Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40222498›Full record

ArticleNeuroImage2025

Comparison of structural connectomes for modeling deep brain stimulation pathway activation.

Ketan Mehta, Angela M Noecker, Cameron C McIntyre

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in NeuroImage, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Ketan MehtaDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.
Angela M NoeckerDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.
Cameron C McIntyreDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States; Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States. Electronic address: cameron.mcintyre@duke.edu.

Funding

BRAIN CONNECTS: The center for Large-scale Imaging of Neural Circuits (LINC)UM1NS132358 · NINDS · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · PI Suzanne N Haber, Elizabeth M. C. Hillman · 2023 to 2026
$17.5M
Application of Advanced Imaging and Visualization to Clinical Deep Brain StimulationR37NS116079 · NINDS · DUKE UNIVERSITY · PI MCINTYRE, CAMERON · 2021 to 2025
$1.8M
NINDS NIH HHS R37 NS116079NINDS NIH HHS UM1 NS132358
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionStructural connectivity models of the brain are commonly employed to identify pathways that are directly activated during deep brain stimulation (DBS). However, various connectomes differ in the technical parameters, parcellation schemes, and methodological approaches used in their construction.

objectiveThe goal of this study was to compare and quantify variability in DBS pathway activation predictions when using different structural connectomes, while using identical electrode placements and stimulation volumes in the brain. APPROACH: We analyzed four example structural connectomes: 1) Horn normative connectome (whole brain), 2) Yeh population-averaged tract-to-region pathway atlas (whole brain), 3) Petersen histology-based pathway atlas (subthalamic focused), and 4) Majtanik histology-based pathway atlas (anterior thalamus focused). DBS simulations were performed with each connectome, at four generalized locations for DBS electrode placement: 1) subthalamic nucleus, 2) anterior nucleus of thalamus, 3) ventral capsule, and 4) ventral intermediate nucleus of thalamus.

resultsThe choice of connectome used in the simulations resulted in notably distinct pathway activation predictions, and quantitative analysis indicated little congruence in the predicted patterns of brain network connectivity. The Horn and Yeh tractography-based connectomes provided estimates of DBS connectivity for any stimulation location in the brain, but have limitations in their anatomical validity. The Petersen and Majtanik histology-based connectomes are more anatomically realistic, but are only applicable to specific DBS targets because of their limited representation of pathways. SIGNIFICANCE: The widely varying and inconsistent inferences of DBS network connectivity raises substantial concern regarding the general reliability of connectomic DBS studies, especially those that lack anatomical and/or electrophysiological validation in their analyses.

Indexed as

BrainConnectomeDeep Brain StimulationNerve NetDiffusion Tensor ImagingFemaleHumansMaleModels, NeurologicalNeural PathwaysAtlasConnectomicNormativeSubthalamic nucleusThalamusVentral capsule

Identifiers

PMID40222498
PMCPMC12090019

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.