Clinical Neurophysiology (CNPH)

Cerebral ischemia

We wish to further our understanding of pathophysiological processes involved in cerebral ischemia, in particular selective neuronal and synaptic damage, using clinical measurements and in-vitro and in-silico techniques.

Our current focus in the clinic is early prediction of neurological outcome and treatment of patients with postanoxic encephalopathy, using continuous EEG. Patients are recruited in the Medisch Spectrum Twente, Enschede, and Rijnstate Ziekenhuis, Arnhem.

In-vitro research complements our clinical research interest in cerebral ischemia. We use cultured neurons on a multi-electrode array to study various basic neuronal processes, in particular synaptic function, during hypoxia. This experimental technique may also provide clues to the increased cortical excitability, often observed in patients with severe hypoxic damage, and memory dysfunction during moderate energy depletion.