The group’s research mission is to use neuroimaging & neurophysiology in human participants to develop individual-level markers of cognition which are measures of meaningful neural processes. Our ultimate research goal is mechanistically understanding, diagnosing and monitoring neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease and Frontotemporal Degeneration in a non-invasive way.

Members

  • Rose Bruffaerts, MD, PhD, combined a specialization in neurology with a PhD at KU Leuven. As a postdoc, she gained international experience in neuroimaging and neurophysiology at the University of Cambridge (UK) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US.
  • Stéphanie De Keulenaer, PhD researcher – PhD project “Neurophysiological Markers of Cognition in Healthy Ageing & Neurodegeneration”
  • Mathias Huybrechts: PhD researcher (co-supervised with Daniele Marinazzo) – PhD project “The development of robust multivariate neural fingerprints of human cognition” supported by a Collen-Francqui Start Up Grant.
  • Rosie Coppieters: PhD researcher (co-supervised with Rosa Rademakers) – PhD project “The genetic and functional underpinnings of speech and language in Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD)”
  • M. Yuan: PhD researcher (co-supervised with P. Claes & H. Peeters, host institution: KU Leuven) KU Leuven who's who - Meng Yuan PhD Project: “Deep 3D phenotyping for complex morphological shapes in imaging genetics” 
  • Charissa Calemi: PhD researcher (co-supervised with Tommas Ellender (+link)) – PhD project “Elucidating common neural pathways and mechanisms in rodent models and humans underlying early clinical phenotypes of neurodegeneration”
  • Didde Konings: master thesis Master in Neuroscience (UAntwerpen)
  • Shari Mukobo Pandu: master thesis Master in Neuroscience (UAntwerpen)
  • Pauline Van Dyck: master thesis Master Biomedical Sciences (UHasselt) in collaboration with Isabelle Le Ber
  • Stijn Huylebroeck: bachelor thesis Physics in collaboration with Jan Sijbers
  • Inas Yachou : bachelor thesis Biomedical Sciences (UAntwerpen)
  • Hiba Kandil : bachelor thesis Biomedical Sciences (UAntwerpen)
  • Busher Mnayer : bachelor thesis Biomedical Sciences (UAntwerpen)
  • Cailey Van Aken : bachelor thesis Biomedical Sciences (UAntwerpen)

Selected recent publications

​Diagnostic Utility of Electrophysiological Markers for Early and Differential Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, Frontotemporal, and Lewy Body Dementias: A Systematic Review​

Diagnostic Utility of Electrophysiological Markers for Early and Differential Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, Frontotemporal, and Lewy Body Dementias: A Systematic Review

Stéphanie De Keulenaer, Sara Van Mossevelde, Tobi Van den Bossche, David Crosiers, Patrick Cras, Tommas Ellender, Rose Bruffaerts

medRxiv preprint: doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.09.20.24314042

A Systematic Review of the Quantitative markers of speech and language of the Frontotemporal Degeneration Spectrum and their potential for cross-linguistic implementation

A Systematic Review of the Quantitative markers of speech and language of the Frontotemporal Degeneration Spectrum and their potential for cross-linguistic

Rosie Coppieters,  Arabella Bouzigues,  Lize Jiskoot,  Maxime Montembeault, Boon Lead Tee, Genetic Frontotemporal dementia Initiative (GENFI), Jonathan D. Rohrer, Rose Bruffaerts 

Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, Volume 167, December 2024, 105909,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105909

Hierarchical spectral clustering reveals brain size and shape changes in asymptomatic carriers of C9orf72

Hierarchical spectral clustering reveals brain size and shape changes in asymptomatic carriers of C9orf72​

Bruffaerts Rose

Brain Communications (2022) 4 :4 (2022) , p. 1-16, Full text (Publisher's DOI): https://doi.org/10.1093/BRAINCOMMS/FCAC182




Left Frontal White Matter Links to Rhythm Processing Relevant to Speech Production in Apraxia of Speech

Left Frontal White Matter Links to Rhythm Processing Relevant to Speech Production in Apraxia of Speech

Bruffaerts Rose

Neurobiology of Language (2022) 3 (4): 515–537. Full text (DOI uitgever): https://doi.org/10.1162/nol_a_00075

Machine learning in neurology : what neurologists can learn from machines and vice versa

Machine learning in neurology : what neurologists can learn from machines and vice versa

Bruffaerts Rose

Journal of neurology - ISSN 0340-5354 - 265:11(2018), p. 2745-2748 Full text (DOI uitgever): https://doi.org/10.1007/S00415-018-8990-9

Redefining the resolution of semantic knowledge in the brain : advances made by the introduction of models of semantics in neuroimaging

Redefining the resolution of semantic knowledge in the brain : advances made by the introduction of models of semantics in neuroimaging

Bruffaerts Rose, De Deyne Simon, Meersmans Karen, Liuzzi Antonietta Gabriella, Storms Gert, Vandenberghe Rik

Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews - ISSN 0149-7634 - Oxford, Pergamon-elsevier science ltd, 103(2019), p. 3-13Full text (DOI uitgever): https://doi.org/10.1016/J.NEUBIOREV.2019.05.015

Perceptual and conceptual processing of visual objects across the adult lifespan

Perceptual and conceptual processing of visual objects across the adult lifespan

Bruffaerts Rose, Tyler Lorraine K., Shafto Meredith, Tsvetanov Kamen A., Clarke Alex, Brayne Carol, Bullmore Edward T., Calder Andrew C., Cusack Rhodri, Dalgleish Tim, Duncan John, Henson Richard N., Matthews Fiona E., Marslen-Wilson William D., Rowe James B., Campbell Karen, Cheung Teresa, Davis Simon, Geerligs Linda, Kievit Rogier, ...

Scientific reports - ISSN 2045-2322 - 9(2019), 13771Full text (DOI uitgever): https://doi.org/10.1038/S41598-019-50254-5

Multivariate analysis reveals anatomical correlates of naming errors in primary progressive aphasia

Multivariate analysis reveals anatomical correlates of naming errors in primary progressive aphasia

Bruffaerts Rose, Schaeverbeke Jolien, De Weer An-Sofie, Nelissen Natalie, Dries Eva, Van Bouwel Karen, Sieben Anne, Bergmans Bruno, Swinnen Charlotte, Pijnenburg Yolande, Sunaert Stefan, Vandenbulcke Mathieu, Vandenberghe Rik

Neurobiology of aging - ISSN 0197-4580 - 88(2020), p. 71-82Full text (DOI uitgever): https://doi.org/10.1016/J.NEUROBIOLAGING.2019.12.016

Alumni

  • 2023-24: Arne Vangilbergen: master thesis Master in Neuroscience (UAntwerpen)
  • 2023-24: Andrea Estevez Velez: master thesis Master in Neuroscience (UAntwerpen)
  • 2023-24: Halima Ahmindach: bachelor thesis Biomedical Sciences (UAntwerpen)
  • 2023-24: Inssaf Arrahmouni: bachelor thesis Biomedical Sciences (UAntwerpen)
  • 2022-23: Kaat Colman: master thesis (master student Biomedical Sciences UAntwerpen with stay at Università degli Studi di Milano Statale, cosupervised with Marijne Vandebergh & Daniela Galimberti)
  • 2022-23: Marte Van der Steen: master thesis (master student Biomedical Sciences UAntwerpen with stay at UHasselt, cosupervised with Koen Cuypers)
  • 2022-23: Ester Alos Ordiales: internship (European Master's in Clinical Linguistics)
  • 2021-22: Femke Pinxten: master thesis (master student Biomedical Sciences UAntwerpen)
  • 2021-22: Yente Benoy: bachelor thesis (bachelor student Biomedical Sciences UAntwerpen)
  • 2021-22: Rune Frateur: master thesis (Master student Biomedical Engineering KU Leuven, cosupervised with Peter Claes)
  • 2020-22: Hanne Van den Wijngaert: master thesis (Master student speech and language pathology KU Leuven, cosupervised with Maaike Vandermosten)
  • 2020-22: Caroline Hamal: master thesis (Master student speech and language pathology KU Leuven, cosupervised with Maaike Vandermosten)
  • 2020-21: K. Duflou: research internship (Master student psychology KU Leuven)
  • 2019-20: A. Barcenas Gallardo: master thesis (Master student Biomedical Engineering KU Leuven)