MS181 - Computational Brain Multiphysics

Organized by: P. Antonietti (Politecnico di Milano, Italy), M. Causemann (Simula Research Laboratory, Norway), I. Fumagalli (Politecnico di Milano, Italy), K. Mardal (Simula Research Laboratory, Norway) and S. Pagani (Politecnico di Milano, Italy)
Keywords: Brain Electrophysiology, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Neurodegenerative diseases, Numerical Methods for PDEs, Poromechanics, Scientific Machine Learning
The brain is a complex and dynamic organ composed of soft tissue, neuronal and glial networks, blood vessels, cerebrospinal fluid, and interstitial space. The coupling of electrical, chemical, and mechanical processes across a wide range of spatial and temporal scales plays a central role in both healthy brain function and the progression of neurological diseases. Capturing this interplay in computational models poses significant scientific and technical challenges but also holds great promise for advancing our understanding of brain physiology through in-silico experimentation. This minisymposium brings together researchers in applied mathematics, computational science, biomedical engineering, and neuroscience to discuss recent advances in brain multiphysics modeling. Topics include but are not limited to: mechanics of brain tissue and cerebrospinal/interstitial fluids, molecular transport and waste clearance (including glymphatic and perivascular pathways), electromechanical coupling, and complex network dynamics. Contributions proposing innovative computational strategies are particularly welcome, such as efficient solvers for coupled systems, physics- and data-based model reduction, and data assimilation methods for imaging or clinical data. Applications to neurological, neurodegenerative, and neurovascular disorders are strongly encouraged.