Computational modeling of M1-BG-Th network firing rate and beta oscillation in brain neurological diseases for treatment with electrical or optogenetic stimulation

Abstract

The development of computational models is a useful tool for studying structure and characteristics of the brain neurons. By using different modeling methods, mechanism of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's (AD), Epilepsy and Parkinson's disease (PD) can be understood. Studies of the brain diseases modeling often focus on Cortex, Thalamus (Th) and Basal Ganglia (BG). The primary motor cortex (M1) has interconnected layers that play an important role in performing movements and treating neurological diseases of brain. In this paper, we have considered model of the M1-BG-Th for neural structure of healthy and Parkinsonian brain neurons, and have investigated excessive oscillations of the  beta band and change in firing rate of the neurons, which are dynamic characteristics of PD. We have examined characteristics of firing rate and power spectrum of the neurons of the M1-BG-Th network model, which shows the oscillations of beta band of neurons of M1-BG-Th network model, and we have studied healthy and Parkinsonian states. Our aim in presenting proposed M1-BG-Th model to investigate optogenetic stimulation for treatment of neurological diseases of brain, which is a minimally invasive method and targets specific selected brain neurons by using opsins.