Objective
Parkinson’s disease is a frequent and disabling neurological disorder, which heavily impairs patients’ ability to perform and control movements. Electrical stimulation of a deep-seated brain region, the subthalamic nucleus (STN), has been shown to significantly improve patients’ motor function and quality of life. Recent technological advances in deep brain stimulation (DBS) render it possible to adjust electrical stimulation of the STN to ongoing brain activity, referred to as closed-loop DBS. Here, the implanted electrodes do not only send signals to the brain but also read out neural signals generated by the brain. Closed-loop DBS offers the intriguing possibility to specifically suppress pathological brain activity while leaving physiological activity unaltered.
We propose an innovative and ambitious project, which the researcher will conduct in the Experimental Neurology group headed by Prof. Peter Brown at the University of Oxford, a world-leading laboratory in closed-loop stimulation. In this project we aim to test the hypothesis that closed-loop DBS that selectively targets pathological synchronous firing of neurons at 13 – 30 Hz, the so-called beta-rhythm, will interrupt neural activity related to motor impairment, but not normal functions of the brain. To this end, Parkinson patients with implanted electrodes in the STN will perform two tasks probing different aspects of motor control whilst receiving closed loop stimulation. We will simultaneously record activity from the STN and areas localized on the surface of the brain. This will allow us to assess how suppression of the beta-rhythm affects motor-related activity and connectivity in the human brain revealing it’s causal effects on motor function. Selective suppression of abnormal brain function and preservation of physiological brain mechanisms could be the key to obtain the best possible clinical benefit, whilst avoiding unwanted side effects in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences neurobiology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine neurology parkinson
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2014
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
OX1 2JD Oxford
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.