Abstract: 

Traditionally, clinical neurology has relied on the study of focal brain lesions to map specific neurological symptoms or behaviours. However, many complex neurological conditions, such as depression or cognitive decline, are driven by distributed cortical networks and cannot be localised to a single neuroanatomical structure. Lesion network mapping (LNM), a relatively new and innovative method, uses the so-called normative human connectome to assess anatomical and functional connectivity across lesions using routine clinical imaging modalities such as CT and structural MRI. By superimposing lesion masks on normative network maps, LNM reveals specific symptom networks disrupted by lesions, bypassing the need for advanced imaging techniques such as functional MRI or diffusion tensor imaging for connectivity analysis.
In the context of acute stroke, LNM provides valuable insights into how stroke lesions affect the brain network, revealing the neuroanatomical basis of post-stroke depression, pain syndromes and impaired cognitive function. It also has the potential to identify at-risk patients, novel treatment pathways and new targets for neuromodulation in stroke rehabilitation. By combining routine imaging data with innovative network analysis, LNM is transforming the way we study and treat complex neurological disorders including ischemic stroke.

Webex-Link: https://fu-berlin.webex.com/fu-berlin-en/j.php?MTID=m4bebc7d3a820074c3209b6dae220acd9