Development and validation of a mathematical model of brain activity during deep brain stimulation in Parkinson’s disease

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) consists in implanting electrodes delivering electric stimuli in deep brain structures to relieve motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). Even if DBS is successful in alleviating symptoms for about 50,000 patients worldwide, it is an invasive neurosurgical technique, and its mechanisms of action remain elusive. This therapy could be greatly improved by targeting the cortex, also impacted by DBS. However, a pre-requisite is to understand how cortical activity is impacted by DBS. To this end, a large-scale mathematical model of brain activity will be developed and used to predict electroencephalogram (EEG) and blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD, measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging, fMRI) signals of PD patients when DBS is turned "on/off". This model will be validated using EEG and fMRI data obtained in PD patients. This work has potential for software and hardware developments for Multi Magnetics Inc., private sector partner on this project.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Alexandre Legros

Student:

Julien Modolo

Partner:

Discipline:

Medicine

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

Western University

Program: