Whole-brain model replicates sleep-like slow-wave dynamics generated by stroke lesions.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Computational Neuroscience
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Focal brain injuries, like stroke, induce local damage and alter neuronal activity in distant brain areas.
• Experimental evidence indicates the emergence of sleep-like slow waves in awake individuals post-stroke, particularly near the lesion and in connected regions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a generative whole-brain model that explains the spread of sleep-like slow waves following stroke.
• To understand the causal mechanisms linking stroke, slow waves, and altered functional connectivity.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a generative whole-brain model integrating functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) data.
• Incorporated patient-specific disconnection masks to simulate stroke effects.
• Modeled the propagation of sleep-like slow waves from the lesion vicinity to distant brain regions.

Main Results:

• The model successfully reproduced functional connectivity patterns observed in stroke patients.
• Demonstrated the model's ability to explain the spread of sleep-like slow waves across the brain.
• Provided a causal understanding of how stroke impacts distant neuronal activity via slow waves.

Conclusions:

• The generative whole-brain model effectively captures the relationship between stroke, sleep-like slow waves, and their propagation.
• The findings offer novel insights into the mechanisms underlying post-stroke brain alterations.
• The model serves as a valuable tool for understanding brain network dynamics after injury.