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The Walker Lab

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is more effective than medications and other conventional therapies for motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, and essential tremor. Emerging device technologies such as directional and closed loop stimulation have substantial potential to improve a variety of patient outcomes. However these new DBS devices are increasingly adaptable and complex, and we lack robust tools to fully realize their potential. The Walker lab investigates how deep brain stimulation works using a multimodal approach that integrates electroencephalography, electrocorticography, single unit recordings, neuroimaging, and behavioral assessment in patients with movement disorders. Our goal is to obtain new knowledge about the therapeutic mechanism of DBS and to apply these findings to guide technological innovation, both for established indications and for emerging indications in neurology and psychiatry.