer review will be published and appear online as soon as approved for publication.Sign up now to participate in this exciting Research Topic.Topic Editor Daniel Weiss has received financial support for research from DBS manufacturers (Medtronic, Abbott, and Boston Scientific). No competing interests related to this Research Topic have been identified for the other Topic Editors. Topic editors: Michael Thomas Barbe, Katerina Markopoulou, Daniel Weiss Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/77613/deep-brain-stimulation-from-mechanisms-to-therapeutic-advances-in-movement-disorders-and-epilepsy