Computational Model-Based Development of Novel Stimulation Algorithms

In the context of this entry, the model-based development of stimulation algorithms designatesa process of creation and computational testing of new techniques for control and modulation ofundesirable (pathological) neuronal dynamics. Abnormal brain activity has been observed in severalneurological disorders including Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, epilepsy, tinnitus, and others.Brain stimulation is used for the therapy of patients suffering, for example, from Parkinson’s disease,epilepsy, or mental disorders. Brain stimulation is called deep brain stimulation (DBS) if structuresdeeply inside the brain are targeted, cortical stimulation (intracortical or epicortical) if the electricalcontacts of the stimulator are positioned within the cortex or on its surface, or noninvasivetranscranial stimulation if the neurons are stimulated by electrical currents induced across scalp byeither external magnetic field (transcranial magnetic stimulation, TMS) or electrical current admin-istered via scalp electrodes (transcranial direct-current stimulation, tDCS). Apart from direct brainstimulation, other stimulation forms and targets may also be used, such as spinal cord stimulation(e.g., for the treatment of pain), vagus nerve stimulation (for the treatment of epilepsy), or acousticstimulation (for the treatment of tinnitus). Novel, model-based approaches, which use methods fromsynergetics, nonlinear dynamics, and statistical physics to specifically restore brain function andconnectivity, demonstrate how insights into the dynamics of complex systems contribute to thedevelopment of novel therapies