Innovative game theory-driven technologies for the rehabilitation of brain-damaged patients

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Claus Christian Hilgetag
• Subject Area: Human Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 569178576

In silico models of brain network interactions have been used to predict performance and assess stroke prognosis but have had limited utility in designing rehabilitation strategies. Recently, our teams have established the use of a ‘game theory’ causal approach, dubbed Multi-perturbation Shapley value analysis (MSA), to identify key cortical nodes and white matter tracts, quantify their contribution to motor and attentional deficits and to characterize brain-behavioral interactions. We here aim to design an MSA computational tool able to identify key nodes and interactions contributing to cognitive impairment and use its predictions to improve rehabilitation via non-invasive brain stimulation. First (AIM1), in a cohort of stroke patients (n=70), we will use neuroimaging, paper-and-pencil and computer-based cognitive evaluations to describe multidomain brain-behavior interactions. Second (AIM2), we will feed computational tools implementing MSA algorithms to identify key nodes and interactions contributing to the deficits and to inform on how to reverse such by modulating their intrinsic levels of activity. Third (AIM3), in a subcohort of patients (n=30) and control participants (n=30), we will use non-invasive brain stimulation under EEG monitoring to probe the validity of the MSA predictions and use such information to refine the developed tools. Aims will be carried out by the teams of Monica Toba (Partner 1, University Hospital Amiens) specialized in neuropsychology, neuroimaging and cognitive anatomy who will act as coordinator; Claus C. Hilgetag (Partner 2, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany), expert in computational neuroscience approaches applied to brain-behavior relationships; and Antoni Valero-Cabré (Partner 3, CNRS & ICM Paris), expert in non-invasive stimulation to map or treat cognition. Members of the consortium have complementary expertise and have jointly contributed to the published groundwork supporting the feasibility of this application.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: France
• Cooperation Partners: Dr. Monica Toba; Professor Dr. Antoni Valero-Cabré, Ph.D.