# Brain Stimulation and Cognition

**Source**: https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/fpn/bsclab
**Parent**: https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/

FPN research group

**The Brain Stimulation and Cognition group at Maastricht University aims to unravel the psychological and neural mechanisms of human cognition and behaviour. How is it that a brain, simply a collection of cells, can give rise to something as rich and expansive as everyday human experience? How does the brain solve the many problems -easy or difficult- that we encounter in our daily lives? Our group specifically focuses on the use of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) methodologies combined with neuroimaging (fMRI, EEG) techniques to study functional network accounts of human cognition, and to develop and apply brain-based neuromodulation therapies for various neuropsychiatric disorders.**

Our research lines span from basic cognitive neuroscience in healthy volunteers, to methodological advancements in brain stimulation technology and protocols, all the way to clinical applications in psychiatry, neurology, and rehabilitation. We are interested in the neural network dynamics underlying human cognition, but also investigate the role of brain oscillations in perception, memory, attention, and inhibitory control. 

We make an effort to advance NIBS methodology, optimising parameters and employing multimodal approaches combining TMS and TES with neuroimaging and neurophysiology as well as expanding closed-loop approaches to NIBS. Our group pioneered the development of simultaneously implemented TMS-fMRI-EEG during cognitive behaviour and has demonstrated the brain-state-and task-dependency of NIBS. We have successfully translated our fundamental and methodological work to the clinic including neuromodulation therapies for depression (now regulatory approved and reimbursed), OCD, and cognitive rehabilitation after stroke.  

Our interdisciplinary and translational research program continues to deliver both, fundamental insights into neurobiological mechanisms of attention, working memory, and inhibitory control in healthy participants, and new brain-system-based personalised interventions for clinical applications in psychiatry, neurology, and neurorehabilitation.

**Contact**\
*Address*\
Maastricht University - FPN\
Department of Cognitive Neuroscience\
P.O. Box 616\
6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands

*Visitors Address*\
Oxfordlaan 55\
6229 EV Maastricht, The Netherlands

*Contact Information*\
Phone: +31 43 3881581\
Fax:     +31 43 3884125\
Email: [fpn-bsclab@maastrichtuniversity.nl](mailto:fpn-bsclab@maastrichtuniversity.nl)

## Research lines

Brain Stimulation and Cognition

Clinical Brain Stimulation

### Clinical Brain Stimulation

Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) can modulate neural activity and network excitability during and beyond the stimulation period. These sustained neuroplastic changes make NIBS a good treatment option in a variety of psychiatric, neurological and rehabilitation settings. Neglect rehabilitation after stroke is one of our key clinical applications of NIBS. Patients’ spontaneous functional brain reorganisation is often maladaptive, and we use TMS and tDCS to interchangeably suppress or activate hyper- or hypo-active parts of the network, restoring a healthy hemispheric symmetry and improving the recovery of function. Another clinical application of NIBS is in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression and OCD, where we focus on quantifying sustained neuroplastic improvements and on optimising existing treatment protocols. In these settings, we often work closely with the patient population and collaborate with local clinicians at the MUMC+ and Mondriaan hospitals. \
\
PI: Teresa Schuhmann

TMS Methodology

### TMS Methodology

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that is widely used in research to gain insights into brain function and in clinical practice to treat brain-based disorders. Successful TMS application critically depends on the use of adequate stimulation parameters and experimental designs. In many cases, this requires a personalised approach where TMS intensity and localization are tailored to the individual brain region of interest. This research line aims to advance TMS methodology by optimising stimulation parameters, developing robust procedures suitable for specific settings (clinic vs. lab), and implementing multimodal approaches that combine brain stimulation and neuroimaging to explore and validate the effects of TMS on the brain. This also requires awareness and careful implementation of experimental control conditions to prevent confounding (e.g. sensory effects of TMS).\
\
PI: Felix Duecker

Fine-tuning the brain’s brakes

### Fine-tuning the brain’s brakes

Inhibitory control over unwanted thoughts, emotions and movements is essential for effective interaction with our environment. This becomes particularly evident when there is too little inhibition, as in obsessive-compulsive disorder or Tourette’s syndrome, or too much, as in Parkinson’s disease. Recent evidence links successful inhibition to the power of neural oscillations in the beta band (15-30Hz) in a circuit involving parts of the frontal cortex and the subthalamic nucleus. While this is an important step forward, it is not yet sufficient to develop effective neuromodulatory treatments for inhibitory control disorders. For that, we need to understand how the beta oscillations mediate neuronal communication within the fronto-subthalamic circuit. In this project, we address this challenging question through novel applications of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS). This non-invasive brain stimulation technique aligns neuronal oscillations to an oscillating low intensity electrical current applied to the brain. This external control over oscillatory power and phase allows us to investigate: the functional relevance of beta oscillatory phase, the causal role of interactions between beta oscillations and other frequency bands (‘cross-frequency coupling’) and the importance of synchrony within the network. In parallel, we are developing an innovative, non-invasive, treatment strategy for patients with inhibitory control deficits, by recording and modulating abnormal circuit activity in a closed-loop.\
\
PI: Inge Leunissen

Linking temporal dynamics inside and outside the brain

### Linking temporal dynamics inside and outside the brain

Rhythm and temporal information can be used to optimally predict when something is going to happen. However, temporal information also provides information about the exact content of information, that is temporal information does not only provide cues for when, but also for what. For both operations (tracking and coding temporal information) the same temporal brain dynamics are important, namely brain oscillations. How can the brain track continuously incoming information and simultaneously use the temporal dimension to code information? To do this the brain needs to compute in time as well as with time. This research line investigates how our brain can track temporal structure and how temporal dynamics in the brain are relevant for various cognitive functions such as memory, speech, and attention. We use EEG, MEG, ECoG, brain stimulation, and computational modelling. More information about this research line can be found here: <https://tedyum.github.io/>\
\
PI: Sanne ten Oever

### 

- [Brain Stimulation and Cognition](#section-efa53aea-757e-4230-af37-18a3d893963d-1 "Brain Stimulation and Cognition")
- [Clinical Brain Stimulation](#section-efa53aea-757e-4230-af37-18a3d893963d-2 "Clinical Brain Stimulation")
- [TMS Methodology](#section-efa53aea-757e-4230-af37-18a3d893963d-3 "TMS Methodology ")
- [Fine-tuning the brain’s brakes](#section-efa53aea-757e-4230-af37-18a3d893963d-4 "Fine-tuning the brain’s brakes")
- [Linking temporal dynamics inside and outside the brain](#section-efa53aea-757e-4230-af37-18a3d893963d-5 "Linking temporal dynamics inside and outside the brain")

## PhD Positions and Internships at the BSC lab at Maastricht University

**Internships**: we do have a limited number of internship positions available. In case you are interested, please send a motivation letter, your CV, the exact period of your intended commitment, and the study program under which the internship falls to [fpn-bsclab@maastrichtuniversity.nl](mailto:fpn-bsclab@maastrichtuniversity.nl).

**PhD Positions**: In case we have a PhD position available, this vacancy will always be transparently and explicitly advertised in the university website and academic transfer. Any applications need to go via those media.

## Our Principal Investigators

### Alexander Sack

Full Professor

### Teresa Schuhmann

Full Professor

### Felix Duecker

Assistant Professor

### Inge Leunissen

Assistant Professor

### Sanne ten Oever

Assistant Professor

## Our PostDocs, research assistant and affiliated staff

### Tuba Aktürk

Postdoctoral Researcher

### Salil Bhat

Postdoctoral Researcher

### Jelena Trajkovic

Postdoctoral Researcher

### Laurie Galas

Postdoctoral Researcher\
External Fyssen Grant

### Filiz Tezcan

Postdoctoral Researcher

### Jeannette Boschma

Research Assistant

### Martijn Arns

Affiliated Researcher\
Brain Clinics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

### Hanneke van Dijk

Affiliated Researcher\
Synaeda Psychomedisch Centrum, Drachten, the Netherland

### Nikita Van der Vinne

Affiliated Clinical Partner\
Synaeda Psychomedisch Centrum, Drachten, the Netherland

## Our PhDs

### Tara Küthe

PhD Candidate

### Oscar Magnusson

PhD Candidate

### Jasmina Paneva

PhD Candidate

### Thomas van der Velde

PhD Candidate

### Antonia Raissle

PhD Candidate

### Melanie Smekal

PhD Candidate

### Rick Voncken

PhD Candidate

### Tingting Zhu

PhD Candidate

### Zhen Li

PhD Candidate

### Marie Vandormael

PhD Candidate

### Max Kaiser

PhD candidate

### Qiannong Wan

PhD Candidate

### Zhou Fang

PhD Candidate

### Olof van der Werf

PhD Candidate

### Theodoros Koutsomitros

External PhD Candidate\
Medical Psychotherapist Center, Greece

### Alexandra (Ola) Presola

External PhD Candidate\
NTC Neurologisches Therapiecentrum, Cologne, Germany

### Ben Spielberg

External PhD Candidate

Bespoke Treatment, USA

### Meike Jodies

External PhD Candidate\
Synaeda Psychomedisch Centrum, Drachten, the Netherlands

### Johanna Pozo Neura

External PhD Candidate\
Universidad Católica de Cuenca, Cuenca, Ecuador

### Pedro Barata

External PhD Candidate\
Regionspsykiatrien Gødstrup - Region Midtjylland, Denmark

### Ghasem Dolati

External PhD Candidate

### Maciej Buchwald

External PhD Candidate

### Jana Hovancakova

External PhD Candidate

### Samira Cutts

External PhD Candidate

### Bogy Orban

External PhD Candidate

### Hatice Ulsever

External PhD Candidate

### Michelle van der Sande

External PhD Candidate

### Mashood Chaudhry

External PhD Candidate

## Our Alumni

### 

- Stefanie De Smet
- Pauline van Gils
- Eva Dijkstra
- Lauren Zwienenberg
- Marij Middag-van Spanje
- Amourie Prentice
- Samantha Baldi
- Nina Bien
- Aline Elias Caldeira Dantas
- Tom de Graaf
- Franziska Emmerling, néé Dambacher

### 

- Tahnée Engelen
- Stefano Galloto
- Guiseppe Giglia
- Hannah Meijs
- Christianne Jacobs
- Shanice Janssens
- Katerina Kandylaki
- Selma Kemmerer
- Mathilde Kennis
- Noralie Krepel

### 

- George Mikellides
- Tomasso Picolli
- Helena Voetterl
- Rosanne Rademakers
- Geraldine Rodriguez Nieto
- Lukas Schilberg
- Alix Thomson
- Eveline Vandewal
- Ting Wang
- Katie Wheat

## Publications

- Lin, C. E., Chen, L. F., Chang, W. C., Sack, A. T., Chang, C. C., & Chang, H. A. (2026). Parietal alpha asymmetry as a diagnostic marker for depression and a predictive biomarker for anhedonia improvement after melatonergic antidepressant treatment. *Journal of Affective Disorders*, *400*, Article 120977. <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2025.120977>

  [More information about this publication](https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/en/publications/c28a6754-b547-4fc6-b114-e9d38045272c)
- Zhu, T. (2026). *Probing and modulating motor inhibition: multimodal brain stimulation and imaging approaches to study cortico-subcortical network dynamics of inhibitory control*. [Doctoral Thesis, Maastricht University]. Maastricht University. <https://doi.org/10.26481/dis.20260304tz>

  [More information about this publication](https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/en/publications/1ca60640-cbcd-4142-a87d-2ebc00de8aac)
- Chen, L. F., Chang, W. C., Chung, C. H., Sack, A. T., Lin, C. E., & Chang, H. A. (2026). Accelerated intermittent theta burst stimulation effectively and rapidly reduces suicidal ideation in depression patients: A randomized, sham-controlled study. *Psychiatry Research*, *357*, Article 116926. <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2025.116926>

  [More information about this publication](https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/en/publications/2c6bad80-11c4-4fde-923a-ac714282db39)
- Chu, C.-S., Lin, Y.-Y., Huang, C. C.-Y., Liang, W.-Z., Chang, W.-C., Sack, A. T., Chang, C.-C., & Chang, H.-A. (2026). Altered electroencephalographic microstate dynamics in major depressive disorder and their modulation by melatonergic treatment. *Journal of Psychiatric Research*, *194*, 294-302. <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.01.011>

  [More information about this publication](https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/en/publications/e5ea7fba-2224-47c9-97f6-6d3619e9030c)
- Barata, P. C., Daftari, B., Pedersen, M. B., & Sack, A. T. (2026). Weekly trajectories of antidepressant response to transcranial magnetic stimulation - A retrospective cohort analysis. *Journal of Affective Disorders*, *396*, Article 120869. <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2025.120869>

  [More information about this publication](https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/en/publications/7c6c6e25-1a3a-4f34-b7de-b3c775a4efe5)
- Saricaoglu, M., Aktürk, T., Güntekin, B., Yücel, M. A., & Hanoglu, L. (2026). Delta response varies across problem types and aging, while theta remains predominantly occipital. *Neuroimage*, *326*, Article 121687. <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121687>

  [More information about this publication](https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/en/publications/85895dc5-58ef-4672-8de9-0d872facb20d)
- van der Velde, T., Swartswe, J., Schruers, K., & Schuhmann, T. (2026). Monitoring adverse effects in TMS: From controlled trials to clinical reality. *Current Opinion in Psychology*, *67*, Article 102187. <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2025.102187>

  [More information about this publication](https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/en/publications/d5499b97-c325-4af2-b02e-ac5591729c4b)
- Van Boven, A., Verde, V., Allaert, J., Razza, L. B., De Smet, S., Vanderhasselt, M., Baeken, C., Duschek, S., De Raedt, R., & Pulopulos, M. M. (2026). HF-rTMS Over the Left and Right DLPFC Enhances Proactive Cognitive Control: An Antisaccade and Pupillometry Study. *Psychophysiology*, *63*(2), Article e70256. <https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.70256>

  [More information about this publication](https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/en/publications/5be27d1e-02d3-4be0-9e8f-eee069dce549)
- Salden, S., Xu, Y., De Smet, S., Peremans, K., De Witte, S., Dobbeleir, A., Van Eeckhaut, A., Saunders, J. H., Haverbeke, A., & Baeken, C. (2026). Rewiring canine anxiety: The impact of accelerated HF-rTMS on brain perfusion and behavioral outcomes in dogs. *Veterinary Journal*, *315*, Article 106559. <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2026.106559>

  [More information about this publication](https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/en/publications/4340b745-8080-45a3-89bb-fc03cc5fe5b9)
- Woolgar, A., Feredoes, E., Assem, M., Bassil, Y., Bergmann, T. O., Beynel, L., Burke, M., Cash, R. F. H., Comeau, R. M., Correia, M. M., Genc, E., Hartwigsen, G., Jackson, J. B., Kienle, M., Kunz, P., Leticevscaia, O., Luber, B., Lueckel, M., Mathiesen, C., ... Sack, A. T. (2026). Consensus guidelines for the use of concurrent TMS-fMRI in cognitive and clinical neuroscience. *Nature Protocols*, *21*(1), 1-17. <https://doi.org/10.1038/s41596-025-01182-4>

  [More information about this publication](https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/en/publications/b9640540-5592-4ce6-a6fb-65140ea13f99)
- Wang, T., Capalbo, M., Duecker, F., & Sack, A. T. (2026). The merit of group-level analyses in TMS targeting: group-based task-driven TMS coil positioning can outperform individual approaches - evidence from resting-state-, diffusion-, and functional-MR. *Neuroimage*, *325*, Article 121675. <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121675>

  [More information about this publication](https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/en/publications/34f4b184-654a-4d1e-a7cc-d4b67a6d9161)
- Boxum, M., Voetterl, H., van Dijk, H., Gordon, E., DeBeus, R., Arnold, L. E., & Arns, M. (2025). Challenging the Diagnostic Value of Theta/Beta Ratio: Insights From an EEG Subtyping Meta-Analytical Approach in ADHD . *Applied psychophysiology and biofeedback*, *50*(4), 655-666. <https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-024-09649-y>

  [More information about this publication](https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/en/publications/d59fdee3-adac-43d4-a520-97ab2d481164)
- Prentice, A., Arns, M., Middleton, V., Bowman, J., Donachie, N., Kriske, J., Kriske, J., Sack, A. T., Downar, J., & Vinne, N. V. D. (2025). Clinical effectiveness of switching to right lateral orbitofrontal cortex-TMS after failure of sequential bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal-TMS in major depression. *Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation*, *5*, Article 100190. <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.transm.2025.100190>

  [More information about this publication](https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/en/publications/4b2b7ddb-1da1-4043-9d36-a715dd7bfbef)
- Enriquez-Geppert, S., Krc, J., van Dijk, H., deBeus, R. J., Arnold, L. E., & Arns, M. (2025). Theta/Beta Ratio Neurofeedback Effects on Resting and Task-Related Theta Activity in Children with ADHD. *Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback*, *50*(4), 667-685. Article 102007. <https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-024-09675-w>

  [More information about this publication](https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/en/publications/fc05cb79-412f-491d-80b1-1139bc44bf66)
- Koutsomitros, T., Koutsimani, P., Schuhmann, T., & Sack, A. T. (2025). Transcranial magnetic stimulation to treat 101 patients with depression and comorbid personality disorders in a real-world naturalistic clinical setting: feasibility, tolerability and effectiveness. *Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation*, *5*, Article 100184. <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.transm.2025.100184>

  [More information about this publication](https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/en/publications/efec44fe-7f5f-493b-ad1e-80a6467bfb5d)
- Antal, A., Bjekic, J., Ganho-Ávila, A., Alekseichuk, I., Assecondi, S., Bergmann, T. O., Bikson, M., Brunelin, J., Brunoni, A. R., Charvet, L., Chen, R., Cohen Kadosh, R., Diedrich, L., D'Urso, G., Ferrucci, R., Filipovic, S. R., Fitzgerald, P. B., Flöel, A., Fröhlich, F., ... Et al. (2026). Low intensity transcranial electric stimulation: Safety, ethical, legal regulatory and application guidelines (2017–2025: An update) – endorsed by the European Society for Brain Stimulation (ESBS) and by the International Federation for Clinical Neurophysiology (IFCN). *Clinical Neurophysiology*, *184*, Article 2111436. Advance online publication. <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2025.2111436>

  [More information about this publication](https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/en/publications/74cde623-fa06-4f7a-8aac-abfb72c8b2fe)
- Engelen, T., Schuhmann, T., Sack, A. T., & Tallon-Baudry, C. (2025). Cardiac, respiratory, and gastric rhythms independently modulate motor corticospinal excitability in humans. *Plos Biology*, *23*(11), Article e3003478. <https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003478>

  [More information about this publication](https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/en/publications/53d918b7-2b7d-4f0d-b8da-02eb2ebbfb03)
- Lin, C.-E., Chen, L.-F., Chung, C.-H., Sack, A. T., & Chang, H.-A. (2025). Functional near-infrared spectroscopy as a biomarker of TMS efficacy in treatment-resistant depression. *Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences*, *79*(11), 765-775. <https://doi.org/10.1111/pcn.13890>

  [More information about this publication](https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/en/publications/cce08cf0-3e1b-4d3c-bd53-1227adead4dc)
- Schoonjans, E., Li, Z., Allaert, J., Wezenbeek, E., van den Berghe, P., Helleputte, S., De Smet, S., De Raedt, R., & Vanderhasselt, M.-A. (2025). The combination of physical exercise and slow-paced breathing on psychophysiological indices of emotion reactivity, psychosocial stress reactivity and recovery: A multimodal investigation. *Behaviour Research and Therapy*, *194*, Article 104852. <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2025.104852>

  [More information about this publication](https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/en/publications/4da31e95-6a41-40be-a1ae-12936b6fb7a2)
- Dijkstra, E. S. A., Rouwhorst, R., Zwienenberg, L., van Oostrom, I., van Dijk, H., Sack, A. T., & Arns, M. (2025). TMS-induced heart-brain coupling associated with early clinical response in depression. *Brain stimulation*, *18*(6), 1744-1746. <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2025.09.013>

  [More information about this publication](https://cris.maastrichtuniversity.nl/en/publications/2ffed22e-013d-44db-9eb1-76c1ad39df1a)

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