Medial Forebrain Bundle Deep Brain Stimulation for Major Depression—Preclinical and Clinical Research
Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Medical Center of the University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Medical Faculty of the University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany; Center for Deep Brain Stimulation, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, GermanyInterests: extension of indications for deep brain stimulation in the psychiatric spectrum; imaging-assisted deep brain stimulation; animal experimental approaches to understanding the mode of action of deep brain stimulation
Dear Colleagues,
The medial forebrain bundle (MFB) is a key structure for reward and motivation and has been linked to affective disorders including major depression (MD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Clinical studies of deep brain stimulation (DBS) that modulate the MFB system by stimulating the superolateral branch of the medial forebrain bundle (slMFB) have shown promising antidepressant efficacy. Moreover, the slMFB is an emerging target structure for OCD. Initial results have been replicated by international scientific groups with equally promising efficacy. The slMFB structure and its definition, function and nomenclature are currently a focus of scientific debate. Recent non-human primate tract tracing has confirmed the anatomy and function of this structure. Preclinical work using optogenetic manipulations and fiber-photometry read-outs has investigated dopaminergic transmission as the mechanism of MFB DBS. Clinical positron emission tomography work has discovered metabolic patterns in MD that are altered by DBS. A decade after the first clinical work on this target structure, there is now a clear need to gather the current neuroscientific evidence.
For this special issue, we invite Neurologists, Neuroscientists, Neurosurgeons and Psychiatrists to submit their work related to MFB DBS. Clinical work on MD, OCD and other indications are equally welcome, as well as preclinical work on the mechanisms of MFB DBS that help to understand clinical efficacy.
If you are uncertain whether your work falls within the remit of this special issue, please do not hesitate to contact and discuss directly with the editors.
We look forward to receiving your submissions to help make this special issue a success!
Prof. Dr. Marco Reisert and Prof. Dr. Volker A. Coenen
Guest Editors
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