The Neuromodulation Research Training Group (RTG) comprises different research projects on Neuromodulation of Motor and Cognitive Function in Brain Health and disease. Non-invasive neuromodulation has gained increasing attention to promote recovery of function after damage to the central nervous system. Although promising, neuromodulatory approaches are faced with several challenges including large interindividual variability in treatment success and insufficient knowledge on the neural mechanisms that co-occur with improvement of function. Aim of the RTG is to provide a transdisciplinary research environment that drives innovation in neuromodulation to pave the way towards patient tailored interventions in rehabilitation of neurological disorders. 

The effectiveness and understanding of neural mechanisms of neuromodulation will be advanced in three domains: i) electric/ magnetic modulation, ii) pharmacological modulation, and iii) neurofeedback. Research will focus on modulation of motor function and interference control, which are both relevant for stroke and Parkinson’s disease. 

To capture and comprehensively describe treatment outcome of neuromodulatory interventions, students will have access to state of the art neuroimaging facilities. They will learn to assess behavioral and neural readouts derived from functional magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalography. In addition, the research will integrate new developments in biomedical engineering such as mobile brain imaging or experience sampling as promising outcome measures of neuromodulation in daily life. Clinical translation will be fostered through collaboration with rehabilitation centers. 

PIs contributing to this RTG have an excellent, complementary research profile covering neuromodulation, neuroimaging, neuropsychology, biomedical engineering, and health systems research. The RTG therefore builds upon and broadens the existing excellence in neurosensory science and health systems research at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of Oldenburg with the aim to advance neuromodulation and rehabilitation research and education.

The following diagram shows how the current research projects of the RTG Neuromodulation can be asigned to the areas of "Neuronal mechanisms of neuromodulation" and "Outcomes of neuromodulation in daily life".

As part of the Research Training Group (RTG) Neuromodulation, various research projects are being carried out , each with several studies on the topic of neuromodulation of motor and cognitive functions in the healthy and diseased brain. Non-invasive neuromodulation is a collective term for methods in which the activity of the brain is changed without interfering with the body in order to support the recovery of brain functions.

Despite promising results, there are a number of challenges. Firstly, there are differences in how well individual people respond to neuromodulation procedures. In addition, the exact processes in the brain that contribute to recovery are not yet sufficiently understood. The RTG aims to create an environment in which researchers from different disciplines can work together to further develop neuromodulation and pave the way for patient-centred rehabilitation.

The effectiveness and mechanisms of neuromodulatory procedures are being investigated in three areas:
a) electrical/magnetic modulation
b) neurochemical modulation
c) neurofeedback

Access to modern imaging methods enables researchers to comprehensively investigate the effects of neuromodulatory intervention using neuronal measures from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI ) and electroencephalography (EEG).

In order to record the effects of neuromodulation in everyday life, the research programme will also incorporate new developments in biomedical technology, such as mobile measurement of brain activity and methods of "experience sampling". The co-operation with rehabilitation clinics will promote the implementation of the research results in practice.

The participating scientists have outstanding, complementary research profiles in the fields of neuromodulation, functional imaging, neuropsychology, biomedical engineering and healthcare research. The RTG thus builds on the existing excellence of the University of Oldenburg in neurosensory and healthcare research and uses this to advance neuromodulatory procedures and make them usable for rehabilitation.

The following figure shows how the current research projects within the GRK Neuromodulation are divided between the areas of "Neuronal mechanisms of neuromodulation" and "Results of neuromodulation in daily life":