Neuromodulation and neuroprosthetics

Our team develops new neuromodulation paradigms and neuroprosthetic systems for repairing or replacing circuit-level functions that get disrupted after neurological disorders or injury. Our research combines techniques from Neuroscience and Neuroengineering, in particular in vivo electrophysiology, signal processing, machine learning and control engineering.

Building upon previous experience of neuromodulation in the fields of epilepsy and spinal cord injury, we are now interested in expanding neuroprosthetic systems from motor to cognitive disorders. In particular, we aim at developing a large-scale brain network neuroprosthesis to restore memory after brain injury or neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (MEMOPROSTHETICS project, funded by an ERC Starting Grant). We are testing these principles in non-human primates trained to perform a visuospatial memory task.

Our approach uses intracranial multielectrode recordings of neuronal activity at various spatial scales such as local field potentials and electrocorticographic activity, combined with spatially, temporally and spectrally patterned multisite neurostimulation. This targeted stimulation aims at restoring the communication between remote brain areas which become functionally disconnected in memory disorders as a result of injury or neurodegeneration. By combining this neuromodulation approach with cognitive training protocols, we further aim at promoting neuroplasticity mechanisms and long-term improvements in cognitive functions.

This project has received the following funding / award:
– Young group leader chair of excellence, from the Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine and the University of Bordeaux as part of the Bordeaux Neurocampus initiative (2020-2023)
– ERC Starting Grant 2021 (MEMOPROSTHETICS project)
– ATIP-Avenir young group leader award, call 2021