The Digital Twin in Neuroscience
Interdisciplinary Cluster Research Published in Frontiers Neuroscience
Adaptive Digital Twin. Copyright: Lucius Fekonja
The article explores the integration of digital twins in neuroscience with the philosophical concept of plasticity. The interdisciplinary publication, which involved neuroscientists, a neurosurgeon, and philosophers, among others, theorizes how digital twins can model both the adaptive and destructive aspects of neuroplasticity, as described, for example, by the philosopher Catherine Malabou. Based on the clinical scenario of brain tumor patients, the study shows how digital twins can illustrate the complex relationships between the plastic dynamics and function of brain networks. Furthermore, the authors, including Cluster Members Lucius Fekonja, Rosario Tomasello, Samo Tomšič, and Thomas Picht, discuss how Malabou's thinking can form a more holistic understanding of the brain's response to injury and pathology through digital twins. By discussing methods of technical modeling with philosophical concepts, the authors aimed to develop a theoretical framework that bridges philosophical theorizing, neuroscience, and clinical practice, highlighting the potential of multidisciplinarity in relation to digital twins and personalized medicine.
The 'Hypothesis and Theory' article was published in Frontiers Neuroscience: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2024.1454856/full