About this Research Topic

Background

Presurgical mapping using neuroimaging techniques implies a non-invasive way to localize eloquent areas. They are ultimately corroborated by invasive gold standard techniques, such as direct cortical electrostimulation (DES). However, the concordance between task-based neuroimaging and this causal technique is not optimal. This discrepancy most likely depends on task selection. Brain resting-state measures have been proposed as an alternative. However, this approach is highly unspecific and does not solve the discrepancy with DES. On the other hand, language has been pervasively addressed in comparison to other crucial cognitive functions.

With neuroimaging clinical paradigms deriving mainly from medical teams, there is a gap between what is known in cognitive neuroscience and what is applied in clinical settings. A bridge between these two fields of knowledge can contribute to more robust paradigms, with higher sensitivity at the single case level. It would also increase focality and neurofunctional specificity in the chosen paradigms.

We aim to join efforts to achieve a functionally comprehensive and optimal association between brain lesion location, functions understudy, and optimal to-be-used tasks. The current Research Topic involves a call for studies in which advances in neuroimaging paradigms have been successfully applied in presurgical mapping. Ideally, the Research Topic outcome should be a critical, detailed, and scientifically founded compilation of such advances, matching lesion location and optimized paradigms.
Works should focus on the selection of contrasted, sensitive paradigms that dissect the function under study. It could also imply a combination of several paradigms addressing complex cognitive functions, according to tumor or epilepsy focus location. While we target studies that involve patients, works from cognitive neuroscience demonstrating paradigms sensitive at the single case level will also be welcome.

Research contributions should address most of the following:
(1) The chosen paradigms should come from a close look to the state-of-the-art for the function(s) in which the brain areas under study are involved.
(2) They should have been extensively replicated at the group level in previous literature or be based on normative data.
(3) The authors should prove the efficacy of such implementation by illustrating several cases. Hence, we search for sensitivity at the single case level, with replication.
(4) They might be able to demonstrate how brain reorganization has occurred because they unequivocally measure the function for which they are designed. Hence, eventual inter-patient variability should be understandable through reorganization processes.
(5) A combination of techniques, when available, might provide convergent validity of the paradigms.
(6) Ideally, the paradigms should show further convergence with the DES technique, and hence should be translatable for their application to the surgical context.
(7) Paradigms without testing patients but with demonstrated specificity and robustness at the single case level will also be considered.

Keywords: Neuroimaging, Neuroimaging; Presurgical mapping, Direct Cortical Electroestimulation (DES), Neurosurgery, Human cognition

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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