Better knowledge of how the brain handles waste and transports fluid may prove crucial for understanding diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and stroke. By working side by side, mathematicians and neuroscientists hope to uncover mechanisms that have so far remained hidden.
Significance for Future Medicine
Better knowledge of how the brain handles waste and transports fluid may prove crucial for understanding diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and stroke. By working side by side, mathematicians and neuroscientists hope to uncover mechanisms that have so far remained hidden.
The project, "Mathematical Challenges in Brain Mechanics", also provides an important foundation for developing new diagnostic tools and treatment strategies. Mathematical models allow researchers to test hypotheses that would otherwise be impossible to study directly in the lab or in patients. In the long run, these insights may lead to earlier detection and more effective treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
“It is fascinating that even very basic processes, such as how the brain clears waste products, are still poorly understood,” said Professor Kent-Andre Mardal. Mardal is also affiliated with the K.G. Jebsen Centre for Brain Fluid Research, where he contributes his expertise in mathematical modeling to interdisciplinary projects.
“As a mathematician, I can hardly imagine anything more exciting or complex to study than the human brain,” says Professor Mardal.
From Sleep Disorders to Advanced Methods of Mathematical Modeling
From 20–22 August, the Opening Conference for Mathematical Challenges in Brain Mechanics was held at CAS in Oslo. The conference marked the start of the project, led by mathematicians Kent-Andre Mardal and Jan Martin Nordbotten. Here, mathematicians and scientists from a wide range of disciplines gathered to discuss how advanced mathematical methods can be applied to model the brain’s fluid system.
Over three days, the program brought together leading experts from institutions across the globe. The lectures ranged from clinical topics such as sleep disorders to highly technical advances in mathematical modeling. Among the speakers was professor Per Kristian Eide, head of the K. G. Jebsen Centre for Brain Fluid Research.