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Projects
This page presents a selection of the main projects currently ongoing in the lab.

SubApathy - Multimodal characterization of structural and effective connectivity correlates of subclinical apathy, effort valuation and reward valuation

Apathy is highly prevalent across almost all psychiatric and neurological disorders. Even in otherwise healthy people, there is a large inter-individual variability in apathy, with some individuals exhibiting high apathy scores, though below the clinical threshold, indicative of what is known as subclinical apathy. Despite its significance, the neural underpinnings of individual differences in subclinical apathy and effort-based decision making remain elusive. In this project, we address this gap in healthy human subjects through comprehensive neuropsychological assessments of apathy, depression and anhedonia, as well as computational modeling of behavior in an effort-based decision-making task, enabling quantification of subjective effort and reward valuation in each individual. We combine these behavioral data with a multimodal quantification of brain morphometry using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), structural connectivity using diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and effective connectivity using dual-site transcranial magnetic stimulation (dsTMS).

MotivAction - Role of fronto-striato-motor circuits in effort-based decision-making

Past research on effort-based decision-making and apathy has mostly focused on a key fronto-striatal network, involving the supplementary motor area, the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex the orbitofrontal cortex and the ventral striatum. Further, a few studies have highlighted a role of the motor cortex in effort-based decisions.  In this project, we propose leveraging recent technological advances in effective connectivity quantification and modulation to test the role of circuits between the fronto-striatal network and the motor cortex.

ShizApathy- Neurocomputational basis of apathy in schizophrenia

Apathy is a disabling symptom in many brain disorders, particularly schizophrenia, yet its underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. This international PhD project, conducted in partnership with Dr. Franziska Knolle in Munich, aims to uncover the neural and motivational factors driving apathy and explore new ways to address it. The project combines cutting-edge approaches, including multimodal neuroimaging, computational modeling of behavior, brain stimulation, and online studies.

StimOnOrbit - Causal role of orbitofrontal theta oscillations in effort-based decision-making

The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) exhibits dynamic activity changes during effort-based decision-making, and recent studies have underscored the importance of specific neural oscillations in reward processing. This project will employ a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled brain stimulation protocol to establish the causal contribution of these oscillations to effort-based decision-making. We combine computational modelling of behavior in an effort-based decision-making with concurrent high-definition transcranial alternating current stimulation (HD-tACS) of the OFC. EEG and e-field modelling are also exploited to quantify the effect of HD-tACS on cortical tissues.

DeepStimSim – Simulating the electric field induced within deep brain structures through non-invasive stimulation

Brain electrical stimulation allows the modulation of neural activity in specific brain areas through an electric field applied via electrodes placed on the surface of the skull. This technique has been widely used to stimulate cortical structures, located at the surface of the brain. The project aims to explore the impact of different electrode montages and electrical stimulation techniques on the stimulation of deep brain structures.

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