Restoring the disconnected connectome: neuromodulation and engineering strategies for cognitive recovery in neurodegeneration

Neurodegenerative disorders are increasingly understood as disorders of large-scale brain network disconnection rather than isolated regional damage. Structural and functional uncoupling within the connectome can give rise to selective cognitive deficits, such as impaired face recognition in frontotemporal dementia. Advances in computational neuroscience, particularly Network Control Theory (NCT), provide a powerful framework to model these disrupted networks and characterize how information flow breaks down. At the same time, emerging neuromodulation techniques, including transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), offer promising avenues to externally influence brain dynamics and potentially restore lost connectivity. This line of research is highly relevant, as it advances a mechanistic understanding of network dysfunction and paves the way for precision neuromodulation strategies. In the long term, these insights may have a significant impact on healthcare by enabling targeted, non-invasive interventions for cognitive rehabilitation in aging populations.This Research Topic aims to bridge neuroscience, computational modeling, and neuroengineering to advance our understanding of connectome disconnection and its restoration. Specifically, it seeks to identify mechanistic principles underlying network dysfunction in neurodegeneration and to explore how targeted interventions, guided by theoretical frameworks such as NCT, can re-establish functional communication across brain networks and support cognitive recovery. The collection addresses both short-term methodological advances and long-term therapeutic development.We welcome contributions spanning experimental, theoretical, and translational approaches. Specific themes include, but are not limited to:• Studies characterizing structural and functional connectome alterations in neurodegenerative diseases.• Applications of Network Control Theory (NCT) and related computational models to diseased brain networks.• Identification of key network nodes (“driver nodes”) for therapeutic intervention.• Development and validation of neuromodulation strategies (e.g., tACS, TMS, deep Brain stimulation (DBS)) to restore network synchronization.• Neuroengineering approaches, including brain-computer interfaces and neurorobotics, for cognitive rehabilitation.• Multimodal imaging and electrophysiological studies linking network dynamics to behavior• Clinical and preclinical studies evaluating the efficacy of network-guided interventionsThis Topic encourages interdisciplinary contributions that integrate theory, modeling, and empirical validation to advance precision neuromodulation strategies for restoring the disconnected connectome. Topic editors: Anastasia Bougea, Theodoros Koutsomitros Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80187/restoring-the-disconnected-connectome-neuromodulation-and-engineering-strategies-for-cognitive-recovery-in-neurodegeneration