Consortium on Clinical Applications of Neurophysiology of the Thalamus (CoCANoT)

The thalamus, the brain’s central hub, dynamically modulates cortical communication, yet data-driven approaches to thalamic neuromodulation remain underdeveloped, relying heavily on preclinical models rather than human electrophysiology.

The Consortium on Clinical Applications of Neurophysiology of the Thalamus (CoCANoT) addresses this gap by uniting clinicians and researchers to advance neuromodulation for epilepsy, tremor, dystonia, Tourette’s, and disorders of consciousness. By integrating thalamic electrophysiology across scales—from microrecordings to SEEG, scalp EEG, and long-term ambulatory data, including via stimulation and evoked responses—the CoCANoT will optimize stimulation strategies, refine targets, and deepen insights into thalamic circuits in sleep, seizures, mood, movement, vigilance, and cognition. This collaborative effort will accelerate clinical translation, driving innovation in neuromodulation and transforming patient care. Specifically, this consortium will cross-pollinate expertise across mutually beneficial fields to: a) Identify electrophysiological biomarkers to optimize stimulation and refine thalamic target selection. b) Deep phenotype thalamic circuits to understand their roles in sleep, seizures, mood, movement, vigilance, and cognition.

Contact: Sandipan Pati, MD