Project description
Big data a game-changer in mental health care
In the EU, approximately 165 million individuals struggle with mental disorders, with projections suggesting they will become the foremost economic burden in medicine by 2030. Schizophrenia, which affects 1 % of the global population, is particularly daunting. Existing antipsychotics demonstrate limited efficacy for many patients. Factors ranging from genetic predispositions to social influences complicate treatment outcomes, leaving a significant portion of sufferers with inadequate care. In this context, the EU-funded VIRTUAL BRAIN TWIN project will leverage advanced neuronal simulation, AI tools, and clinical expertise. This ecosystem guides clinicians in exploring alternative treatments like brain stimulation. With a focus on individualised care, the Virtual Brain Twin platform integrates big data and high-performance computing within the secure EBRAINS infrastructure.
Objective
In the EU, about 165 million people are affected each year by mental disorders, and estimates indicate that mental disorders will become the number 1 economic cost factor in medicine in 2030. Schizophrenia alone affects approximately 1% of the world's population. The clinical effectiveness of the antipsychotics on the market remains limited with 30 to 50% of schizophrenic patients showing an insufficient response to treatment. Several factors, from genetic to psychological and social, may lie behind poor treatment outcomes or side effects and varies from patient to patient.
Therefore, the central aim of the VIRTUAL BRAIN TWIN project is to create an ecosystem for generating virtual brain twins for psychiatric patients, by leveraging the consortium’s detailed knowledge and expertise in neuronal microcircuit simulation, mathematical analysis, innovative AI tools, and psychiatric care and clinical studies. This ecosystem will guide clinicians to optimise medication type and dosage, and to evaluate alternative treatments, such as brain stimulation and lifestyle changes. Multiscale cause-effect simulations and virtual brain simulations based on fMRI or sMRI data from the individual patient, will bridge the gap between molecules and the patient's brain.
At the centre of this ecosystem will be the Virtual Brain Twin platform, which will make use of big data, multiscale modelling, and high-performance computing (HPC) that will be secured by appropriate data safety and protection. The platform will be embedded in the European digital neuroscience research infrastructure EBRAINS and will be initially accessible to neuroscientists, clinical researchers, and mathematical modellers, and in the future, to clinicians, and patients as well. This ground-breaking project will pave the way for personalised treatment of psychiatric disorders, with the potential to significantly improve the quality of life of patients suffering from these conditions.
Fields of science
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugs
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencesdata sciencebig data
- natural sciencesmathematicspure mathematicsmathematical analysis
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystems
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicinepsychiatryschizophrenia
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinator
1170 Bruxelles / Brussel
Belgium
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Participants (18)
13284 Marseille
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10117 Berlin
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100 44 Stockholm
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80539 MUNCHEN
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
81377 Munchen
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1012WX Amsterdam
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27100 Pavia
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75794 Paris
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52428 Julich
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28040 Madrid
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400610 Cluj-Napoca
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
28933 Mostoles
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53113 Bonn
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13354 Marseille Cedex 20
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151 25 Maroussi
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3000 Leuven
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1050 Bruxelles / Brussel
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67000 Strasbourg
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