BEIJING, March 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A research team led by Prof. Hesheng Liu, founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Galaxy Brain Scientific Inc., has published a study in Nature Neuroscience demonstrating that Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) achieves therapeutic efficacy in Parkinson's disease (PD) by remodeling the SPARK circuit. (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-026-02228-w)
The findings build directly on the team's previous identification of a core cortico-subcortical PD circuit derived from the somato-cognitive action network (SCAN), the SPARK (SCAN-Parkinson's) circuit, as reported in their study published in Nature in February 2026 (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-10059-1), which first characterized this circuit in PD. These results provide mechanistic evidence that neuromodulation therapies exert their effects through modulation of this circuit, and offer a circuit-level framework for the development of personalized, non-invasive precision treatment strategies.
This study establishes the world's largest longitudinal DBS-fMRI dataset to date, derived from a systematic one-year follow-up of 14 PD patients. With over 200 hours of high-quality imaging data collected, the research team successfully provides mechanistic insights into how DBS exerts its effects by modulating the SPARK circuit, yielding two key findings:
First, the study reveals that the SPARK circuit is the critical response region for DBS neuromodulation. The research provides powerful evidence that the SPARK circuit is not only the pathological origin of PD but also the core target through which neuromodulation exerts its effects.
Second, the study confirms that DBS remodels abnormal functional connectivity within the SPARK circuit. These results are highly consistent with the team's previous research published in Nature, proving that the clinical efficacy of DBS essentially stems from the long-term regulation and functional remodeling of abnormal SPARK connectivity.
These findings imply that non-invasive interventions targeting the SPARK circuit are supported by the same biological foundation as surgical neuromodulation.
Furthermore, the research revealed significant individual variability in brain functional networks across patients, which directly influence the clinical outcomes of neuromodulation therapies. This discovery points toward a new direction for the field: a paradigm shift from traditional, empirical "trial-and-error" parameter tuning toward a personalized precision treatment model rooted in individual brain circuits.
Leveraging its proprietary Personalized Brain Functional Sectors (pBFS) technology and a specialized precision circuit stimulation system, Galaxy Brain Scientific has achieved the clinical application of personalized, non-invasive precision intervention. This approach enables a "one-person-one-strategy" model for individualized care. Clinical trials have confirmed that by using the precision circuit stimulation system to deliver non-invasive intervention to each patient's unique SPARK target, clinical efficacy is more than double that of traditional stimulation targets.
Galaxy Brain Scientific is already moving to bring these insights to the clinical frontline, having begun a pivotal registration trial for Class III devices dedicated to treating PD. "Our goal is to redefine the treatment paradigm for brain disorders," added Prof. Liu. "By moving from 'one-size-fits-all' to 'one-person-one-strategy', we are now pioneering the application of this technology to treat complex conditions beyond Parkinson's, including autism and Alzheimer's disease."
About Galaxy Brain Scientific
Galaxy Brain Scientific (https://www.gb-scientific.cn) is a world-leading platform for the translation and industrialization of brain science research. Guided by its mission to "Advancing brain cognition and conquering brain diseases", the company provides safe, non-invasive, and personalized precision treatment solutions for major brain disorders such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and autism, striving to become a leader in the global field of brain disease diagnosis and treatment.
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From SCAN to SPARK: Galaxy Brain Scientific Enables a New Paradigm in Non-invasive, Personalized Precision Treatment for Parkinson's Disease
