The subthalamic nucleus (STN) is pivotal in basal ganglia function in health and disease. Micro-electrode recordings of >25,000 recording sites from 146 Parkinson’s patients undergoing deep brain stimulation (DBS) allowed differentiation between subthalamic input, represented by local field potential (LFP), and output, reflected in spike discharge rate (SPK). As with many natural systems, STN neuronal activity exhibits power-law dynamics characterized by the exponent α. We, therefore, dissected STN data into aperiodic and periodic components using the Fitting Oscillations & One Over F (FOOOF) tool. STN LFP showed significantly higher aperiodic exponents than SPK. Additionally, SPK beta oscillations demonstrated a downward frequency shift compared to LFP. Finally, the STN aperiodic and spiking parameters explained a significant fraction of the variance of the burden and treatment efficacy of Parkinson’s disease. The unique STN input-output dynamics may clarify its role in Parkinson’s physiology and can be utilized in closed-loop DBS therapy.

丘脑底核 (STN) 在健康和疾病中的基底神经节功能中至关重要。对 146 名接受深部脑刺激 (DBS) 的帕金森病患者的超过 25,000 个记录位点进行微电极记录，可以区分以局部场电位 (LFP) 表示的底丘脑输入和以尖峰放电率 (SPK) 反映的输出。与许多自然系统一样，STN 神经元活动表现出以指数 α 为特征的幂律动力学。因此，我们使用拟合振荡和 One Over F (FOOOF) 工具将 STN 数据分解为非周期和周期分量。 STN LFP 显示出明显高于 SPK 的非周期指数。此外，与 LFP 相比，SPK beta 振荡表现出向下的频率偏移。最后，STN 非周期性和尖峰参数解释了帕金森病的负担和治疗效果的很大一部分方差。独特的 STN 输入输出动力学可以阐明其在帕金森病生理学中的作用，并可用于闭环 DBS 治疗。