boris [at] bic

about

me

contact

articles in peer reviewed journals

1. B.C. Bernhardt, Z. Chen, Y. He, A.C. Evans, N. Bernasconi (2011) Graph-theoretical analysis reveals disrupted small-world organization of cortical thickness correlation networks in temporal lobe epilepsy. Cerebral Cortex, in press
2. A. Bernasconi, N. Bernasconi, B.C. Bernhardt, D. Schrader (2011) Advances in imaging for 'cryptogenic' epilepsies. Nature Reviews Neurology, in press.
3. N.L. Voets*, B.C. Bernhardt*, H. Kim, U. Yoon, N. Bernasconi (2011) Increased temporo-limbic cortical folding complexity in temporal lobe epilepsy. Neurology, in press *joint first co-authorship. [pubmed]
4. N. Bernasconi and B.C. Bernhardt (2010) Temporal lobe epilepsy is a progressive disorder. Nature Reviews Neurology, 6(3). [pubmed]
5. B.C. Bernhardt, N. Bernasconi, L. Concha, A. Bernasconi (2010) Cortical thickness analysis in temporal lobe epilepsy: reproducibility and relation to outcome. Neurology, 74(22):1776-84 [pubmed]
6. B.C. Bernhardt, D.A. Rozen, K.J. Worsley, A.C. Evans, N. Bernasconi, A. Bernasconi (2009) Thalamo-cortical network pathology in idiopathic generalized epilepsy: insights from MRI-based morphometric correlation analysis. NeuroImage, 46(2):373-81. [pubmed]
7. B.C. Bernhardt, K.J. Worsley, H.Kim, A.C. Evans, A. Bernasconi,N. Bernasconi (2009) Longitudinal and cross-sectional analysis of atrophy in pharmacoresistant temporal lobe epilepsy. Neurology, 72(20): 1747-54. [pubmed]
8. B.C. Bernhardt, K.J. Worsley, P. Besson, L. Concha, J.P. Lerch, A.C. Evans, N. Bernasconi (2008) Mapping limbic network organization in temporal lobe epilepsy using morphometric correlations: insights on the relation between mesiotemporal connectivity and cortical atrophy. Neuroimage, 42(2):515-24. [pubmed]
9. H. Kim, N. Bernasconi, B.C. Bernhardt, O. Colliot and A. Bernasconi (2008) Temporal lobe epilepsy is associated with a single-branch collateral sulcus. Neurology, 70(22 Pt 2):2159-65. [pubmed]

abstracts and conference presentations

1. B.C. Bernhardt, S.J. Hong, H. Kim, A. Bernasconi, N. Bernasconi (submitted) Diffusion abnormalities of fiber tracts underlying cortical regions in temporal lobe epilepsy.
2. B.C. Bernhardt, S.J. Hong, Z. Chen, Y. He, A. Evans, N. Bernasconi (submitted) Graph-theoretical analysis of cortical thickness correlations in temporal lobe epilepsy.
3. D. Riviere, B.C. Bernhardt, H. Kim, S.J. Hong, M. Perrot, J.F. Mangin, J. Regis, N. Bernasconi, A. Bernasconi (submitted) Diffuse sulcal anomalies associated with focal epileptogenic mlformations of cortical development.
4. B.C. Bernhardt, N. Bernasconi (2010) MRI-based cortical thickness analysis in temporal lobe epilepsy: reproducibility and relation to surgical outcome. 64th Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society, San Antonio, TX, USA.
5. H. Kim, B.C. Bernhardt, J. Natsume, N. Bernasconi (2010) Mapping thalamic pathology in idiopathic generalized epilepsy and temporal lobe epilepsy 64th Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society, San Antonio, TX, USA.
6. D.S. Schrader, B.C. Bernhardt, A. Bernasconi (2010) MRI-based cortical thick- ness in malformations of cortical development. Proceedings of the 16th Annual Meeting of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping, Barcelona, Spain.
7. B.C. Bernhardt, A. Bernasconi, Z. Chen, Y. He, A.C. Evans, N. Bernasconi (2010) Disrupted small-world organization of structural cortical networks in temporal lobe epilepsy. Proceedings of the 16th Annual Meeting of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping, Barcelona, Spain.
8. B.C. Bernhardt, N. Bernasconi, L.Concha, A. Bernasconi (2010) MRI-based cortical thickness analysis in temporal lobe epilepsy: relationship to surgical outcome. Proceedings of the 16th Annual Meeting of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping, Barcelona, Spain.
9. B.C. Bernhardt, A. Bernasconi, L.Concha, N. Bernasconi (2010) Trajectories of cortical pathology in temporal lobe epilepsy: A longitudinal MRI study. Proceedings of the 16th Annual Meeting of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping, Barcelona, Spain.
10. L. Concha, H. Kim, B.C. Bernhardt, N. Bernasconi (2009) Spatial localization of diffusion abnormalities along DTI tracts in temporal lobe epilepsy. MICCAI Workshop, London.
11. L. Concha, H. Kim, B.C. Bernhardt, N. Bernasconi (2009) Distance based analysis of DTI Tractography: Evidence for Focal Pathology in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy. 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society, Boston, MA, USA.
12. B.C. Bernhardt, H. Kim, J. Natsume, A. Bernasconi (2009) Mapping thalamic nuclear pathology in temporal lobe epilepsy. 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society, Boston, MA, USA.
13. A. Bernasconi, B.C. Bernhardt, H. Kim, J. Natsume, N. Bernasconi (2009) Idiopathic generalized epilepsy is associated with atrophy in pulvinar and somatomotor thalamic nuclei. 28th International Epilepsy Congress, Budapest, Hungary, June 2009.
14. T. Mansi, S. Durrleman, B.C. Bernhardt, M. Sermesant, H. Delingette, I. Voigt, P. Luz, A.M. Taylor, J. Blanc, Y. Boudjemline, X. Pennec, N. Ayache (2009) A statistical model of right ventricle in Tetralogy of Fallot for prediction of remodelling and therapy planning. MICCAI, London.
15. K.J. Worsley, J.E. Taylor, F. Carbonell, M.K. Chung, E. Duerden, B. Bernhardt, O. Lyttelton, M. Boucher, A.C. Evans (2009) SurfStat: A Matlab toolbox for the statistical analysis of univariate and multivariate surface and volumetric data using linear mixed effects models and random field theory. Proceedings of the 15th Annual Meeting of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping, San Francisco, California, June 2009.
16. B.C .Bernhardt, H. Kim, J. Natsume, N. Bernasconi, A. Bernasconi (2009) Temporal lobe epilepsy is associated with atrophy of limbic thalamic nuclei. Proceedings of the 15th Annual Meeting of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping, San Francisco, California, June 2009.
17. B.C. Bernhardt, K.J. Worsley, A.C. Evans, A. Bernasconi (2009) Cortical atrophy in temporal lobe epilepsy: distinguishing aging from disease progression. Proceedings of the 15th Annual Meeting of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping, San Francisco, California, June 2009.
18. B.C. Bernhardt, K.J. Worsley, A. Bernasconi, N. Bernasconi (2008) Temporal lobe epilepsy is associated with progressive neocortical thinning: A longitudinal study. 62nd Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society, Seattle, WA, USA.
19. A. Bernasconi, B.C. Bernhardt (2008) Mapping thalamo-cortical connectivity in idiopathic generalized epilepsy using morphometric correlations. 62nd Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society, Seattle, WA, USA.
20. N. Bernasconi, B.C. Bernhardt (2008) Mapping cortical thickness in temporal lobe epilepsy: Similar findings in patients with and without hippocampal atrophy. 62nd Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society, Seattle, WA, USA.
21. B.C. Bernhardt, J. Lerch, A.C. Evans, N. Bernasconi, A.Bernasconi (2008) Mapping of entorhinal cortex connectivity in temporal lobe epilepsy. Proceedings of the 14th Annual Meeting of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping, Melbourne, Australia, June 2008.
22. B.C. Bernhardt, H. Kim, U. Yoon, N. Bernasconi, A. Bernasconi (2008) TLE is associated with reduced folding of the temporal neocortex. Proceedings of the ISMRM 16th scientific meeting and exibition, Toronto, Canada, May 2008.
23. B.C. Bernhardt, D. Rozen, L. Horwood, A. Bernasconi (2008) Thalamocortical atrophy in patients with primary generalized tonic and clonic seizures. Proceedings of the ISMRM 16th scientific meeting and exibition, Toronto, Canada, May 2008.
24. H. Kim, M. Niethammer, B. C. Bernhardt, S. Bouix, N. Bernasconi, and A. Bernasconi (2008) SPHARM detects hippocampal subfield pathology in temporal lobe epilepsy. Proceedings of the ISMRM 16th scientific meeting and exibition, Toronto, Canada, May 2008.
25. B.C. Bernhardt, S. Onat, S.K. Nagel,H. Frey, P. Koenig (2007) The neural processing of natural stereoscopic images. An EEG study. Proceedings of the 7th Meeting of the German Neuroscience Society / 31th Goettingen Neurobiology Conference 2007, Eds: K. Hoffman and K. Krieglstein, TS12-3B. Neuroforum 2007, Goettingen, Germany, February 2007.
26. P. Koenig, A. Acik, B.C. Bernhardt, C. Carl, T. Dierkes, I. Dombrowe, S. Gelesz, C. Honey, L. Jansen, C. Kabisch, T. Kringe, L. Kurzen, C. Loerken, R. Maertin, S. Nagel, H. Saal, M. Stefaner, C. Stoeszel, V. Willenbockel (2005) feelSpace - The Sixth Sense. Poster & Demo at ASSC9, Association for the scientific study of consciousness, 9th annual meeting, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, June 24 - June 27, 2005.
27. P. Koenig, A. Acik, B.C. Bernhardt, C. Carl, T. Dierkes, I. Dombrowe, S. Gelesz, C. Honey, L. Jansen, C. Kabisch, T. Kringe, L. Kurzen, C. Loerken, R. Maertin, S. Nagel, H. Saal, M. Stefaner, C. Stoeszel, V. Willenbockel (2005) feelSpace - Report of a Study Group. Proceedings of the 6th Meeting of the German Neuroscience Society / 30th Goettingen Neurobiology Conference 2005, Eds: H. Zimmermann and K. Krieglstein, 1 Suppl.: 434B. Neuroforum 2005, Goettingen, Germany, February 2005.

teaching

• 2009. TA for the graduate level course 'Imaging of the Healthy and Diseased Human Brain'
  at McGill Unversity for Profs. Andrea and Neda Bernasconi.
• 2006. TA for the B.Sc. level courses 'Action and Cognition' 2
  at the University of Osnabrueck for Prof. Peter Koenig.
• 2005. TA for the M.Sc. level course 'EEG of visual processing'
  at the University of Osnabrueck for Prof. Peter Koenig.
• 2004. TA for the B.Sc. level courses 'Action and Cognition' 1
  at the University of Osnabrueck for Prof. Peter Koenig.
• 2003. TA for the B.Sc. level course 'Introduction to Logics'
  at the University of Osnabrueck for Prof. Achim Stephan.

awards

• 2010. Young Investigator Travel Award of the American Epilepsy Society (AES)
• 2010. Esther Cushing Award for my dissertation (McGill).
• 2009. Top-up award of the Integrated Program in Neuroscience (McGill).
• 2009-2011. Van Gelder - Savoy Studentship (Savoy-Foundation).
• 2009. Doctoral Transfer award by the Graduate Program in Neuroscience (McGill).
• 2008. Jeanne Timmins Costello Fellowship for returning graduate students (MNI).
• 2008. Alma Mater travel grant to present my work at the AES meeting, Seattle (McGill).
• 2007-2008. Foreign studies scholarship by German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
• 2006-2008. Full-time scholarship by German Academic Merit Foundation (Studienstiftung).
• 2006. Distinction for first-class B.Sc. examination (University of Osnabrueck).
• 2004-2008. Scholarship by e-Fellows.net.
• 2003-2005. Full-time scholarship by German Academic Merit Foundation (Studienstiftung).
• 2001. First price in the national contest 'Wasserwelten' (Bund fuer Heimat und Umwelt).
• 2001. Awarded for outstanding achievements in physics (Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft).
• 2001. Award for excellent achievements in high-school graduation (Stadt Bad Segeberg).

reviewer

• Article reviews for the journal Epilepsia since 2010.
• Grant reviews for the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft since 2009.
• Abstract reviews for the Annual Meeting of the Organization of Human Brain Mapping since 2009.

people

projects

Cortical thinning in epileptic disorders

We use automated software developed at the BIC to measure thickness across the entire neocortex. The figure below shows areas of significantly decreased cortical thickness in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) compared to healthy controls.
Statistical analysis was carried out using Keith Worsley's SurfStat toolbox for Matlab. An example of using SurfStat to generate a group contrast is shown below.

fact = term(Fact);
X = 1 + fact;
slm = SurfStatLinMod( Y, X, avsurf );
contrast= fact.HC - fact.LTLE;
slm = SurfStatT( slm, contrast );

We then used the random field correction that comes with the SurfStat toolbox to detect significant clusters.

[ pval, peak, clus ] = SurfStatP( slm, mask )

Besides linear models, subject-specific individual analyses can be used.

Figure showing the individual analysis of atrophic TLE patients. Displayed are the proportions of atrophic (thickness z-score less than -2) patients at each vertex.

Connectivity in epileptic disorders

We are mapping connectivity between cortical regions using morphometric correlation analysis.

Figure showing inferred entorhinal cortex connections in healthy controls. Connections were inferred using cortical thickness correlations and correspond well to known anatomical tract tracing data from non-human primates.

data visualization

Some visualizations using Blender.

The two surfaces generated by the cortical thickness extraction pipeline.

Manual segmentation of the entorhinal cortex in the mesiotemporal lobe region.

Wireframe mid surface model.

boris [at] bic.mni.mcgill.ca
Last Modified: December 15th, 2010