Why Brain Criticality Is Clinically Relevant: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Computational Neuroscience
• Clinical Neuroscience

Background:

• Criticality research in neuroscience has surged over the past 25 years.
• Criticality offers explanations for optimal brain information processing.
• Existing reviews briefly touch upon clinical applications in epilepsy, neurodegenerative diseases, and neonatal hypoxia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the current and future clinical relevance of brain criticality studies in human data.
• To bridge the gap between theoretical neuroscience and clinical practice.
• To explore under-discussed clinical domains such as anesthesia, sleep medicine, developmental-behavioral pediatrics, and psychiatry.

Main Methods:

• Scoping review of human brain criticality studies across all age groups.
• Explanation of core criticality concepts (phase transitions, temporal correlations, power laws, etc.) for a clinical audience.
• Assessment of clinical relevance and identification of future research directions.

Main Results:

• Criticality has potential applications in diagnosing and treating various neurological and psychiatric conditions.
• Under-explored clinical areas show significant promise for criticality research.
• The review synthesizes findings to inform clinical practice and guide future investigations.

Conclusions:

• Brain criticality is a valuable framework with broad clinical implications beyond traditional neurological disorders.
• Further research is needed to translate theoretical criticality concepts into tangible clinical tools and therapies.
• This review highlights the need for interdisciplinary collaboration between neuroscientists and clinicians to advance the field.