Scientific network for a better understanding of the neuroplasticity and associated functions following hemispherectomy

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Frauke Nees, since 4/2018
• Subject Area: Clinical Neurology; Neurosurgery and Neuroradiology
• Term: from 2015 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 289633351

Hemispherectomy is a surgical procedure, where one cerebral hemisphere is removed or functionally disconnected from the other half of the brain and is used in children with pharmacorefractory epilepsy to reduce or even stop epileptic seizures. However, the full consequences of this intervention on cognitive, motor, sensory, emotional and language abilities are still largely unknown. Moreover, modulating factors, involving disorder-related impairments that already exist before hemispherectomy and the age of first epileptic seizure manifestation as well as at the time of surgery, need to be taken into account. Considering these factors, existing training methods following hemispherectomy should be evaluated and new methods developed. The scientific network provides an interdisciplinary collaboration between researchers and clinicians from different relevant fields of neuropsychology, neuroscience, child and adolescent psychiatry, neurosurgery and neurology to identify and specify these factors. This collaboration may thus help to address a set of significant and yet unanswered questions. The resulting findings would not only be crucial for patients following hemispherectomy, but would also allow important conclusions for other neural (developmental) disorders such as autism, traumatic brain injury or stroke.

• DFG Programme: Scientific Networks
• Ehemaliger Antragsteller: Professor Dr. Josef Zentner, until 4/2018