Brain Mapping for Parkinson's and OCD Treatment
A map of brain connections computed from a diffusion MRI (dMRI) scan. The colors indicate the main directionality of the connection (red: left-right; green: anterior-posterior; blue: inferior superior).
Understanding how the brain works is one of the biggest challenges in science. The brain is very complex, with billions of cells called neurons working together to control everything from movement to emotions. For people with neurological conditions like Parkinson's disease and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), understanding these brain connections is crucial. That's where brain mapping comes in.
Scientists are developing new tools and methods, including brain mapping, to better understand how the brain functions in these conditions.
Anastasia Yendiki, PhD, a Mass General Brigham investigator at the Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging at Massachusetts General Hospital, is leading a new brain imaging initiative that could change how we treat neurological conditions like Parkinson’s and OCD.
“There is a lot that scientists don’t know when it comes to how the brain is wired,” says Dr. Yendiki. “But a new brain imaging initiative could lead to a better understanding of brain connections, which could result in improved treatments for people with conditions like Parkinson’s disease and OCD.”
What is brain mapping?
Brain mapping is a way for scientists to visualize how brain areas are connected. These connections are important because they determine how different parts of the brain work together. For conditions like Parkinson’s disease and OCD, brain mapping helps scientists and doctors see which areas of the brain are involved and how they are affected.
Mass General Brigham researchers are using brain mapping to study how these conditions disrupt the brain's pathways.
“Think of the brain like a complex road system,” says Dr. Yendiki. “Some neurons connect through big highways, while others use smaller roads. We have a map of the brain’s major highways, but there is still a lot to learn about the smaller roads. This information can help doctors better understand each patient’s unique brain structure and choose treatments that are best suited to their needs.”
For example, in Parkinson’s disease, brain mapping reveals connections that are implicated in movement control. This helps doctors decide where to place electrodes during deep brain stimulation (DBS) to better manage symptoms like tremors and stiffness. In OCD, brain mapping identifies connections implicated in decision making and cognitive control, which may be similarly targeted with DBS.
How brain mapping can help patients with Parkinson’s disease and OCD
Brain mapping helps:
Improve understanding of brain conditions: Mapping brain connections helps researchers and doctors see how conditions like Parkinson’s disease and OCD develop and progress.
Guide treatment: Knowing more about how the brain is wired helps doctors choose treatments that are more effective and personalized for each patient.
Advance technology: The detailed maps created by brain mapping at Mass General Brigham provide new insights that could lead to better therapies for neurological conditions in the future.
How brain mapping has evolved
Brain mapping has come a long way since the invention of MRI in the 1970s. MRI allows doctors and researchers to take pictures of the brain without using harmful radiation like x-rays do. Over the years, MRI technology has greatly improved, helping scientists better understand the brain’s structure and function.
Mass General Brigham scientists are building on these advancements to gain even more detailed insights into neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease and OCD. With new tools and techniques, they are able to map out the brain in more detail than ever before.
Here’s how MRIs have advanced over time:
Early MRI: The first MRI scans gave us basic pictures of the brain, which were very helpful for diagnosing things like tumors.
Advanced MRI: Mass General Brigham researchers are now using advanced MRI scanners that create much clearer images. Functional MRI (fMRI) allows them to watch the brain in action and see how different areas are activated. Diffusion MRI (dMRI) allows them to visualize the wiring that connects these areas.
New tools: Mass General Brigham researchers also use advanced techniques like dMRI to map the pathways that connect different parts of the brain. These detailed maps help doctors understand how conditions like Parkinson’s disease and OCD affect brain connections.
The future of brain mapping at Mass General Brigham
Mass General Brigham is leading a major brain mapping project with funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative. This project aims to create the most detailed map of the brain that has ever been made. By mapping the brain’s connections in greater detail, researchers hope to better understand how different parts of the brain communicate with each other. This knowledge will help doctors visualize the connections that are implicated in conditions like Parkinson’s disease and OCD, which could lead to more effective treatments for patients.
To achieve this, the project is using some of the most advanced technology available:
Advanced MRI scanners: Mass General Brigham is using the Connectome 2.0, a special MRI scanner that is the first of its kind in the world. It can take highly detailed pictures of the brain, allowing scientists to see even the smallest connections between brain cells with great accuracy.
Microscopy techniques: Researchers are using advanced MRI scans along with special light and x-ray tools to make a detailed map of the brain, showing both the large pathways and the tiny connections between brain cells.
Artificial intelligence (AI): AI helps analyze these images and map out brain connections more accurately.
How brain mapping is shaping the future of Parkinson’s disease and OCD treatment
Mass General Brigham is at the forefront of brain mapping research, using this powerful tool to uncover the brain’s complex pathways. The insights researchers gain from this groundbreaking work drive new possibilities for treating neurological conditions. Specifically, the information gathered at Mass General Brigham is helping to:
Develop more effective treatments: By better understanding how brain connections work, doctors at Mass General Brigham can create more precise and personalized therapies to improve the management of symptoms for patients.
Enable early diagnosis: Brain mapping could help doctors spot neurological conditions earlier, which means patients could start treatment sooner and have better outcomes.
Pave the way for cures: The discoveries made through Mass General Brigham’s brain mapping research could lead to new and innovative treatments, including improved targeting of brain stimulation for conditions like Parkinson’s disease and OCD.
As Mass General Brigham researchers continue mapping the brain, they are bringing us closer to more effective therapies and brighter futures for those affected by neurological conditions like OCD and Parkinson’s disease.
