The methodological foundations of lesion network mapping remain sound

Abstract Lesion network mapping (LNM) and related techniques have been used in over 200 studies, primarily to test whether anatomically distributed lesions that cause the same symptom fall within a common brain network. A recent article 1 challenges the specificity and validity of this technique, suggesting that lesion network maps primarily reflect intrinsic properties of the normative connectome rather than lesion–symptom relationships. However, the data and procedures in van den Heuvel et al. do not reflect those used in most LNM studies. Further, the main conclusions were based on similarity between maps, but similarity does not imply the absence of meaningful differences. In contrast, LNM provides…

• SL
  Suomen Lääketieteen Säätiö
• OU
  Once Upon A Time Foundation
• B
  BrainsWay
• DF
  Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

  Awards: 299150580, 431549029
• PJ
  Päivikki ja Sakari Sohlbergin Säätiö
• SJ
  Signe ja Ane Gyllenbergin Säätiö
• TY
  Turun Yliopisto
• TY
  Turun Yliopistollinen Keskussairaala
• ES
  Epilepsy Society
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: U54HG013247, R21NS123813, R21MH126271, R01MH130666, R01NS127892, R01MH113929, UM1NS132358
• P
  Parkinsonfonden