Chronic Neurophysiological and Kinematic Biomarker Monitoring in Patients With Dystonia and Pallidal Deep Brain Stimulation

What this Trial Is About

Dystonia is a serious movement disorder marked by increased muscle activity and variable symptoms. Treatment is challenging, and deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an invasive therapy involving electrodes placed in deep brain areas delivering continuous electrical stimulation. This study aims to improve DBS therapy by investigating electrical brain activity as a feedback signal for personalized treatment and to understand long-term biomarker development to speed up therapy optimization using advanced recording devices. The study uses a sensing-enabled neurostimulator called the Percept device to record brain activity for 12 months in patients with dystonia receiving pallidal DBS surgery. Biomarker activity, especially low-frequency signals linked to symptoms, will be monitored continuously. Monthly visits will include recording brain activity at rest and during a finger tapping task, alongside symptom assessments. Participants will use an app for weekly symptom questionnaires and video diaries to track clinical changes and treatment side effects. Participants will be monitored through regular clinical scales, neurophysiological recordings, and patient-reported outcomes over the first post-operative year. Motor and non-motor symptoms will be assessed weekly and monthly. Data collected includes continuous brain activity measurements, video-based movement analysis, and standardized scales such as the Burke-Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale and Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale. The study duration is up to 12 months, aiming to better link biomarker changes with symptom improvement and therapy effects.

Chronic Outcome Monitoring for DBS in Dystonia