Targeting dysfunctional circuits using brain stimulation

Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre 

Emerging research indicates that many psychiatric disorders are characterized by dysfunctional brain circuits. In this talk I will briefly describe how this circuit-based framework has recently reshaped and improved the capacity to identify optimal brain stimulation targets for psychiatric disorders. I will discuss how these circuits can be targeted on a personalized basis and briefly overview the evidence for this approach from basic and clinical research, including our recent clinical outcomes. I will describe new research where we have employed network communication models based on structural connectivity to understand and predict propagation of a TMS pulse through the human connectome. I will present our recent findings from TMS performed in the MRI scanner illustrating differential circuit activation at distinct DLPFC TMS targets (all personalized). Lastly, I will briefly highlight our novel hardware solution that provides a cheaper, simpler and faster alternative to neuronavigation for circuit-based or personalised targeting where desired.