Differential short-term synaptic dynamics related to stimulation of human single-neurons

Abstract: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an efficacious neuromodulatory intervention for the management of the motor symptoms of several movement disorders; however, its mechanisms are complex, varied, and remain unclear. Depending on how it is applied, and to which areas of the brain, DBS can be used to upregulate or downregulate synaptic transmission. Understanding how electrical stimulation influences the underlying neurophysiological activity is essential for guiding the advancement of therapy.

Bio: Luka Milosevic completed his PhD degree in biomedical engineering at the University of Toronto, and is currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Tübingen, Germany. In Toronto, he was a part of the intraoperative deep brain stimulation (DBS) team at the Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, where he performed neurophysiological targeting (brain mapping) procedures in patients undergoing DBS surgery. This procedure is used to ensure the precise placement of the permanently implanted DBS macroelectrodes. Dr. Milosevic has performed intraoperative electrophysiological recordings in over 400 surgical patients in Canada and Germany. His research is at the intersection of biomedical engineering and neurophysiology, and his main research interests include physiological mechanisms of deep brain stimulation, synaptic plasticity, and pathophysiology of disease.