Groups & Lines of Research

Diffusion MRI and brain connectivity

Principal Researcher: Estela Càmara Mancha

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From brain function to structure: neuroimaging techniques and clinical biomarkers

How human brain function (“how the brain works”) and structure (“the brain’s composition and how it is connected”) are related is a fundamental question in cognitive neuroscience. We study how certain functional and structural information in the human brain is involved in specific cognitive processes during periods of health and disease, working to identify new biomarkers to allow quantification of brain function for clinical evaluation.

 

Neuroimaging biomarkers

Magnetic resonance imaging techniques allow for the non-invasive extraction of large amounts of quantitative information from the human brain. We combine various different advanced neuroimaging techniques, such as diffusion tensor imaging, functional magnetic resonance imaging, and other novel multispectral approaches for this purpose. Specifically, we are interested in studying brain dynamics and organization by integrating functional and structural connectivity measures using multimodal methods. These approaches allow us to investigate underlying neural correlates present in cognitive processes, which will allow us to understand individual differences in specific cognitive processes, such as reward processing, executive functions, language learning, and memory.

 

Huntington’s disease: pre-symptomatic and early-stage patients

Knowing the relationship between brain function and structure is also key to understanding neurodegenerative processes in the brain. We focus on Huntington’s disease, which shares many features with other more common neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, except that individuals at risk of developing Huntington’s disease can be identified before clinical onset through predictive genetic testing. By studying the evolution of the disease from presymptomatic to early stages, we can investigate its clinical neuroimaging throughout the entire neurodegeneration process. We aim to create clinical toolboxes that allow us to assess the progression of the disease even before symptoms are present or evident, opening a new window for the application of personalized early-stage treatments and clinical trials.

Last publications