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UPHummel Lab
Research
The mission of the Hummel Lab is to develop novel personalized, neurotechnological interventions tailored to the individual to enhance functional recovery of sensorimotor and cognitive functions in patients suffering from neurological disorders, such as stroke, TBI or neurodegenerative disorders, and bring these neuro-technologies from ‘bench to clinical bedside’. An excellent understanding of the underlying mechanisms of the disorders and recovery processes, and the development of biomarkers is an important basis to achieve this goal.
Latest news
The press release on our work on spatial navigation is now out – learn more about the clinical implications of our research
EPFL researchers have combined virtual reality, non-invasive brain stimulation and advanced brain imaging techniques to improve spatial navigation in healthy participants. The study is a first step in addressing dementia in an aging population without medication or surgery. Press release by Michael David Mitchell
We’re on the cover of Science Advances – read on to find out how we combined non-invasive brain stimulation and VR to address the mechanisms of spatial navigation
Because of the depth of the hippocampal-entorhinal complex (HC-EC) in the brain, understanding of its role in spatial navigation via neuromodulation was limited in humans. Here, we aimed to better elucidate this relationship in healthy volunteers, using transcranial temporal interference electric stimulation (tTIS), a noninvasive technique allowing to selectively neuromodulate deep brain structures. We applied tTIS to the right HC-EC in either continuous or intermittent theta-burst stimulation patterns (cTBS or iTBS), compared to a control condition, during a virtual reality–based spatial navigation task and concomitant functional magnetic resonance imaging. iTBS improved spatial navigation performance, correlated with hippocampal activity modulation, and decreased grid cell–like activity in EC. Collectively, these data provide the evidence that human HC-EC activity can be directly and noninvasively modulated leading to changes of spatial navigation behavior. These findings suggest promising perspectives for patients suffering from cognitive impairment such as following traumatic brain injury or dementia.
New study published in Nature Human Behaviour! “Non-invasive stimulation of the human striatum disrupts reinforcement learning of motor skills”
Our paper on the effect of non-invasive transcranial temporal interference stimulation targeting the striatum during reinforcement learning is now out in Nature Human Behaviour! It has been featured in several important French-speaking medias such as Le Soir, France Info and Le Monde
Our lab was featured in Le Monde (June 5th, 2024)
Big congratulations to all co-authors and in particular to first author Pierre Vassiliadis. This work was part of Pierre’s PhD entitled “Mechanisms underlying reinforcement learning of motor skills”, performed jointly at EPFL and in the lab of Prof. Julie Duque at UCLouvain (Belgium). Pierre used different approaches including in-depth kinematic analyses, fMRI and transcranial temporal interference stimulation to explore reinforcement processes at play during motor learning. In recognition of his work, Pierre was recently awarded the Biaggi de Blasys award 2024 at the Brain awareness week in Lausanne, an achievement featured on the EPFL website (https://actu.epfl.ch/news/pierre-vassiliadis-awarded-the-2024-biaggi-de-blas/). This prize is attributed once a year to the author of an outstanding PhD thesis in translational neuroscience in doctoral schools of the lemanic area (UNIL, UNIGE, EPFL).
Big congratulations to Pierre, winner of the Biaggi de Blasys award 2024
Pierre was recently awarded the Biaggi de Blasys award 2024 at the Brain awareness week in Lausanne. This prize is attributed once a year to the author of an outstanding PhD thesis in translational neuroscience in doctoral schools of the lemanic area (UNIL, UNIGE, EPFL).
Computer vision enhances home tDCS Treatment: A Success Story from the DiSCoVeR project
Our study “Computer vision-based algorithm to sUppoRt coRrect electrode placemeNT (CURRENT) for home-based electric non-invasive brain stimulation” has been highlighted as success story by the multinational funding agency ERA-NET NEURON. As part of the DiSCoVeR project, examining the effects of a cognitive control videogame paired with tDCS on alleviating depression symptoms in a home-based set-up, this study tested a novel computer vision algorithm to monitor cap placement accuracy and guide patients at home to increase confidence, compliance and improve electrode positioning.
BMI Best Thesis prize 2023
We are proud to announce that Elena has been awarded the BMI Best Thesis prize 2023 – by EDNE director Prof. Gräff – for her amazing work on Temporal Interference stimulation. Congratulations!Pierre was recently awarded the Biaggi de Blasys award 2024 at the Brain awareness week in Lausanne. This prize is attributed once a year to the author of an outstanding PhD thesis in translational neuroscience in doctoral schools of the lemanic area (UNIL, UNIGE, EPFL).
New paper out in Nature Neuroscience
Our latest paper entitled “Noninvasive theta-burst stimulation of the human striatum enhances striatal activity and motor skill learning” by Maximilan J. Wessel, Elena Beanato, and colleagues is now out in Nature Neuroscience.
Sion Stroke Recovery Conference 2023
The conference will gather world leading experts to discuss current challenges and new directions in the field of stroke recovery with a focus on neurotechnologies. Join us on December 11-12 at Energypolis Campus in Sion!
Studying the human body to drive scientific progress
Human biology is the research focus of a number of EPFL labs, where scientists conduct clinical trials with volunteers to design therapeutic interventions and to learn more about how the body functions. Here, we take a closer look at the work of Prof. Friedhelm Hummel, who is developing therapies for stroke survivors.
Virtual lab visit
Take a virtual tour through Campus Biotech, the Geneva campus of EPFL, and explore our lab as well as many more aspects of this thriving research environment.