Virtual models representing the brains of people with epilepsy could help to enable more-effective treatments of the disease by showing neurosurgeons precisely which zones are responsible for seizures. The models, created using a computational system known as the Virtual Epileptic Patient (VEP), have been developed as part of the Human Brain Project (HBP). The researchers use AI-based simulations on the model to mimic brain activity and determine the zone responsible for seizures.
They can also simulate the effects of performing a particular surgery and use those simulations to determine precisely which brain regions to remove, to stop a person’s seizures while minimizing the risk of damage. The approach is being tested in a clinical trial called EPINOV, to evaluate whether it improves the success rate of epilepsy surgery. If it shows promise for people with epilepsy, the virtual-brain approach could be used to study other conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis.
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