Computational brain connectivity mapping: A core health and scientific challenge

- Although exceptional progress have been obtained for exploring the brain during the past decades, it is still terra-incognita and calls for specific efforts in research to better understand its architecture and functioning.
- Combining dMRI, MEG and EEG imaging modalities has the potential to push far forward the state-of-the-art in both structural and functional brain connectivity.
- Capitalizing on the strengths of dMRI, MEG and EEG and building on the bio-physical and mathematical foundations of our models will bring a re-markable and significant added clinical value to identify and characterize brain connectivity and positively impact brain diseases.
- In that spirit, this article summarizes some challenges and target areas for the upcoming years and the rationale behind them.

One third of the burden of all the diseases in Europe is due to problems caused by diseases affecting brain. Although exceptional progress have been obtained for exploring the brain during the past decades, it is still terra-incognita and calls for specific efforts in research to better understand its architecture and functioning. To take up this great challenge of modern science and to solve the limited view of the brain provided just by one imaging modality, this article advocates the idea developed in my research group of a global approach involving new generation of models for brain connectivity mapping and strong interactions between structural and functional connectivities. Capitalizing on the strengths of integrated and complementary non invasive imaging modalities such as diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging (dMRI) and Electro & Magneto-Encephalography (EEG & MEG) will contribute to achieve new frontiers for identifying and characterizing structural and functional brain connectivities and to provide a detailed mapping of the brain connectivity, both in space and time. Thus leading to an added clinical value for high impact diseases with new perspectives in computational neuro-imaging and cognitive neuroscience.

Although exceptional progress have been obtained for exploring the brain during the past decades, it is still terra-incognita and calls for specific efforts in research to better understand its architecture and functioning. In this article, we introduce, discuss and present some important challenges based on advanced dMRI, MEG and EEG for identifying and characterizing structural and functional brain connectivity.328