Physiological responses to brain stimulation during limbic surgery: further evidence of anterior cingulate modulation of autonomic arousal.

Background: In view of conflicting neuroimaging results regarding autonomic-specific activity within the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), we investigated autonomic responses to direct brain stimulation during stereotactic limbic surgery.

Methods: Skin conductance activity and accelerative heart rate responses to multi-voltage stimulation of the ACC (n = 7) and paralimbic subcaudate (n = 5) regions were recorded during bilateral anterior cingulotomy and bilateral subcaudate tractotomy (in patients that had previously received an adequate lesion in the ACC), respectively.

Results: Stimulations in both groups were accompanied by increased autonomic arousal.