Neurophysiologic Characteristics of the Anterior Nucleus of the Thalamus during Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery for Epilepsy

Anterior nucleus of the thalamus (ANT) deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an increasingly promising treatment option for refractory epilepsy. Optimal therapeutic benefit has been associated with stimulation at the junction of ANT and the mammillothalamic tract (mtt), but electrophysiologic markers of this target are lacking. The present study examined microelectrode recordings (MER) during DBS to identify unique electrophysiologic characteristics of ANT and the ANT-mtt junction.