Deep brain stimulation-responsive subthalamo-cortical coupling in obsessive-compulsive disorder

Deep brain stimulation (DBS)-responsive oscillations have been implicated in motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). Their role in non-movement disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), is less clear. Here, we aimed to characterize the effect of DBS on subthalamic and cortical oscillations in OCD. Local field potential recordings from the subthalamic nucleus (STN) were combined with magnetoencephalography in one OCD patient at rest (DBS OFF and ON) and in a Go/NoGo task (DBS OFF). A PD patient completed the same task for comparison. In the OCD patient, we observed right-lateralized beta peaks in STN power and STN-cortex coherence. These were diminished by DBS. Task-related modulations of STN power occurred in the theta band for the OCD patient, and in the beta band for the PD patient. We conclude that resting-state, DBS-responsive beta oscillations are not necessarily a sign of Parkinsonism. Task-related spectral modulations might be more disease-specific than resting-state oscillations.