Abstract
Damage to memory circuits may lead to dementia symptoms in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD). Recently, deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been shown to be a novel means of memory neuromodulation when critical nodes in the memory circuit are targeted, such as the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM) and fornix. Potential memory improvements have been observed after DBS in patients with AD and PDD. DBS for the treatment of AD and PDD may be feasible and safe, but it is still preliminary. In this review, we explore the potential role of DBS for the treatment of dementia symptoms in AD and PDD. Firstly, we discuss memory circuits linked to AD and PDD. Secondly, we summarize clinical trials and case reports on NBM or fornix stimulation in AD or PDD patients and discuss the outcomes and limitations of these studies. Finally, we discuss the challenges and future of DBS for the treatment of AD and PDD. We include the latest research results from Gratwicke et al. () and compare them with the results of previous relevant studies, and this would be a worthy update of the literature on DBS for dementia. In addition, we hypothesize that the differences between AD and PDD may ultimately lead to different results following DBS treatment.
Introduction
Dementia refers to a group of brain disorders that affect memory, reasoning, judgment, executive function, praxis, visuospatial abilities, and language that are not ascribed to delirium or another major psychiatric disorder (Bouchard, ). Various etiological subtypes of dementia exist, but two of the most common subtypes are Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD). It is estimated that AD affects 25 million people worldwide (Reitz et al., ). Dementia arises in 75% of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) at 10 years after diagnosis and up to 83% at 20 years, according to the Sydney Multicenter Study (Hely et al., ). Given the immense burden that dementia places on patients and the health system, the search for effective treatment for dementia is paramount (Reitz et al., ). Numerous studies have demonstrated that damage to memory circuits may lead to dementia (Greicius et al., ; Junqué et al., ). Recently, the discovery that deep brain stimulation (DBS) may modulate activity in memory circuits has opened a new field of application of DBS, for the treatment of dementia (Freund et al., ; Kuhn et al., ). The use of different DBS targets in the treatment of AD in humans has already shown some preliminary positive effects, such as a slowing of cognitive decline and increased connectivity in the brain (Laxton et al., ; Lozano et al., 2016). In this review, we discuss DBS treatment of the symptoms of dementia (including in AD and PDD) in detail.
Damage to memory circuits may lead to AD and PDD
Although the pathogenesis of AD and PDD is still not completely known, studies indicate that dysfunction in memory circuits may explain AD and PDD (Greicius et al., ; Junqué et al., ). The fornix and hippocampus are part of the Papez circuit (Figure 1a). There is degeneration in the Papez circuit in AD (Toda et al., 2008). The default-mode network includes the medial prefrontal cortex and posterior cingulate cortex, with strong connections to the hippocampus and amygdala, whose activity is closely associated with episodic memory processing (Andrews-Hanna et al., , Figure 1b). Compared to in individuals experiencing healthy aging, activity in the default-mode network in patients with AD is decreased (Greicius et al., ).
Figure 1
The nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM) has widespread cholinergic projections that innervate the neocortex and hippocampus (Figure 1c) (Grothe et al.,
Thus, AD and PDD are systemic disorders that affect memory and cognition through a connective network of cortical and cortical-related regions.
DBS for AD and PDD
DBS is a surgical procedure that involves implanting electrodes into the brain. These electrodes can then be used to deliver electrical impulses into a specific area. DBS has been used to treat disorders in patients who are refractory to medications, including patients with PD, dystonia, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorders, and other psychiatric disorders (Lozano and Lipsman,
Table 1
| References | Target | Disease | N | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnbull et al., 1985 | NBM | AD | 1 | Partial arrest of cortical metabolic activity decline on the treated side |
| Freund et al., | NBM | PDD | 1 | Improvement in cognitive functions, such as memory functions, attention, concentration, alertness, drive, and spontaneity |
| Laxton et al., | Fornix | AD | 6 | Cognitive decline slowed Temporoparietal hypometabolism associated with AD reversed |
| Smith et al., 2012 | Fornix | AD | 5 | Increased connectivity in brain after 1 year of DBS |
| Fontaine et al., | Fornix | AD | 1 | Memory scores remained stable Mesial temporal lobe metabolism increased |
| Kuhn et al., | NBM | AD | 6 | Four of the six patients obtained stable or improved ADAS—CS scores Cortical glucose metabolism increased, especially in the amygdala, hippocampus, and temporal lobe |
| Kuhn et al., | NBM | AD | 2 | Indicated that younger patients and those with early-stage disease may be more likely to benefit from DBS |
| Lozano et al., 2016 | Fornix | AD | 42 | Significantly increased cerebral glucose metabolism at 6 months but the increase was not significant at 12 months Patients aged >65 years appeared to experience reduced cognitive decline over a year |
| Hardenacke et al., | NBM | AD | 8 | Indicated that younger patients and those with early-stage disease may be more likely to benefit from DBS |
| Baldermann et al., | NBM | AD | 10 | Indicated that patients with less atrophy benefit more from DBS and the benefits of surgical intervention may be related to preserved fronto-parieto-temporal interplay |
| Dürschmid et al., | NBM | AD | 2 | Attenuated early complex of EEG components associated with defective sensory gating in patients with AD |
| Gratwicke et al., | NBM | PDD | 6 | Cognitive function in patients with PDD did not improve Neuropsychiatric Inventory scores improved |
In vivo human studies in which DBS was used to treat dementia.
DBS, Deep brain stimulation; NBM, nucleus basalis of Meynert; AD, Alzheimer's disease; PDD, Parkinson's disease dementia; ADAS—CS, Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale—cognitive subscale; EEG, electroencephalography.
NBM stimulation
The downregulation of NBM cholinergic input leads to protein aggregation, which causes the pathophysiological cascade of cognitive decline in AD and PDD (Schliebs and Arendt,
Kuhn's research group conducted a series of trials of NBM-DBS in patients with AD. Kuhn et al. (
Further research suggests that younger patients and those at earlier stages of the disease may be more likely to benefit from DBS (Kuhn et al.,
NBM-DBS improved cognitive function in a pilot Phase I study in patients with AD, while in an expanded PDD trial, NBM-DBS failed to improve cognitive function (Kuhn et al.,
Fornix stimulation
The fornix is a core white matter bundle in limbic circuits; it conveys cholinergic axons from the septal area to the hippocampus and plays a significant role in memory functions (Thomas et al., 2011). Hamani et al. (
Based on these preliminary findings, researchers undertook a Phase II study involving a 12-month, sham-controlled trial of fornix-DBS in 42 patients with mild AD (Lozano et al., 2016). Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging revealed significantly increased cerebral glucose metabolism at 6 months, but the difference was not significant at 12 months. In addition, there were no significant differences in the primary cognitive outcomes at 12 months. Interestingly, there was an interaction of stimulation effects on cognition with age. In patients aged ≥65 years (patients with late-onset Alzheimer's disease [LOAD]) there was a trend of clinical benefit, while there was a trend of faster cognitive deterioration in patients < 65 years old (patients with early-onset Alzheimer's disease [EOAD]). The cause of these age differences may be that younger AD patients had greater brain atrophy and metabolic deficits, which may make them less able to respond to DBS (Lozano et al., 2016). Another potential source of these differences may be that patients with autosomal dominant mutations, which are more common in EOAD, have an atypical and more aggressive disease progression (Viaña et al., 2017). Initial surgical outcomes from the Phase II study (Lozano et al., 2016) showed that accurate targeting of DBS to the fornix, without direct injury to it, was safe at 90 days in patients with mild AD (Ponce et al.,
Although the Phase I trial of fornix-DBS (Laxton et al.,
Ethical challenges
Ethical challenges are always present when patients have dementia, as dementia symptoms often mean that informed consent cannot be obtained from the patients. Therefore, investigators need to select patients very carefully in order to make sure that the selected patients can consent to and tolerate such treatments. As EOAD patients with autosomal dominant mutations have atypical and more aggressive disease progression, requesting informed consent for genetic testing in EOAD patients should also be carefully considered (Viaña et al., 2017).
Conclusion
It is hypothesized that DBS could potentially be an effective treatment for AD and PDD by modulating activity in memory circuits. Two primary DBS targets that are being explored for the treatment of dementias are the fornix and the NBM. Fornix-DBS may stabilize activity in the Papez circuit and default-mode network (Laxton et al.,
There is no comprehensively effective treatment for AD and PDD. Due to the inability to reverse the natural history of neurodegeneration in humans, DBS may serve as a supplemental treatment by regulating memory circuits. Optimal DBS parameters for treating dementias need to be based on experience from the DBS used in animal studies and for treating other diseases. For example, NBM-DBS frequency is selected based on the frequency used in previous animal studies. Low-frequency (20 Hz) stimulation was applied in patients with dementia, which excited residual NBM neuron cell bodies and increased acetylcholine release in the hippocampal region (Freund et al.,
Evidence for the use of DBS to treat dementias is preliminary and limited. Preliminary studies indicate that using DBS for the treatment of AD and PDD may be feasible and safe. However, the evidence of clinical efficacy remains uncertain, with some results being negative. The major limitation of NBM-DBS studies discussed in this review was the small sample sizes used; the largest study that we reported on had a sample size of just 10, which gives limited statistical power. Sufficiently persuasive large-scale studies are needed. Moreover, precise intraoperative orientation allows patients to achieve better results and avoid unnecessary injuries. Finally, a framework for obtaining consent should be considered before surgery, which could involve requesting that EOAD patients sign an informed consent form for genetic testing and communicating to the patients that DBS may not be immediately effective at improving cognitive function. Future development of DBS might also lead to the most appropriate intervention time, the most effective stimulation parameters being identified and a better understanding of the underlying neurobiological mechanisms.
Statements
Author contributions
XW was the guarantor of integrity of the entire study. AD was responsible for the study concepts and design. YL and GL were in charge of literature research. QL prepared for the manuscript. WW edited the manuscript.
Acknowledgments
XW is funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (81071065# and 81671103#).
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
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Summary
Keywords
deep brain stimulation, nucleus basalis of Meynert, fornix, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease dementia
Citation
Lv Q, Du A, Wei W, Li Y, Liu G and Wang XP (2018) Deep Brain Stimulation: A Potential Treatment for Dementia in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Parkinson's Disease Dementia (PDD). Front. Neurosci. 12:360. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00360
Received
10 November 2017
Accepted
09 May 2018
Published
29 May 2018
Volume
12 - 2018
Edited by
Wendy Noble, King's College London, United Kingdom
Reviewed by
John Noel Montaño Viaña, University of Tasmania, Australia; Haidar S. Dafsari, Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurologie, Universitätsklinikum köln, Germany; Adolfo Ramirez-Zamora, University of Florida Health, United States
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© 2018 Lv, Du, Wei, Li, Liu and Wang.
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*Correspondence: Xiao Ping Wang x_p_wang@sjtu.edu.cn
This article was submitted to Neurodegeneration, a section of the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience
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