The Brain and the Nervous System

Quantitative MRI of the Brain

Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine at LiU

WCMM at LiU focuses on the medicine-technology interface, and build upon our existing strengths in research within medical technology, materials science and bioengineering.

N-forte trial

The aim of the N-forte trial is to explore how breast milk composition influences the development of NEC, sepsis and neurological impairment in extremely preterm infants in order to improve future treatments in this patient group.

Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience - CSAN

Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience (CSAN) integrates knowledge and methodology from different areas of basic and clinical neuroscience.

Selective vulnerability to neurodegeneration

Neurodegenerative diseases cause stereotypical signs based on the specific brain region that is targeted. We try to understand how unaffected regions resist disease with the hope that these secrets can be transferred to vulnerable brain regions.

Auditory neuroscience group

To study the function of these stereocilia, the research group has developed a new type of confocal microscope that makes it possible to directly observe sound-evoked motion.

Cornea Research

Our research team focuses on understanding the origins of blinding diseases of the cornea, evaluating new pharmacologic, surgical, and regenerative therapies to treat corneal disease.

Experiencing the Self through Touch

Through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) this project gathers information about the boundaries between the self and others and compares the outcome of the reactions of neurotypical volunteers with participants with a psychiatric disorder

Molecular physiology of voltage-gated ion channels

Voltage-gated ion channels are key players in all biological systems where they generate and modulate for instance the nervous impulse and pacemaker activity in the heart and the brain.

Imaging for Stereotactic Neurosurgery

This project works with MRI protocols for stereotactic neurosurgery and has developed a tool based on laser Doppler technique which can be used with the DBS probe to give more data on the surrounding tissue.

Effects of rTMS on alcohol use

Craving alcohol and an impaired ability to stop drinking despite adverse consequences are key features of alcohol addiction. This project aims to find a noninvasive brain stimulation method that can be used as treatment for addiction.

Diagnosis and rehabilitation for Whiplash Associated Disorders

Neurodegeneration

We perform clinical and experimental studies to investigate the role of autophagy in the development of peripheral neuropathy in conditions such as diabetes or physical trauma.

PAINOMICS® Research Group

The aim of the research at Painomics laboratory is to investigate mechanistic markers of nociception and severity of pain, in peripheral and central level in subjects with chronic pain conditions, using omics.

Statistical Analysis of NeuroImaging Data

fMRI is a noninvasive tool for studying brain activity. This project validates and improves existing statistical models for fMRI data. The results show that the statistical methods traditionally used can result in a high level of false positives.

Stopping the propagation of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s

Neurodegenerative disease like Alzheimer's and Parkinson’s are progressive disease that causes great suffering for the victims and relatives, in addition it cause large economic costs for society.

Center for Systems Neurobiology

Center for Systems Neurobiology is a strategic effort from Linköping University (LiU) and Region Östergötland aimed at strengthening research within the medical field.

Neuroengineering

A cross disciplinary research field combining engineering and neuroscience. The focus is set on deep brain stimulation (DBS), neuronavigation, optical measurement techniques, brain microcirculation, neuroimaging and neuromodelling.

Functional brain imaging

In our research group, we use combined fMRI-EEG and mathematical modelling in studies of brain function related to different mental states e.g., sleep, wakefulness, meditation, and pain.

Mechanistic modelling of brain function

By mathematical modelling, we can test different hypotheses explaining brain function. We apply systems biology approaches to describe the mechanisms behind the neurovascular coupling measured in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Forum Scientium Graduate School

Graduate school Forum Scientium, a bridge between medicine, natural sciences and engineering, stimulates creativity and a common use of ideas, knowledge, and equipment.

The award winner: “A window to the secret processes in the brain”

India Morrison, senior associate professor in cognitive neuroscience, has won the Onkel Adam Award for her outstanding research at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. One of her research areas is how touch and pain affect our behaviour.

The brain’s cannabinoid system protects against addiction

High levels of the body’s own cannabinoid substances protect against developing addiction in individuals previously exposed to childhood maltreatment, according to a new study from Linköping University.

Kajsa Igelström wants to study autism using VR

Many people with autism or ADHD find that sensory input and motor skills are problematical in their everyday life. Researcher Kajsa Igelström wants to understand why.

The brain cells needed for fever

Researchers at LiU have identified in mice the cells in the blood vessels of the brain that are necessary for a fever reaction. The results answer a long-standing question of which organs are involved in producing fever.

Neurodegeneration can be studied long before symptoms arise

In prion diseases, the brain gradually deteriorates. New research suggests that cellular changes can be studied extremely early in the disease process, which is important if we are to develop treatments.

New research throws doubt on old ideas of how hearing works

The way in which we experience music and speech differs from what has until now been believed. The new findings have been published in Science Advances, and may make it possible to design better cochlear implants.

How fear memories get stuck in some brains

Researchers at Linköping University have discovered a biological mechanism that increases the strength with which fear memories are stored in the brain. The study identifies shared mechanisms behind anxiety and alcohol dependence.

Bioengineered cornea can restore sight to the blind and visually impaired

LiU-researchers have developed an implant made of collagen protein from pig’s skin, which resembles the human cornea. In a pilot study, the implant restored vision to 20 people with diseased corneas.

A subtle genetic change gives new clues about epilepsy

Sometimes, even the alteration of a single nucleotide in a gene can cause serious disease. A recent study sheds light on the molecular biology behind some forms of genetic epilepsy.

Research into eye problems in post-COVID sufferers

Some people who have recovered from COVID-19 have experienced long-term problems with their eyes. But why? And can this phenomenon be measured using biological markers? These are questions that researchers will try to answer in a new project.

Mechanism behind compulsive alcohol use revealed

A small group of nerve cells in the brain determines whether an individual continues to consume alcohol even when it has negative consequences. The scientists have identified a mechanism that may be a suitable target for treatment by medication.

A drug from resin to combat epileptic seizures

New molecules, developed by researchers at Linköping University, have promising properties as possible drugs against epilepsy. A study published in the journal Epilepsia shows that several of the molecules have antiseizure effects.

Research results challenge a decades-old mechanism of how we hear sounds

Researchers have made several discoveries on the functioning mechanisms of the inner hair cells of the ear, which convert sounds into nerve signals. The results challenge the current picture of the hearing organ, which has prevailed for decades.

SEK 12 million for research into serious eye disease

Neil Lagali coordinates a research project that has received SEK 12.5 million from the European Joint Programme on Rare Diseases. The researchers will evaluate experimental treatments for a rare eye disease that affects sight directly from birth.

Immune cells are behind the depression experienced in inflammation

The findings from a new study on mice suggest that special immune cells found in the brain, microglial cells, contribute to the negative mood experienced during several neurological diseases, and maybe also depression.

Mathematical modelling brings brain insights

Can we see what is happening in the brain? Yes, we can in a sense, using imaging technology. But the processes in the brain remain to a large extent mysterious. Researchers are now using modelling to help understand these processes.

New mechanism affecting nerve impulses discovered

Researchers at LiU have discovered a new mechanism by which substances can open a certain type of ion channel and in this way regulate nerve impulses. The discovery, published in the journal PNAS, may help in the development of future drugs.

Håkan Olausson appointed Wallenberg Clinical Scholar

Håkan Olausson has been appointed as a Wallenberg Clinical Scholar by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. He receives SEK 15 million for his research into the clinical significance of a newly discovered ultrarapid pain-signalling system.

New method gives hope in understanding Alzheimer’s disease

Scientists are now able to label proteins in the brains of mice who have a disease similar to Alzheimer’s disease. The new method allows the researchers to observe how harmful protein aggregates develop over a longer time period.

Immune cells in the brain – a link between inflammation and depression

One in four people in Sweden will be affected at some time by a depression so serious that it requires treatment. Wouldn’t it be great if we could understand the brain circuits that determine the way we feel, and find new and better treatments?

Improved treatment for PTSD

People with post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, often also develop a dependency disorder. LiU researchers are seeking answers to how these conditions are related and how they best can be treated – both individually and when they arise together.