My Research Group uses translational MR imaging in combination with phenotypic descriptions of human behavior and experience to understand how cortical microstructure links to human brain function in health and disease. We have a focus on the sensorimotor cortex and associated networks given their pivotal importance for a number of brain disorders, such as stroke, MS, ALS, somatoform disorders, and pain disorders, as well as human aging. We study healthy younger and older adults, people with neurodegenerative and neurological diseases and people with mental disorders to understand the neuronal mechanisms that underlie healthy and pathological cortex architectures and their modification. We also seek tight collaborations with animal laboratories to understand the neuronal mechanisms that underlie phenotypic changes in MRI contrasts.
List of publications
List of publications
overview research topics
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+++ IN THE NEWS +++ Study finds touch-processing brain layers can strengthen as we get older (Listen to the CogniFit Podcast via Spotify)
So schützen Sie das Gehirn vor dem Alterungsprozess (read the WELT article here) Part of your brain gets bigger as you get older - here is what that means for you (read the The Conversation article here) Großhirnrinde altert langsamer als gedacht - und steuert dem Altern entgegen (read MDR Wissen article here) Was haben ein Baum und unser Gehirn gemeinsam? (watch the Youtube video here posted by Uniklinik Tübingen) Körpergedächtnis - Wie beeinflussen körperliche Erfahrungen unser Denken und Handeln? (listen to the Podcast via Spotify, Apple Podcast, or the Kortizes homepage) In Touch mit unseren Gefühlen - Körperpsychotherapie (Listen to Podcast via Spotify, Apple Podcast, deezer) Deutschlandfunk Nova: Körpergedächtnis - Negative Gefühle mit positiven bekämpfen
MADAME: Der Körper vergisst nichts Deutschlandfunk Nova: Wie wir weniger grübeln Volksstimme: Wie Körper und Geist zusammen hängen 2021 - ein historisches Jahr für die deutsche Forschung (Blog) Wenn sich das Gehirn selbst zerstört (Blog) Warum Altern glücklich macht (Blog) Eingebrannt ins Gehirn (Blog) Die Gene sind nicht alles - Was wir gegen Alzheimer tun können (Blog) In-Mind: Das Gehirn kann nicht abschalten - Was tun? In-Mind: Posteingang(10.098) - Lesen Sie die Signale, die Ihr Körper Ihnen sendet? 
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CLINICL APPLICATION
Multi-modal layer modeling reveals in vivo pathology in ALS
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressing neurodegenerative disease characterised by the loss of motor control. Detailed knowledge on the microstructural cortical profile of early disease stages, however, is missing. We used 7T-MRI to compute layer-specific in vivo pathology maps of the primary motor cortex (MI) in early disease stages of ALS-patients with reference to age-, gender-, handedness- and education-matched controls. The data uncover a layer-specific profile of ALS pathology in MI that matches the clinical profile of the patients. Early markers predict later disease progression, and there is a particular vulnerability of low-myelin borders in MI for early substance accumulation and later demyelination that characterizes advanced stages of ALS. We also show a specific cortical profile of patients where the disorder progresses slower. Our data shows that layer-specific markers of in vivo pathology can be identified in ALS-patients with a single 7T-MRI measurement after first diagnosis, which emphasizes the importance of 7T MRI as a clinical tool in neurology (Northall et al. 2024 Brain [link]).
Multi-modal layer modeling reveals in vivo pathology in ALS
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressing neurodegenerative disease characterised by the loss of motor control. Detailed knowledge on the microstructural cortical profile of early disease stages, however, is missing. We used 7T-MRI to compute layer-specific in vivo pathology maps of the primary motor cortex (MI) in early disease stages of ALS-patients with reference to age-, gender-, handedness- and education-matched controls. The data uncover a layer-specific profile of ALS pathology in MI that matches the clinical profile of the patients. Early markers predict later disease progression, and there is a particular vulnerability of low-myelin borders in MI for early substance accumulation and later demyelination that characterizes advanced stages of ALS. We also show a specific cortical profile of patients where the disorder progresses slower. Our data shows that layer-specific markers of in vivo pathology can be identified in ALS-patients with a single 7T-MRI measurement after first diagnosis, which emphasizes the importance of 7T MRI as a clinical tool in neurology (Northall et al. 2024 Brain [link]).
Created in https://BioRender.com
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KEY-FINDING
Non-afferent topographic maps in human SI
The human primary somatosensory cortex (SI) area 3b has long been believed to code self-perceived (afferent) touch only. In a series of studies, I show using 7 Tesla fMRI that feeling touches on the hand and observing touches at another person's hand activates overlapping finger maps in area 3b (Kuehn et al. J Neurosci [link]), and inhibitory receptive field interactions during their co-activation (Kuehn et al. 2014 [link]). Topographic maps in area 3b can therefore also be precisely triggered from non-afferent sources. This research is now followed up by my ERC Starting Grant "Body Memory".
Non-afferent topographic maps in human SI
The human primary somatosensory cortex (SI) area 3b has long been believed to code self-perceived (afferent) touch only. In a series of studies, I show using 7 Tesla fMRI that feeling touches on the hand and observing touches at another person's hand activates overlapping finger maps in area 3b (Kuehn et al. J Neurosci [link]), and inhibitory receptive field interactions during their co-activation (Kuehn et al. 2014 [link]). Topographic maps in area 3b can therefore also be precisely triggered from non-afferent sources. This research is now followed up by my ERC Starting Grant "Body Memory".
Created in https://BioRender.com
