September 17, 2026

@michaelokun

What resonated with me from today’s DBS Think Tank session on electrophysiology-guided neuromodulation was how rapidly we are moving from simply recording brain signals to understanding which physiology actually matters and then using it to guide therapy. Todd Herrington from MGH showed how human neurophysiology can help us understand the circuits underlying both motor and nonmotor symptoms and ultimately sharpen how we deliver DBS. Ashwini Oswal from Oxford took us inside the beta burst, reminding us that “beta” is not one monolithic signal: timing, duration, cortical-STN interactions and pathological versus potentially physiological bursts matter, and dissecting these features may help us build smarter adaptive DBS. Esther Florin brought a network-level perspective from Germany, using sophisticated electrophysiology and MEG to understand how DBS reshapes brain networks and to identify physiological markers that could help optimize stimulation. The message for me was simple: the future of DBS will not just be about where we stimulate, but about listening carefully to the brain and letting its physiology help tell us when, where and how to stimulate.