Limited data are available regarding the electrophysiology of status dystonicus (SD). We report simultaneous microelectrode recordings (MERs) from the globus pallidus internus (GPi) of a patient with SD who was treated with bilateral deep brain stimulation (DBS). Mean neuronal discharge rate was of 30.1 ± 10.9 Hz and 38.5 Hz ± 11.1 Hz for the right and left GPi, respectively. On the right side, neuronal electrical activity was completely abolished at the target point, whereas the mean burst index values showed a predominance of bursting and irregular activity along trajectories on both sides. Our data are in line with previous findings of pallidal irregular hypoactivity as a potential electrophysiological marker of dystonia and thus SD, but further electrophysiological studies are needed to confirm our results.
Keywords: Deep brain stimulation (DBS); Intraoperative neurophysiology; Microelectrode recording (MER); Movement disorder surgery; Status dystonicus.