Research
The scientific focus of the institute is on the study of brain networks that are important for motor function. The research focuses on both the healthy brain and people with movement disorders or neuropsychiatric diseases.
Below, we describe some of the research methods we use. Further information on our scientific projects can be found on subsequent pages.
Automated video-based movement analysis
Video recordings and their automated analysis are a valuable tool for better understanding movement disorders. With their help, the frequency of symptoms, their timing and the involvement of different parts of the body can be analysed precisely and according to standardised criteria. We use automated video analyses in particular in studies on Gilles de la Tourette syndrome, for example to describe the frequency and distribution of tics and ultimately to answer the fundamental question of what distinguishes tics from other movements.
Electroencephalography
Electroencephalography (EEG) is a method of medical diagnostics and neurological research to measure the brain's electrical sum activity by recording voltage fluctuations via electrodes on the head surface. The EEG is the recording of such voltage fluctuations. The recorded signals can be analyzed in many different ways. In our research we are interested in event-related potentials that can be extracted from the EEG signals by averaging, but also in source localizations of cognitive processes.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
Transcranial magnetic stimulation is a technology enabling the stimulation and inhibition of areas of the brain by generating brief and strong magnetic fields. A magnetic coil, placed on the head above the target area induces a current in the brain that alters the activity of the underlying neuron populations. TMS can be used to induce magnetically evoked potentials which can be measured via EMG on a hand muscle. If a TMS pulse is given alone or paired with other TMS pulses over the same or different brain regions or paired with other pulses (such as electrical stimuli on the hand), it is possible to investigate the corticospinal and intracortical excitability and connectivity of brain regions. TMS can also be given in longer sequences (e.g. 1200 pulses at 1 Hz) in order to induce plastic changes and is then called repetitive TMS (rTMS). Thus, rTMS is a suitable tool in neuroscientific research for inducing cortical plasticity in specific brain regions.
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
Transcranial direct current stimulation is a non-invasive method for stimulating the brain. Through electrodes placed on the scalp, a current is induced, which alters the cortical excitability and neuronal activity. This stimulation modulates the activity of the nerve cells and leads, depending on the stimulation protocol used, either to an activation or inhibition of stimulated areas.
