Authors: Aurore Thibaut; Sarah Wannez; Anne-Francoise Donneau; Camille Chatelle; Olivia Gosseries; Marie-Aurélie Bruno; Steven Laureys Objectives: To assess the effects of repeated transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) sessions on the level of consciousness in chronic patients in minimally conscious state (MCS). Methods: In this randomized double-blind sham-controlled crossover study, we enrolled 16 patients in chronic MCS. For 5 consecutive days, each patient […]

Authors: Ruffini, G I aim to show that models, classification or generating functions, invariances and datasets are algorithmically equivalent concepts once properly defined, and provide some concrete examples of them. I then show that a) neural networks (NNs) of different kinds can be seen to implement models, b) that perturbations of inputs and nodes in NNs […]

Authors: Yavari F; Nitsche M; Ekhtiari H During recent years, non-invasive brain stimulation, including transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) in general, and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in particular, have created new hopes for treatment of neurological and psychiatric diseases. Despite promising primary results in some brain disorders, a more widespread application of tES is hindered by the unsolved […]

Authors: Bodart O; Gosseries O; Wannez S; Thibaut A; Annen J; Boly M; Rossanova M; Casali A; Casarotto S; Tononi G; Massimini M; Laureys S Background Making an accurate diagnosis in patients with disorders of consciousness remains challenging. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)–PET has been validated as a diagnostic tool in this population, and allows identifying unresponsive patients with a capacity for consciousness. In parallel, the perturbational complexity index (PCI), a […]

Authors:Amico E; Bodart O; Rosanova M; Gosseries O; Heine L; Van Mierlo P; Martial C; Massimini M; Marianazzo D; Laureys S Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in combination with neuroimaging techniques allows to measure the effects of a direct perturbation of the brain. When coupled with high-density electroencephalography (TMS/hd-EEG), TMS pulses revealed electrophysiological signatures of different cortical modules in health and disease. However, the neural […]

Authors: Koch C; Massimini M; Boly M; Tononi G There have been a number of advances in the search for the neural correlates of consciousness — the minimum neural mechanisms sufficient for any one specific conscious percept. In this Review, we describe recent findings showing that the anatomical neural correlates of consciousness are primarily localized to a posterior cortical […]

Authors: Frase L; Piosczyk H; Zittel S; Jahn F; Selhausen P; Krone L; Feige B; Mainberger F; Maier J M; Kuhn M; Kloppel S; Normann C; Sterr A; Spiegelhalder K; Riemann D; Nitsche M; Nissen C Arousal and sleep are fundamental physiological processes, and their modulation is of high clinical significance. This study tested the hypothesis that total sleep time (TST) in humans can be modulated by the non-invasive brain stimulation technique transcranial […]

Authors: Chaudhary U; Birbaumer N; Ramos-Murguialday A Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) use brain activity to control external devices, thereby enabling severely disabled patients to interact with the environment. A variety of invasive and noninvasive techniques for controlling BCIs have been explored, most notably EEG, and more recently, near-infrared spectroscopy. Assistive BCIs are designed to enable paralyzed patients to communicate […]

Authors: Casarotto S; Comanducci A; Rosanova M; Sarasso S; Fecchio M; Napolitani M; Pigorini A; G Casali A; Trimarchi PD; Boly M; Gosseries O; Bodart O; Curto F; Landi C; Mariotti M; Devalle G; Laureys S; Tononi G; Massimini M OBJECTIVE: Validating objective, brain-based indices of consciousness in behaviorally unresponsive patients represents a challenge due to the impossibility of obtaining independent evidence through subjective reports. Here we address this problem by first validating a […]

Authors: Chaudhary U; Xia B; Silvoni S; Cohen L.G; Birbaumer N Despite partial success, communication has remained impossible for persons suffering from complete motor paralysis but intact cognitive and emotional processing, a state called com- plete locked-in state (CLIS). Based on a motor learning theoretical context and on the failure of neuroelectric brain–computer interface (BCI) communication attempts in CLIS, we […]