Deep Brain Stimulation: from serendipity to knowledge-driven neuromodulation

Last year the Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Society celebrated in Grenoble the 30th anniversary of the first DBS implant in the Subthalamic Nucleus. DBS improved the quality of life of thousands of patients in these decades. Still, DBS underlying mechanisms remain elusive, and due to this is hard to extend its realm of application or, even more importantly, reduce its side effects. We propose that the wealth of data available thanks to the adaptive DBS devices will not only improve the therapeutical effectiveness of DBS, but also shed light on the circuital malfunctions originating movement disorders and on the possible ways to tackle them, in a virtuous circle (Cometa et al iScience 2022). Examples will range from computational models to neurological studies, from upper and lower limb movements to impulse control disorders.