The results from the findings of the Human Brain Project published in the Journal of Neuroscience stated that the researchers had developed a novel methodology to determine the delay of signal propagations in the brains of individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). This chronic inflammatory condition affects more than 2 million people worldwide.

In multiple sclerosis, the insulating layer that surrounds all neurons, myelin, is attacked by the body′s immune cells. Like the plastic insulating electrical lines, myelin facilitates faster electrical conduction. Electrical signals in the brain slow down due to damage to the myelin layer, resulting in sluggish communication between different brain regions and diminished or limited abilities. Doctors can better tailor their care to each patient by measuring the precise impact of myelinic degradation.

The researchers have created a technique that uses neuronal avalanches or bursts of activity that happen in cascades across the brain Instead of using direct stimulation to quantify the delay.

Pierpaolo Sorrentino, Study′s Lead Author said "These spontaneous bursts of activity can be used to measure the time it takes a signal to travel across the white-matter bundles connecting any two brain areas and then compare it with healthy controls without any myelinic damage. By not interfering directly with the signal, we can in a few minutes estimate the delay between most pairs of brain regions and then integrate it with what the MRI scans are showing us."

In addition to guiding the course of therapy, the technique can also be used to improve patients′ virtual brain models to boost personalization further, supporting the diagnostic and prediction tools accessible to clinicians and their patients. 

(Source: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20221027/Researchers-develop-new-method-to-calculate-the-delay-of-signal-propagations-in-brains-of-MS-patients.aspx)