How do you determine which targeting modality to utilize for DBS placement?

Target selection requires multidisciplinary evaluation involving movement disorder specialists, neurosurgeons, neuropsychologists, and psychiatrists to assess motor, cognitive, and behavioral status comprehensively. The team must identify surgical goals, weigh individual patient factors, and arrive at the most appropriate target, recognizing that no single target is optimal for all patients. This individualized approach acknowledges that DBS targets influence multiple brain structures within interconnected networks rather than producing isolated effects.

For Parkinson's disease, the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is most commonly targeted when medication reduction is a primary goal, while the globus pallidus interna (GPi) may be preferred in pa...