Precision non-invasive brain stimulation: an in silico pipeline for personalized control of brain dynamics.

Abstract

Objective: Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) offers therapeutic benefits for various brain disorders. Personalization may enhance these benefits by optimizing stimulation parameters for individual subjects.

Approach: We present a computational pipeline for simulating and assessing the effects of NIBS using personalized, large-scale brain network activity models. Using structural MRI and diffusion-weighted imaging data, the pipeline leverages a convolutional neural network-based segmentation algorithm to generate subject-specific head models with up to 40 tissue types and personalized dielectric properties. We integrate electromagnetic simulations of NIBS exposure with whole-brain network models to predict NIBS-dependent perturbations in brain dynamics, simulate the resulting EEG traces, and quantify metrics of brain dynamics.

Main results: The pipeline is implemented on o2S2PARC, an open, cloud-based infrastructure designed for collaborative and reproducible computational life science. Furthermore, a dedicated planning tool provides guidance for optimizing electrode placements for transcranial temporal interference stimulation. In two proof-of-concept applications, we demonstrate that: (i) transcranial alternating current stimulation produces expected shifts in the EEG spectral response, and (ii) simulated baseline network activity exhibits physiologically plausible fluctuations in inter-hemispheric synchronization.

Significance: This pipeline facilitates a shift from exposure-based to response-driven optimization of NIBS, supporting new stimulation paradigms that steer brain dynamics towards desired activity patterns in a controlled manner.