TY - JOUR T1 - Deep-Brain Stimulation of the Subthalamic Nucleus Selectively Decreases Risky Choice in Risk-Preferring Rats JF - eneuro JO - eNeuro DO - 10.1523/ENEURO.0094-17.2017 SP - ENEURO.0094-17.2017 AU - Wendy K. Adams AU - Cole Vonder Haar AU - Melanie Tremblay AU - Paul J. Cocker AU - Mason M. Silveira AU - Sukhbir Kaur AU - Christelle Baunez AU - Catharine A. Winstanley Y1 - 2017/07/14 UR - http://www.eneuro.org/content/early/2017/07/14/ENEURO.0094-17.2017.abstract N2 - Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS) can improve the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and negate the problematic side effects of dopamine replacement therapy. Although there is concern that STN-DBS may enhance the development of gambling disorder and other impulse control disorders (ICDs) in this patient group, recent data suggest that STN-DBS may actually reduce iatrogenic ICDs, and alleviate obsessive-compulsive disorder. Here we sought to determine whether STN-DBS was beneficial or detrimental to performance of the rat gambling task (rGT), a rodent analogue of the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) used to assess risky decision making clinically. Rats chose between four options associated with different amounts and probabilities of sugar pellet rewards versus time-out punishments. As in the IGT, the optimal approach was to favor options associated with smaller per-trial gains but lower time-out penalties. Once a stable behavioural baseline was established, electrodes were implanted bilaterally into the STN, and the effects of STN-DBS assessed on-task over 10 consecutive sessions using an A-B-A design. STN-DBS did not affect choice in optimal decision-makers that correctly favored options associated with smaller per-trial gains but also lower penalties. However, a minority (∼25%) preferred the maladaptive “high-risk, high-reward” options at baseline. STN-DBS significantly and progressively improved choice in these risk-preferring rats. These data support the hypothesis that STN-DBS may be beneficial in ameliorating maladaptive decision making associated with compulsive and addiction disorders.Significance Statement STN-DBS may constitute a relatively safe and effective alternative to pharmacotherapy, not just for Parkinson’s Disease, but for disorders of addiction and compulsion in which decision-making is compromised. However, concern remains over whether this manipulation may itself trigger impulse control deficits or risky decision-making, as may be predicted from rodent lesion data. Here, we directly test this hypothesis, and evaluate the effects of STN-DBS in rats performing a rodent gambling paradigm based on the Iowa Gambling Task used clinically. Far from inducing impulsivity or exacerbating risky choice, STN-DBS selectively improved decision-making in animals exhibiting a risk-preferring strategy at baseline. These data suggest that STN-DBS may be beneficial in the treatment of psychiatric, rather than solely neurologic, conditions. ER -