Precision non-invasive brain stimulation: an <i>in silico</i> pipeline for personalized control of brain dynamics
<i>Objective.</i>Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) offers therapeutic benefits for various brain disorders. Personalization may enhance these benefits by optimizing stimulation parameters for individual subjects.<i>Approach.</i>We present a computational pipeline for simulating and assessing the effects of NIBS using personalized, large-scale brain network activity models. Using structural MRI and diffusion-weighted imaging data, the pipeline leverages a convolutional neural network-based segmentation algorithm to generate subject-specific head models with up to 40 tissue types and personalized dielectric properties. We integrate electromagnetic simulations of NIBS exposure with whole-brain network models to predict NIBS-dependent perturbations in brain dynamics, simulate the resulting EEG traces, and quantify metrics of brain dynamics.<i>Main results.</i>The pipeline is implemented on o<sup>2</sup>S<sup>2</sup>PARC, an open, cloud-based infrastructure designed for collaborative and reproducible computational life science. Furthermore, a dedicated planning tool provides guidance for optimizing electrode placements for transcranial temporal interference stimulation. In two proof-of-concept applications, we demonstrate that: (i) transcranial alternating current stimulation produces expected shifts in the EEG spectral response, and (ii) simulated baseline network activity exhibits physiologically plausible fluctuations in inter-hemispheric synchronization.<i>Significance.</i>This pipeline facilitates a shift from exposure-based to response-driven optimization of NIBS, supporting new stimulation paradigms that steer brain dynamics towards desired activity patterns in a controlled manner.
Authors
- Melanie Steiner (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-4361-1025)
- Elena Beanato (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4451-1684)
- Bryn Lloyd (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0935-9530)
- Antonino M. Cassarà (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3375-7440)
- Viktor Jirsa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8251-8860)
- Taylor Newton (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8429-8702)
- Silvia Farcito (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0756-192X)
- Niels Kuster (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5827-3728)
- Friedhelm C. Hummel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4746-4633)
- Esra Neufeld (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5528-6147)
- Huifang Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4060-8649)
- Fariba Karimi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2209-7590)
- Elisabetta Iavarone
- Paul de Fontenay
- Jan Paul Triebkorn
Institutions
- University of Geneva (CH)
- ETH Zurich (CH)
- Foundation for Research on Information Technologies in Society (CH)
- Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes (FR)
- Wyss Center for Bio and Neuroengineering (CH)
- Clinique Romande de Réadaptation (CH)
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (CH)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Neural Engineering
- Published
- 2025-02-20
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-2552/adb88f
- Citations
- 7
- Primary Topic
- Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 10.02
Funders
- NIH Office of the Director