Optogenetic Stimulation of the M2 Cortex Reverts Motor Dysfunction in a Mouse Model of Parkinson's Disease.

Neuromodulation of deep brain structures (deep brain stimulation) is the current surgical procedure for treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). Less studied is the stimulation of cortical motor areas to treat PD symptoms, although also known to alleviate motor disturbances in PD. We were able to show that optogenetic activation of secondary (M2) motor cortex improves motor functions in dopamine-depleted male mice.

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) in Mice.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation technique proposed as an alternative or complementary treatment for several neuropsychiatric diseases. The biological effects of tDCS are not fully understood, which is in part explained due to the difficulty in obtaining human brain tissue. This protocol describes a tDCS mouse model that uses a chronically implanted electrode allowing the study of the long-lasting biological effects of tDCS.