"Our research will involve neurophysiology and neuroengineering."
The world may soon see new brain research methods combining high-resolution functional MRI with electrophysiological studies, pharmacology, stimulation and system analysis. A deep understanding of network activity is important for the treatment of epilepsy and dementia, Nikos Logothetis, director of the International Primate Brain Research Center in Shanghai and winner of the National Future Technology Challenge2024 Award in the international discovery category, told Izvestia.
"I realized that I wanted to apply knowledge from mathematical physics to systems biology"
- How did it happen that you started studying the workings of the brain?
- One day, when I was in the hospital next to my mom, I came across a book called "Randomness and Necessity" by Jacques Monod. I was struck by the chapter on microscopic cybernetics, which described the interactions between cells in the nervous system and the endocrine system. I found it so fascinating that I read every book on cybernetics I could find, including Norbert Wiener's work. I was just overwhelmed and realized that I wanted to apply knowledge from mathematical physics to systems biology.
- What were your first steps as a researcher?
- At first I was interested in the neurophysiological basis of consciousness. My first goal was to study and understand what kinds of neuronal activity and changes underlie the multiple stability of perception, as occurs in optical illusions. I conducted experiments with monkeys to study the phenomenon of binocular competition, where perception is constantly switched between two visual stimuli presented separately to each eye. The results showed how brain activity is distributed in different visual areas during such "switches". This motivated me to pursue the development of interdisciplinary and multilevel methods combining functional MRI with electrophysiology and other approaches.
- Were you the first to start recording electrophysiologic parameters in an MRI scanner?
- Yes, it was a unique technique requiring a large coordinated and multidisciplinary team. The technology we developed allowed us to record functional MRI signals at the same time as recording different types of neural activity, including the activity of individual neurons and small neuronal groups. This was an exciting and extremely challenging study.
Nikos Logothetis' research has made it possible to create a method that allows non-invasive study of brain activity with high spatial resolution. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), experiments were conducted to analyze brain activity in real time. These studies have important implications for understanding brain function and the nature of various neurological and psychiatric disorders.
Using advanced fMRI techniques, he has studied the interaction of different brain regions, which has provided a deeper understanding of how attention and perception affect cognitive function. The results of these scientific findings may lead to the development of new methods for diagnosing and treating neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and depression.
"I intend to further develop interdisciplinary approaches"
- Does your research have clinical applications?
- Yes, the results of our experiments can be used in practice - for example, to optimize the performance of brain neurostimulators in patients with Parkinson's disease. In addition, a deep understanding of network activity is important for the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy and dementia. Without basic research, it is impossible to make progress in these areas.
- Tell us about your future research directions.
I intend to further develop interdisciplinary approaches that combine high-resolution functional MRI with electrophysiological studies, pharmacology, stimulation and complex dynamic systems analysis. This will provide insights into the self-organization of multistructured and multilevel neural activity. Our research will address neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, neuroengineering, and will also include detailed behavioral analysis.
- What impact has your work already had?
- The combination of electrophysiology with functional MRI, which we pioneered, has become particularly important for systems neuroscience. This method provided the first insights into the nature of the BOLD (blood oxygen level dependent signal), which reflects localized changes in cerebral blood flow, cerebral blood volume, and blood oxygen saturation in response to neuronal activity. Our studies have shown that such a blood oxygen level dependent signal is associated not only with excitation but also with strong inhibition. In addition, I have recently developed a new technique that allows us to study the relationship between global brain activity and local internal events. We will be able to study processes related to learning, decision making and memory.
-Tell us, what projects are you currently working on at the new institute in China? Do you have any joint developments with Russian colleagues?
- We are now finishing all the organizational processes related to the launch of our center in China. As soon as this process is finalized, we will be happy to cooperate with Russia. I don't think the Russian side will object. I don't expect any objections from the Chinese side either - their colleagues very much welcome international collaborations.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
