Looking at the brain’s “disconnectome” can predict recovery in severe forms of stroke

It affects blood flow to the brainstem, an area that is important for essential functions like consciousness, movement and breathing. Although basilar artery occlusion accounts for only around 1% of all strokes, these severe stroke-types are extensively studied in medicine, as they can lead to death or severe disability for those affected.

A new study in the journal Stroke now suggests that looking at disrupted brain connections can predict how patients who survived a basilar artery occlusion will recover. The researchers analysed MRI scans from 201 patients. Rather than looking only at the size of the damaged area, they estimated how many nerve fibres connecting different parts of the brain had been affected. The researchers call this pattern of disrupted connections the brain’s “disconnectome”.

This measure provided a better indication of patients’ outcomes three months after their stroke than several commonly used measures. The study also found that patients with less disruption to their brain connections appeared more likely to benefit from treatment to reopen the blocked blood vessel.

The study was supported by the EBRAINS 2.0 project of the European research infrastructure EBRAINS, which powers brain science and neurological advancements.

By combining brain imaging with detailed maps of the brain’s connections, the new results further our understanding of why patients can have very different outcomes after similar strokes and treatment strategies. But further studies will be needed before this approach can enter routine clinical care.

Original Publication

Authamayou et al.: High-Resolution Disconnectome Predicts Outcome and Response to Thrombectomy in Basilar Artery Occlusion. Stroke, 11 September 2026. https://doi.org/10.1161/STROKEAHA.126.056382