Abstract Disorders of consciousness (DoC) are associated with large-scale alterations in brain dynamics, yet the structural factors that constrain these changes remain unclear. Here, we investigate how the topology of the structural connectome shapes the sensitivity of brain dynamics to perturbation using a whole-brain computational model constrained by diffusion MRI-derived connectivity. We...
A main characteristic of biological systems is their capacity to dynamically adapt to environmental changes. In the brain, synaptic plasticity enables the strengthening or weakening of connections between neurons, allowing neural circuits to adapt based on experience, learning, and environmental changes. Yet, it is homeostatically regulated such that it avoids excessive proliferation of...
Sleep onset is characterized by a departure from arousal, and can be separated into well-differentiated stages: NREM (which encompasses three substages: N1, N2 and N3) and REM (Rapid Eye Movement). Awake brain dynamics are maintained by various wake-promoting mechanisms, particularly the neuromodulators Acetylcholine (ACh) and Noradrenaline (NA), whose levels naturally decrease during the...
Schizophrenia is a complex neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by hallucinations, delusions, anhedonia, flat affect and cognitive impairments. The aim of this study was to propose a prenatal treatment with ketamine, a psychedelic drug that acts as a non-competitive inhibitor of glutamate NMDA receptors, as a neurodevelopmental animal model of schizophrenia. The drug was applied (i.m. 60...