TY - JOUR
T1 - Frequency-dependent effects of motor thalamus deep brain stimulation on speech and swallowing
AU - Tang, Lilly W.
AU - Grigsby, Erinn M.
AU - Damiani, Arianna
AU - Ho, Jonathan C.
AU - Montanaro, Isabella M.
AU - Nouduri, Sirisha
AU - Ensel, Scott
AU - Trant, Sara
AU - Constantine, Theodora
AU - Adams, Gregory M.
AU - Balason, Denise V.
AU - Thomas, Tracey L.
AU - Zdrowak, Kelly
AU - Ting, Jordyn
AU - Wittenberg, George F.
AU - Franzese, Kevin
AU - Mahon, Bradford Z.
AU - Fiez, Julie A.
AU - Crammond, Donald J.
AU - Stipancic, Kaila L.
AU - Gonzalez-Martinez, Jorge A.
AU - Pirondini, Elvira
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2026.
PY - 2026/12
Y1 - 2026/12
N2 - Speech and swallowing are complex motor sequences driven by cortico-bulbar communication between motor cortex and cranial muscles. Damage to these pathways impairs strength and control of orofacial muscles, causing chronic dysarthria and dysphagia that increase social isolation, aspiration risks, and mortality. We show that motor thalamus Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) can improve these functions after traumatic brain injury (TBI). First, we demonstrated that low-frequency DBS (50-80 Hz) facilitates activation of cortico-bulbar fibers, immediately potentiating motor output in n = 8 participants with intact pathways. In a participant who sustained a TBI resulting in chronic moderate dysphagia and severe dysarthria, low-frequency DBS improved facial movement, swallowing efficiency, and speech intelligibility across respiratory, phonatory, and articulatory subsystems. Importantly, these improvements in facial articulator and speech subsystems control were specific to low-frequency (50-80 Hz) stimulation. These findings provide preliminary evidence that motor thalamus DBS can modulate corticobulbar circuitry to improve dysarthria and dysphagia following cerebral lesions.
AB - Speech and swallowing are complex motor sequences driven by cortico-bulbar communication between motor cortex and cranial muscles. Damage to these pathways impairs strength and control of orofacial muscles, causing chronic dysarthria and dysphagia that increase social isolation, aspiration risks, and mortality. We show that motor thalamus Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) can improve these functions after traumatic brain injury (TBI). First, we demonstrated that low-frequency DBS (50-80 Hz) facilitates activation of cortico-bulbar fibers, immediately potentiating motor output in n = 8 participants with intact pathways. In a participant who sustained a TBI resulting in chronic moderate dysphagia and severe dysarthria, low-frequency DBS improved facial movement, swallowing efficiency, and speech intelligibility across respiratory, phonatory, and articulatory subsystems. Importantly, these improvements in facial articulator and speech subsystems control were specific to low-frequency (50-80 Hz) stimulation. These findings provide preliminary evidence that motor thalamus DBS can modulate corticobulbar circuitry to improve dysarthria and dysphagia following cerebral lesions.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105047880114
U2 - 10.1038/s41467-026-75588-3
DO - 10.1038/s41467-026-75588-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 42471326
AN - SCOPUS:105047880114
SN - 2041-1723
VL - 17
JO - Nature Communications
JF - Nature Communications
IS - 1
M1 - 8794
ER -