Neuripides Project

Neurofeedback for self-stimulation of the brain as therapy for Parkinson Disease

Our aim is to develop a new treatment modality for Parkinson’s disease (PD), based on self-regulation of brain circuits with neurofeedback. We will capitalize on the advancement in the understanding of pathophysiological networks of PD and neural mechanisms of treatments accumulated during 25 years of DBS and neuroimaging research in order to develop a new approach to network modulation, non-invasively through neurofeedback.

Neurofeedback entails training of self-regulation of brain regions or networks via real-time feedback of neural signals, for example obtained by functional MRI (fMRI) (Ref 1-3). Neurofeedback is a highly sustainable form of non-invasive neuromodulation because, once learnt, the self-regulation strategies can be applied by patients whenever needed to overcome motor problems or other symptoms.

The aim of the project will be to establish neurofeedback protocols for the rational treatment of motor and non-motor symptoms that can be used as add-on to DBS but also independent of DBS. It is important to remember that regardless of its expanding indications, the majority of PD patients will not have implanted electrodes in the foreseeable future for a variety of reasons, highlighting the need for non-invasive neuromodulation options. This treatment will be developed in close consultation between several research groups working in deep brain stimulation (DBS), neuroimaging of PD and real-time functional MRI (fMRI). In this way we will integrate the most recent knowledge of circuit changes produced by DBS in the development of brain self-regulation protocols.

The research organizations involved are:

  • School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
  • Clinic for Stereotaxy and Functional Neurosurgery, Universität zu Köln/ University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
  • Department of Neurology, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
  • Neurospin-INSERM  and Medical school of Université de Versailles, Paris-Saclay, Paris, France
  • Department of Neurology, Toronto University / Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Ontario, Canada
  • Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, National Magnetic Resonance Research Center (UMRAM), Bilkent University, Bilkent, Ankara, Turkey
  • Brain Innovation B.V. , Maastricht, The Netherlands

See for more information the Neuripides website.

For Neuripides members the intranet environment is available: VRE


References:

  1. Real-Time Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Neurofeedback for Treatment of Parkinson's Disease | Journal of Neuroscience (jneurosci.org)
  2. Frontiers | Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Neurofeedback-guided Motor Imagery Training and Motor Training for Parkinson’s Disease: Randomized Trial | Behavioral Neuroscience (frontiersin.org)
  3. Real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging neurofeedback in motor neurorehabilitation: Current Opinion in Neurology (lww.com)
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