Computational Electrical Neuroimaging

CIBM EEG CHUV-UNIL SECTION

Section Head: Marzia De Lucia (CHUV-UNIL)

The Computational Electrical Neuroimaging section aims to investigate the neural bases of cognitive and sensory processing in humans, as well as their alterations in altered consciousness states, such as sleep and coma. To achieve this goal, we primarily utilize scalp and intracranial electrophysiological measurements in parallel with eye-tracking and other peripheral physiological measurements, in both healthy and clinical populations. Using advanced analytical tools, such as machine learning techniques and metrics derived from information and dynamical systems theories, we aim to fully leverage the richness of these high-temporal resolution data in large cohorts.

RESEARCH TOPICS

Interplay between bodily and environmental sensory stimuli

Description: As the human brain interacts with the environment, it is exposed to a variety of externally generated sensory stimuli. Concurrently, internally generated inputs from the body such as the ongoing heartbeat and respiratory stimuli are continuously monitored for homeostatic and survival purposes. This work aims at investigating how environmental and bodily signals interact as they are processed by the brain, and the effect of this interaction at the behavioral and neural level.

Investigators: Sergi Cuaresma, Giovanni Chiarion, Andria Pelentritou, Marzia De Lucia

Sensory processing across vigilance states

Description: As humans fall asleep, they progressively disconnect from the external environment with a pronounced reduction in behavioral responses to sensory stimuli. Yet, electrophysiological studies provide clear evidence that the sleeping brain can still process rudimentary sensory inputs. This research aims at investigating the interplay between vigilance levels and sensory processing, identifying the neural and peripheral mechanisms that allow for information processing during sleep, and pinning down the impact that sensory stimuli have on sleep architecture.

Investigators: Andria Pelentritou, Florian Perrin, Jacinthe Cataldi, Marzia De Lucia.

Collaborators: Philippe Ryvlin (CHUV), Sophie Schwartz (UNIGE), Matthieu Koroma (University of Liege, Belgium), Athena Demertzi (University of Liege, Belgium)

Coma: Outcome prediction and consciousness levels assessment

Description: A primary focus of this research is the development of prognostication markers and quantitative tools for the assessment of consciousness levels in comatose and other disorders of consciousness patients. Large electrophysiological datasets from multiple hospital sites are utilized, in combination with multivariate decoding techniques, to characterize the neural features that can lead to optimal prognostication at the individual patient level. Patterns of functional connectivity, key features of resting-state electroencephalography, and information-based metrics of cardiac and neural activity are explored in order to uncover the reorganization of the neural dynamics in disorders of consciousness.

Investigators: Jacinthe Cataldi, Andria Pelentritou, Marzia De Lucia.

Collaborators: Andrea Rossetti (CHUV), Nawfel Ben Hamouda (CHUV), Manuela Iten (Inselspital), Matthias Haenggi (Zurich Hospital), Fabien Perrin (University of Lyon, France), Christoph Guger (g.tec, Austria), Stein Silva (Inserm, Toulouse, France), Athina Tzovara (University of Bern), Sofia Olhede (EPFL)