Shared from parkinson.org.
While Parkinson’s disease (PD) may be most known for its movement symptoms, there are many non-movement symptoms that accompany the disease as well, including depression. Research has shown that depression is associated with increased PD severity, implying that the brain circuits affected in depression may also worsen Parkinson’s.
Understanding how depression and PD overlap in the brain is the focus of Henricus Ruhe, MD, PhD, recipient of a Parkinson’s Foundation Impact Award, as identifying the connections between the two could uncover improved treatments for both. To take on this research challenge, he will use a new technique called whole-brain computational modeling — in essence, creating a virtual brain based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.
“Recent developments in computational neuroscience have led to a better understanding of the hierarchical organization of the brain and the identification of a functionally rich club that orchestrates differential functions of the human brain,” Dr. Ruhe said about the background of the modeling technique he will be using.
For this research, he will collaborate closely with Morten L. Kringelbach, PhD, from Oxford University and Gustavo Deco, PhD, from Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, who developed the techniques.