4Brain

Neuroscientists within 4BRAIN focus on translational neuroscience to unravel the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders and to develop novel therapies. Multimodal neuroscience techniques are used to excel in the neuroscience field and bridge preclinical and clinical research. The focus of our preclinical research is on advanced recording and neuromodulation techniques in various models for neuropsychiatric diseases to understand their pathogenesis and search for new treatments. The focus of our clinical research is on multimodal clinical techniques including neurophysiology, imaging and neuropsychology and on the modulation of aberrant brain function using both non-invasive and invasive neuromodulatory treatments.

Members

• Technical University Eindhoven: Bert Aldenkamp, Jan Bergmans, Rob Mestrom, Sveta Zinger, Maarten Paulides, Massimo Mischi, … 
• Donders Institute: Lennart Verhagen 
• University of IRVINE: Bruce McNaughton 
• University of Barcelona: Francisco Ciruela
• University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz: Til Ole Bergmann

Defended PhDs (last 5 years)

Role of the locus coeruleus in modulation of hippocampal excitability in the healthy and epileptic brain

Sielke Caestecker (2025)

Photopharmacological adenosine A1 receptor modulation for the suppression of epileptic seizures : a proof of concept

Jeroen Spanoghe (2025)

Optical modulation of neuronal excitability using a novel photocaged adenosine A1 receptor agonist and its application in an ex vivo seizure model

Erine Craey (2024)

Exploring the therapeutic potential of vagus nerve stimulation in multiple sclerosis : insights from preclinical models

Helen Bachmann (2024)

Preclinical evaluation of chemogenetics as a new treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy

Jana Desloovere (2022)

Investigating the perihematomal changes after intracerebral hemorrhage in the rat collagenase model using diffusion-weighted MRI and [18F]-FDG PET : a new approach for data-driven intensity normalization and voxel-based analysis of [18F]-FDG PET

Silke Proesmans (2022)

Optogenetic modulation of hippocampal excitability and seizures

Anirudh Acharya (2022)

Post-stroke epilepsy in an animal model for intracerebral hemorrhage : optimization of the rat collagenase model

Charlotte Germonpré (2021)

The potential of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation to improve epilepsy and cognition

Ann Mertens (2021)

Exploration of the effects of vagus nerve stimulation on tumor growth in a preclinical model for glioma-related epilepsy and identification of a marker for effective stimulation

Charlotte Bouckaert (2021)

Longitudinal structural and functional brain network changes during epileptogenesis in a rat model of temporal lobe epilepsy

Emma Christiaen (2021)

Optimization of chemogenetic modulation of the locus coeruleus in rat to study its relation to hippocampal excitability

Latoya Stevens (2021)

A friend in need is a friend indeed : the benefits of the Human-Animal Bond during challenging times

Ana Martos Martinez-Caja (2021)

Neurophysiological characteristics of drug resistant epilepsy patients and response to vagus nerve stimulation

Stephanie Hödl (2021)

Proteinopathies of front-temporal lobar degeneration: investigating the impact of vascular contributions 

Anne Sieben (2021)

Dysphagia, dysarthria and aphasia post-stroke : from epidemiology to technology-delivered aphasia therapy

Elien De Cock (2021)

Chemogenetic neuromodulation in a rat model of epilepsy

Marie-Gabrielle Goossens (2021)

Temperature as a confounder on vagus nerve stimulation induced brain excitability modulation in rats

Wouter Van Lysebettens (2020)

Deep brain stimulation for drug-resistant epilepsy: efficacy and mechanism of action

Mathieu Sprengers (2020)

The potential of multimodal neuroimaging to personalize transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment protocols