Scientific summary

The Neuripides partners have shown proof-of-concept of fMRI-neurofeedback in PD (Subramanian et al. 2016, Subramanian et al. 2011b) but target selection has so far been rather generic and clinical effects have been small. Improvement from selecting neural activation/ connectivity targets that track the effects of the most successful brain stimulation treatment developed so far for PD, DBS of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) will be expected. We will pursue this strategy both in relation to motor and non-motor symptoms, particularly depression and anxiety. The aim of the research will be to establish neurofeedback protocols for the rational treatment of motor and non-motor symptoms that can be used as add-on to DBS but also independent of DBS. Understanding the effects of therapeutic DBS on subcortico-cortical networks is relevant for the further development of DBS protocols and for the identification of functional connectivity patterns as targets for neurofeedback.