Licentiate Seminar, Anna Franziska Frigge: "Patient-specific Modeling of Deep Brain Stimulation"

Licentiate Seminar

Populations of neurons in our brain communicate through electrical pulses. Brain-Computer Interfaces establish a link between this brain activity and external devices or computers, by either recording it to extract information or by modulating it to achieve specific effects. While the biological mechanisms generating electrical signals in neurons are increasingly well understood, the underlying processes that translate neural activity into human behavior and function remain poorly defined. In Deep Brain Stimulation, a well-established therapy to alleviate symptoms in various neurological and psychiatric disorders, electrical pulses are delivered to targeted regions of the brain.

This thesis explores patient-specific mathematical modeling to support clinicians in search for effective Deep Brain Stimulation settings and to improve our understanding of how electrical stimulation influences neural populations. The main focus lies on model-based programming of Deep Brain Stimulation settings, considering traditional Deep Brain Stimulation targets, but also investigating the role of white matter tracts. It also addresses the necessary model complexity to explain clinical outcomes and highlights the importance of objective symptom quantification for improving the understanding and application of Deep Brain Stimulation.