Neural Underpinnings of Impaired Predictive Motor Timing in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Debrabant, Julie; Gheysen, Freja; Caeyenberghs, Karen; Van Waelvelde, Hilde; Vingerhoets, Guy

2013-01-01

A dysfunction in predictive motor timing is put forward to underlie DCD-related motor problems. Predictive timing allows for the pre-selection of motor programmes (except "program" in computers) in order to decrease processing load and facilitate reactions. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), this study investigated the neural…

An fMRI Examination of Developmental Differences in the Neural Correlates of Uncertainty and Decision-Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krain, Amy L.; Hefton, Sara; Pine, Daniel S.; Ernst, Monique; Castellanos, F. Xavier; Klein, Rachel G.; Milham, Michael P.

2006-01-01

Background: Maturation of prefrontal circuits during adolescence contributes to the development of cognitive processes such as decision-making. Recent theories suggest that these neural changes also play a role in the shift from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) to depression that often occurs during this developmental period. Cognitive models of…

Diagnosing Developmental Dyscalculia on the Basis of Reliable Single Case FMRI Methods: Promises and Limitations

PubMed Central

Dinkel, Philipp Johannes; Willmes, Klaus; Krinzinger, Helga; Konrad, Kerstin; Koten Jr, Jan Willem

2013-01-01

FMRI-studies are mostly based on a group study approach, either analyzing one group or comparing multiple groups, or on approaches that correlate brain activation with clinically relevant criteria or behavioral measures. In this study we investigate the potential of fMRI-techniques focusing on individual differences in brain activation within a test-retest reliability context. We employ a single-case analysis approach, which contrasts dyscalculic children with a control group of typically developing children. In a second step, a support-vector machine analysis and cluster analysis techniques served to investigate similarities in multivariate brain activation patterns. Children were confronted with a non-symbolic number comparison and a non-symbolic exact calculation task during fMRI acquisition. Conventional second level group comparison analysis only showed small differences around the angular gyrus bilaterally and the left parieto-occipital sulcus. Analyses based on single-case statistical procedures revealed that developmental dyscalculia is characterized by individual differences predominantly in visual processing areas. Dyscalculic children seemed to compensate for relative under-activation in the primary visual cortex through an upregulation in higher visual areas. However, overlap in deviant activation was low for the dyscalculic children, indicating that developmental dyscalculia is a disorder characterized by heterogeneous brain activation differences. Using support vector machine analysis and cluster analysis, we tried to group dyscalculic and typically developing children according to brain activation. Fronto-parietal systems seem to qualify for a distinction between the two groups. However, this was only effective when reliable brain activations of both tasks were employed simultaneously. Results suggest that deficits in number representation in the visual-parietal cortex get compensated for through finger related aspects of number representation in fronto-parietal cortex. We conclude that dyscalculic children show large individual differences in brain activation patterns. Nonetheless, the majority of dyscalculic children can be differentiated from controls employing brain activation patterns when appropriate methods are used. PMID:24349547

Diagnosing developmental dyscalculia on the basis of reliable single case FMRI methods: promises and limitations.

PubMed

Dinkel, Philipp Johannes; Willmes, Klaus; Krinzinger, Helga; Konrad, Kerstin; Koten, Jan Willem

2013-01-01

FMRI-studies are mostly based on a group study approach, either analyzing one group or comparing multiple groups, or on approaches that correlate brain activation with clinically relevant criteria or behavioral measures. In this study we investigate the potential of fMRI-techniques focusing on individual differences in brain activation within a test-retest reliability context. We employ a single-case analysis approach, which contrasts dyscalculic children with a control group of typically developing children. In a second step, a support-vector machine analysis and cluster analysis techniques served to investigate similarities in multivariate brain activation patterns. Children were confronted with a non-symbolic number comparison and a non-symbolic exact calculation task during fMRI acquisition. Conventional second level group comparison analysis only showed small differences around the angular gyrus bilaterally and the left parieto-occipital sulcus. Analyses based on single-case statistical procedures revealed that developmental dyscalculia is characterized by individual differences predominantly in visual processing areas. Dyscalculic children seemed to compensate for relative under-activation in the primary visual cortex through an upregulation in higher visual areas. However, overlap in deviant activation was low for the dyscalculic children, indicating that developmental dyscalculia is a disorder characterized by heterogeneous brain activation differences. Using support vector machine analysis and cluster analysis, we tried to group dyscalculic and typically developing children according to brain activation. Fronto-parietal systems seem to qualify for a distinction between the two groups. However, this was only effective when reliable brain activations of both tasks were employed simultaneously. Results suggest that deficits in number representation in the visual-parietal cortex get compensated for through finger related aspects of number representation in fronto-parietal cortex. We conclude that dyscalculic children show large individual differences in brain activation patterns. Nonetheless, the majority of dyscalculic children can be differentiated from controls employing brain activation patterns when appropriate methods are used.

Development from childhood to adulthood increases morphological and functional inter-individual variability in the right superior temporal cortex.

PubMed

Bonte, Milene; Frost, Martin A; Rutten, Sanne; Ley, Anke; Formisano, Elia; Goebel, Rainer

2013-12-01

We study the developmental trajectory of morphology and function of the superior temporal cortex (STC) in children (8-9 years), adolescents (14-15 years) and young adults. We analyze cortical surface landmarks and functional MRI (fMRI) responses to voices, other natural categories and tones and examine how hemispheric asymmetry and inter-subject variability change across age. Our results show stable morphological asymmetries across age groups, including a larger left planum temporale and a deeper right superior temporal sulcus. fMRI analyses show that a rightward lateralization for voice-selective responses is present in all groups but decreases with age. Furthermore, STC responses to voices change from being less selective and more spatially diffuse in children to highly selective and focal in adults. Interestingly, the analysis of morphological landmarks reveals that inter-subject variability increases during development in the right--but not in the left--STC. Similarly, inter-subject variability of cortically-realigned functional responses to voices, other categories and tones increases with age in the right STC. Our findings reveal asymmetric developmental changes in brain regions crucial for auditory and voice perception. The age-related increase of inter-subject variability in right STC suggests that anatomy and function of this region are shaped by unique individual developmental experiences. © 2013.

Developmental Increase in Top-Down and Bottom-Up Processing in a Phonological Task: An Effective Connectivity, fMRI Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bitan, Tali; Cheon, Jimmy; Lu, Dong; Burman, Douglas D.; Booth, James R.

2009-01-01

We examined age-related changes in the interactions among brain regions in children performing rhyming judgments on visually presented words. The difficulty of the task was manipulated by including a conflict between task-relevant (phonological) information and task-irrelevant (orthographic) information. The conflicting conditions included pairs…

Developmental Differences for Word Processing in the Ventral Stream

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olulade, Olumide A.; Flowers, D. Lynn; Napoliello, Eileen M.; Eden, Guinevere F.

2013-01-01

The visual word form system (VWFS), located in the occipito-temporal cortex, is involved in orthographic processing of visually presented words (Cohen et al., 2002). Recent fMRI studies in children and adults have demonstrated a gradient of increasing word-selectivity along the posterior-to-anterior axis of this system (Vinckier et al., 2007), yet…

Manipulation of Length and Lexicality Localizes the Functional Neuroanatomy of Phonological Processing in Adult Readers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Church, Jessica A.; Balota, David A.; Petersen, Steven E.; Schlaggar, Bradley L.

2011-01-01

In a previous study of single word reading, regions in the left supramarginal gyrus and left angular gyrus showed positive BOLD activity in children but significantly less activity in adults for high-frequency words [Church, J. A., Coalson, R. S., Lugar, H. M., Petersen, S. E., & Schlaggar, B. L. "A developmental fMRI study of reading and…

Developmental Aspects of Error and High-Conflict-Related Brain Activity in Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A FMRI Study with a Flanker Task before and after CBT

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huyser, Chaim; Veltman, Dick J.; Wolters, Lidewij H.; de Haan, Else; Boer, Frits

2011-01-01

Background: Heightened error and conflict monitoring are considered central mechanisms in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and are associated with anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) function. Pediatric obsessive-compulsive patients provide an opportunity to investigate the development of this area and its associations with psychopathology.…

Imaging brain development: the adolescent brain.

PubMed

Blakemore, Sarah-Jayne

2012-06-01

The past 15 years have seen a rapid expansion in the number of studies using neuroimaging techniques to investigate maturational changes in the human brain. In this paper, I review MRI studies on structural changes in the developing brain, and fMRI studies on functional changes in the social brain during adolescence. Both MRI and fMRI studies point to adolescence as a period of continued neural development. In the final section, I discuss a number of areas of research that are just beginning and may be the subject of developmental neuroimaging in the next twenty years. Future studies might focus on complex questions including the development of functional connectivity; how gender and puberty influence adolescent brain development; the effects of genes, environment and culture on the adolescent brain; development of the atypical adolescent brain; and implications for policy of the study of the adolescent brain. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The association between cortisol and the BOLD response in male adolescents undergoing fMRI.

PubMed

Keulers, Esther H H; Stiers, Peter; Nicolson, Nancy A; Jolles, Jelle

2015-02-19

MRI participation has been shown to induce subjective and neuroendocrine stress reactions. A recent aging study showed that cortisol levels during fMRI have an age-dependent effect on cognitive performance and brain functioning. The present study examined whether this age-specific influence of cortisol on behavioral and brain activation levels also applies to adolescence. Salivary cortisol as well as subjective experienced anxiety were assessed during the practice session, at home, and before, during and after the fMRI session in young versus old male adolescents. Cortisol levels were enhanced pre-imaging relative to during and post-imaging in both age groups, suggesting anticipatory stress and anxiety. Overall, a negative correlation was found between cortisol output during the fMRI experiment and brain activation magnitude during performance of a gambling task. In young but not in old adolescents, higher cortisol output was related to stronger deactivation of clusters in the anterior and posterior cingulate cortex. In old but not in young adolescents, a negative correlation was found between cortisol and activation in the inferior parietal and in the superior frontal cortex. In sum, cortisol increased the deactivation of several brain areas, although the location of the affected areas in the brain was age-dependent. The present findings suggest that cortisol output during fMRI should be considered as confounder and integrated in analyzing developmental changes in brain activation during adolescence. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neural Activation During Cognitive Emotion Regulation in Previously Depressed Compared to Healthy Children: Evidence of Specific Alterations

PubMed Central

Belden, Andy C.; Pagliaccio, David; Murphy, Eric R.; Luby, Joan L.; Barch, Deanna M.

2015-01-01

Objective Impairments in cognitive emotion regulation (CER) have been linked to functional neural abnormalities and the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD). Few functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have investigated the neural underpinnings of CER in samples with depression. As CER develops in childhood, understanding dysfunctional CER-related alterations in brain function during this period could advance knowledge of the developmental psychopathology of MDD. Method This study tested whether neural activity in brain regions known to support cognitive reappraisal differed between healthy 7- to 15-year-old children and same-age peers with a history of MDD (MDD-ever). A total of 64 children participated in this event-related fMRI study, which used a developmentally appropriate and validated fMRI reappraisal task. Children were instructed to passively view sad or neutral images and to decrease negative emotions using cognitive reappraisal. Results MDD-ever and healthy children showed similar patterns of cortical activation during reappraisal, but with a significant difference found in 1 key CER region, the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). In addition, individual differences in CER were associated with left IFG activity during reappraisal. Conclusion Alterations in the neurocircuitry of reappraisal are evident in children with a depression history compared to healthy controls. The finding that MDD-ever children showed reappraisal-related neural responses in many regions similar to healthy controls has clinical implications. Findings suggest that identification of alterations in reappraisal in children with remitted depression, for whom much, although not all, of the neural circuitry remains intact, may be an important window of opportunity for intervention. PMID:26299299

Functional brain activation differences in stuttering identified with a rapid fMRI sequence

PubMed Central

Kraft, Shelly Jo; Choo, Ai Leen; Sharma, Harish; Ambrose, Nicoline G.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether brain activity related to the presence of stuttering can be identified with rapid functional MRI (fMRI) sequences that involved overt and covert speech processing tasks. The long-term goal is to develop sensitive fMRI approaches with developmentally appropriate tasks to identify deviant speech motor and auditory brain activity in children who stutter closer to the age at which recovery from stuttering is documented. Rapid sequences may be preferred for individuals or populations who do not tolerate long scanning sessions. In this report, we document the application of a picture naming and phoneme monitoring task in three minute fMRI sequences with adults who stutter (AWS). If relevant brain differences are found in AWS with these approaches that conform to previous reports, then these approaches can be extended to younger populations. Pairwise contrasts of brain BOLD activity between AWS and normally fluent adults indicated the AWS showed higher BOLD activity in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), right temporal lobe and sensorimotor cortices during picture naming and and higher activity in the right IFG during phoneme monitoring. The right lateralized pattern of BOLD activity together with higher activity in sensorimotor cortices is consistent with previous reports, which indicates rapid fMRI sequences can be considered for investigating stuttering in younger participants. PMID:22133409

Development of Neural Sensitivity to Face Identity Correlates with Perceptual Discriminability

PubMed Central

Barnett, Michael A.; Hartley, Jake; Gomez, Jesse; Stigliani, Anthony; Grill-Spector, Kalanit

2016-01-01

Face perception is subserved by a series of face-selective regions in the human ventral stream, which undergo prolonged development from childhood to adulthood. However, it is unknown how neural development of these regions relates to the development of face-perception abilities. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure brain responses of ventral occipitotemporal regions in children (ages, 5–12 years) and adults (ages, 19–34 years) when they viewed faces that parametrically varied in dissimilarity. Since similar faces generate lower responses than dissimilar faces due to fMRI adaptation, this design objectively evaluates neural sensitivity to face identity across development. Additionally, a subset of subjects participated in a behavioral experiment to assess perceptual discriminability of face identity. Our data reveal three main findings: (1) neural sensitivity to face identity increases with age in face-selective but not object-selective regions; (2) the amplitude of responses to faces increases with age in both face-selective and object-selective regions; and (3) perceptual discriminability of face identity is correlated with the neural sensitivity to face identity of face-selective regions. In contrast, perceptual discriminability is not correlated with the amplitude of response in face-selective regions or of responses of object-selective regions. These data suggest that developmental increases in neural sensitivity to face identity in face-selective regions improve perceptual discriminability of faces. Our findings significantly advance the understanding of the neural mechanisms of development of face perception and open new avenues for using fMRI adaptation to study the neural development of high-level visual and cognitive functions more broadly. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Face perception, which is critical for daily social interactions, develops from childhood to adulthood. However, it is unknown what developmental changes in the brain lead to improved performance. Using fMRI in children and adults, we find that from childhood to adulthood, neural sensitivity to changes in face identity increases in face-selective regions. Critically, subjects' perceptual discriminability among faces is linked to neural sensitivity: participants with higher neural sensitivity in face-selective regions demonstrate higher perceptual discriminability. Thus, our results suggest that developmental increases in face-selective regions' sensitivity to face identity improve perceptual discrimination of faces. These findings significantly advance understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying the development of face perception and have important implications for assessing both typical and atypical development. PMID:27798143

Adult Brains Don't Fully Overcome Biases that Lead to Incorrect Performance during Cognitive Development: An fMRI Study in Young Adults Completing a Piaget-Like Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leroux, Gaelle; Spiess, Jeanne; Zago, Laure; Rossi, Sandrine; Lubin, Amelie; Turbelin, Marie-Renee; Mazoyer, Bernard; Tzourio-Mazoyer, Nathalie; Houde, Olivier; Joliot, Marc

2009-01-01

A current issue in developmental science is that greater continuity in cognition between children and adults may exist than is usually appreciated in Piaget-like (stages or "staircase") models. This phenomenon has been demonstrated at the behavioural level, but never at the brain level. Here we show with functional magnetic resonance imaging…

Progressive and regressive developmental changes in neural substrates for face processing: Testing specific predictions of the Interactive Specialization account

PubMed Central

Joseph, Jane E.; Gathers, Ann D.; Bhatt, Ramesh S.

2010-01-01

Face processing undergoes a fairly protracted developmental time course but the neural underpinnings are not well understood. Prior fMRI studies have only examined progressive changes (i.e., increases in specialization in certain regions with age), which would be predicted by both the Interactive Specialization (IS) and maturational theories of neural development. To differentiate between these accounts, the present study also examined regressive changes (i.e., decreases in specialization in certain regions with age), which is predicted by the IS but not maturational account. The fMRI results show that both progressive and regressive changes occur, consistent with IS. Progressive changes mostly occurred in occipital-fusiform and inferior frontal cortex whereas regressive changes largely emerged in parietal and lateral temporal cortices. Moreover, inconsistent with the maturational account, all of the regions involved in face viewing in adults were active in children, with some regions already specialized for face processing by 5 years of age and other regions activated in children but not specifically for faces. Thus, neurodevelopment of face processing involves dynamic interactions among brain regions including age-related increases and decreases in specialization and the involvement of different regions at different ages. These results are more consistent with IS than maturational models of neural development. PMID:21399706

Developmental dyscalculia: compensatory mechanisms in left intraparietal regions in response to nonsymbolic magnitudes.

PubMed

Kaufmann, Liane; Vogel, Stephan E; Starke, Marc; Kremser, Christian; Schocke, Michael; Wood, Guilherme

2009-08-05

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies investigating the neural mechanisms underlying developmental dyscalculia are scarce and results are thus far inconclusive. Main aim of the present study is to investigate the neural correlates of nonsymbolic number magnitude processing in children with and without dyscalculia. 18 children (9 with dyscalculia) were asked to solve a non-symbolic number magnitude comparison task (finger patterns) during brain scanning. For the spatial control task identical stimuli were employed, instructions varying only (judgment of palm rotation). This design enabled us to present identical stimuli with identical visual processing requirements in the experimental and the control task. Moreover, because numerical and spatial processing relies on parietal brain regions, task-specific contrasts are expected to reveal true number-specific activations. Behavioral results during scanning reveal that despite comparable (almost at ceiling) performance levels, task-specific activations were stronger in dyscalculic children in inferior parietal cortices bilaterally (intraparietal sulcus, supramarginal gyrus, extending to left angular gyrus). Interestingly, fMRI signal strengths reflected a group x task interaction: relative to baseline, controls produced significant deactivations in (intra)parietal regions bilaterally in response to number but not spatial processing, while the opposite pattern emerged in dyscalculics. Moreover, beta weights in response to number processing differed significantly between groups in left - but not right - (intra)parietal regions (becoming even positive in dyscalculic children). Overall, findings are suggestive of (a) less consistent neural activity in right (intra)parietal regions upon processing nonsymbolic number magnitudes; and (b) compensatory neural activity in left (intra)parietal regions in developmental dyscalculia.

Developmental dyscalculia: compensatory mechanisms in left intraparietal regions in response to nonsymbolic magnitudes

PubMed Central

Kaufmann, Liane; Vogel, Stephan E; Starke, Marc; Kremser, Christian; Schocke, Michael; Wood, Guilherme

2009-01-01

Background Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies investigating the neural mechanisms underlying developmental dyscalculia are scarce and results are thus far inconclusive. Main aim of the present study is to investigate the neural correlates of nonsymbolic number magnitude processing in children with and without dyscalculia. Methods 18 children (9 with dyscalculia) were asked to solve a non-symbolic number magnitude comparison task (finger patterns) during brain scanning. For the spatial control task identical stimuli were employed, instructions varying only (judgment of palm rotation). This design enabled us to present identical stimuli with identical visual processing requirements in the experimental and the control task. Moreover, because numerical and spatial processing relies on parietal brain regions, task-specific contrasts are expected to reveal true number-specific activations. Results Behavioral results during scanning reveal that despite comparable (almost at ceiling) performance levels, task-specific activations were stronger in dyscalculic children in inferior parietal cortices bilaterally (intraparietal sulcus, supramarginal gyrus, extending to left angular gyrus). Interestingly, fMRI signal strengths reflected a group × task interaction: relative to baseline, controls produced significant deactivations in (intra)parietal regions bilaterally in response to number but not spatial processing, while the opposite pattern emerged in dyscalculics. Moreover, beta weights in response to number processing differed significantly between groups in left – but not right – (intra)parietal regions (becoming even positive in dyscalculic children). Conclusion Overall, findings are suggestive of (a) less consistent neural activity in right (intra)parietal regions upon processing nonsymbolic number magnitudes; and (b) compensatory neural activity in left (intra)parietal regions in developmental dyscalculia. PMID:19653919

Emotion-based learning systems and the development of morality.

PubMed

Blair, R J R

2017-10-01

In this paper it is proposed that important components of moral development and moral judgment rely on two forms of emotional learning: stimulus-reinforcement and response-outcome learning. Data in support of this position will be primarily drawn from work with individuals with the developmental condition of psychopathy as well as fMRI studies with healthy individuals. Individuals with psychopathy show impairment on moral judgment tasks and a pronounced increased risk for instrumental antisocial behavior. It will be argued that these impairments are developmental consequences of impaired stimulus-aversive conditioning on the basis of distress cue reinforcers and response-outcome learning in individuals with this disorder. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Second language lexical development and cognitive control: A longitudinal fMRI study.

PubMed

Grant, Angela M; Fang, Shin-Yi; Li, Ping

2015-05-01

In this paper we report a longitudinal functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study that tested contrasting predictions about the time course of cognitive control in second language (L2) acquisition. We examined the neural correlates of lexical processing in L2 learners twice over the course of one academic year. Specifically, while in the scanner, participants were asked to judge the language membership of unambiguous first and second language words, as well as interlingual homographs. Our ROI and connectivity analyses reveal that with increased exposure to the L2, overall activation in control areas such as the anterior cingulate cortex decrease while connectivity with semantic processing regions such as the middle temporal gyrus increase. These results suggest that cognitive control is more important initially in L2 acquisition, and have significant implications for understanding developmental and neurocognitive models of second language lexical processing. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cerebral networks of sustained attention and working memory: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study based on the Continuous Performance Test.

PubMed

Bartés-Serrallonga, M; Adan, A; Solé-Casals, J; Caldú, X; Falcón, C; Pérez-Pàmies, M; Bargalló, N; Serra-Grabulosa, J M

2014-04-01

One of the most used paradigms in the study of attention is the Continuous Performance Test (CPT). The identical pairs version (CPT-IP) has been widely used to evaluate attention deficits in developmental, neurological and psychiatric disorders. However, the specific locations and the relative distribution of brain activation in networks identified with functional imaging, varies significantly with differences in task design. To design a task to evaluate sustained attention using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and thus to provide data for research concerned with the role of these functions. Forty right-handed, healthy students (50% women; age range: 18-25 years) were recruited. A CPT-IP implemented as a block design was used to assess sustained attention during the fMRI session. The behavioural results from the CPT-IP task showed a good performance in all subjects, higher than 80% of hits. fMRI results showed that the used CPT-IP task activates a network of frontal, parietal and occipital areas, and that these are related to executive and attentional functions. In relation to the use of the CPT to study of attention and working memory, this task provides normative data in healthy adults, and it could be useful to evaluate disorders which have attentional and working memory deficits.

Reward Anticipation in Ventral Striatum and Individual Sensitivity to Reward: A Pilot Study of a Child-Friendly fMRI Task.

PubMed

van Hulst, Branko M; de Zeeuw, Patrick; Lupas, Kellina; Bos, Dienke J; Neggers, Sebastiaan F W; Durston, Sarah

2015-01-01

Reward processing has been implicated in developmental disorders. However, the classic task to probe reward anticipation, the monetary incentive delay task, has an abstract coding of reward and no storyline and may therefore be less appropriate for use with developmental populations. We modified the task to create a version appropriate for use with children. We investigated whether this child-friendly version could elicit ventral striatal activation during reward anticipation in typically developing children and young adolescents (aged 9.5-14.5). In addition, we tested whether our performance-based measure of reward sensitivity was associated with anticipatory activity in ventral striatum. Reward anticipation was related to activity in bilateral ventral striatum. Moreover, we found an association between individual reward sensitivity and activity in ventral striatum. We conclude that this task assesses ventral striatal activity in a child-friendly paradigm. The combination with a performance-based measure of reward sensitivity potentially makes the task a powerful tool for developmental imaging studies of reward processing.

Functional hyperconnectivity vanishes in children with developmental dyscalculia after numerical intervention.

PubMed

Michels, Lars; O'Gorman, Ruth; Kucian, Karin

2018-04-01

Developmental dyscalculia (DD) is a developmental learning disability associated with deficits in processing numerical and mathematical information. Although behavioural training can reduce these deficits, it is unclear which neuronal resources show a functional reorganization due to training. We examined typically developing (TD) children (N=16, mean age: 9.5 years) and age-, gender-, and handedness-matched children with DD (N=15, mean age: 9.5 years) during the performance of a numerical order task with fMRI and functional connectivity before and after 5-weeks of number line training. Using the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) as seed region, DD showed hyperconnectivity in parietal, frontal, visual, and temporal regions before the training controlling for age and IQ. Hyperconnectivity disappeared after training, whereas math abilities improved. Multivariate classification analysis of task-related fMRI data corroborated the connectivity results as the same group of TD could be discriminated from DD before but not after number line training (86.4 vs. 38.9%, respectively). Our results indicate that abnormally high functional connectivity in DD can be normalized on the neuronal level by intensive number line training. As functional connectivity in DD was indistinguishable to TD's connectivity after training, we conclude that training lead to a re-organization of inter-regional task engagement. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Development of Neural Sensitivity to Face Identity Correlates with Perceptual Discriminability.

PubMed

Natu, Vaidehi S; Barnett, Michael A; Hartley, Jake; Gomez, Jesse; Stigliani, Anthony; Grill-Spector, Kalanit

2016-10-19

Face perception is subserved by a series of face-selective regions in the human ventral stream, which undergo prolonged development from childhood to adulthood. However, it is unknown how neural development of these regions relates to the development of face-perception abilities. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure brain responses of ventral occipitotemporal regions in children (ages, 5-12 years) and adults (ages, 19-34 years) when they viewed faces that parametrically varied in dissimilarity. Since similar faces generate lower responses than dissimilar faces due to fMRI adaptation, this design objectively evaluates neural sensitivity to face identity across development. Additionally, a subset of subjects participated in a behavioral experiment to assess perceptual discriminability of face identity. Our data reveal three main findings: (1) neural sensitivity to face identity increases with age in face-selective but not object-selective regions; (2) the amplitude of responses to faces increases with age in both face-selective and object-selective regions; and (3) perceptual discriminability of face identity is correlated with the neural sensitivity to face identity of face-selective regions. In contrast, perceptual discriminability is not correlated with the amplitude of response in face-selective regions or of responses of object-selective regions. These data suggest that developmental increases in neural sensitivity to face identity in face-selective regions improve perceptual discriminability of faces. Our findings significantly advance the understanding of the neural mechanisms of development of face perception and open new avenues for using fMRI adaptation to study the neural development of high-level visual and cognitive functions more broadly. Face perception, which is critical for daily social interactions, develops from childhood to adulthood. However, it is unknown what developmental changes in the brain lead to improved performance. Using fMRI in children and adults, we find that from childhood to adulthood, neural sensitivity to changes in face identity increases in face-selective regions. Critically, subjects' perceptual discriminability among faces is linked to neural sensitivity: participants with higher neural sensitivity in face-selective regions demonstrate higher perceptual discriminability. Thus, our results suggest that developmental increases in face-selective regions' sensitivity to face identity improve perceptual discrimination of faces. These findings significantly advance understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying the development of face perception and have important implications for assessing both typical and atypical development. Copyright © 2016 the authors 0270-6474/16/3610893-15$15.00/0.

The “Task B problem” and other considerations in developmental functional neuroimaging

PubMed Central

Church, Jessica A.; Petersen, Steven E.; Schlaggar, Bradley L.

2012-01-01

Functional neuroimaging provides a remarkable tool to allow us to study cognition across the lifespan and in special populations in a safe way. However, experimenters face a number of methodological issues, and these issues are particularly pertinent when imaging children. This brief article discusses assessing task performance, strategies for dealing with group performance differences, controlling for movement, statistical power, proper atlas registration, and data analysis strategies. In addition, there will be discussion of two other topics that have important implications for interpreting fMRI data: the question of whether functional neuroanatomical differences between adults and children are the consequence of putative developmental neurovascular differences, and the issue of interpreting negative blood oxygenation-level dependent (BOLD) signal change. PMID:20496376

The Relationship between Puberty and Social Emotion Processing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goddings, Anne-Lise; Burnett Heyes, Stephanie; Bird, Geoffrey; Viner, Russell M.; Blakemore, Sarah-Jayne

2012-01-01

The social brain undergoes developmental change during adolescence, and pubertal hormones are hypothesized to contribute to this development. We used fMRI to explore how pubertal indicators (salivary concentrations of testosterone, oestradiol and DHEA; pubertal stage; menarcheal status) relate to brain activity during a social emotion task.…

The use of repetition suppression paradigms in developmental cognitive neuroscience.

PubMed

Nordt, Marisa; Hoehl, Stefanie; Weigelt, Sarah

2016-07-01

Repetition suppression paradigms allow a more detailed look at brain functioning than classical paradigms and have been applied vigorously in adult cognitive neuroscience. These paradigms are well suited for studies in the field of developmental cognitive neuroscience as they can be applied without collecting a behavioral response and across all age groups. Furthermore, repetition suppression paradigms can be employed in various neuroscience techniques, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG). In the present article we review studies using repetition suppression paradigms in developmental cognitive neuroscience covering the age range from infancy to adolescence. Our first goal is to point out characteristics of developmental repetition suppression effects. In doing so, we discuss the relationship of the direction of repetition effects (suppression vs enhancement) with developmental factors, and address the question how the direction of repetition effects might be related to looking-time effects in behavioral infant paradigms, the most prominently used behavioral measure in infant research. To highlight the potential of repetition suppression paradigms, our second goal is to provide an overview on the insights recently obtained by applying repetition paradigms in neurodevelopmental studies, including research on children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). We conclude that repetition suppression paradigms are valuable tools for investigating neurodevelopmental processes, while at the same time we highlight the necessity for further studies that disentangle methodological and developmental factors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Oscillations, networks, and their development: MEG connectivity changes with age.

PubMed

Schäfer, Carmen B; Morgan, Benjamin R; Ye, Annette X; Taylor, Margot J; Doesburg, Sam M

2014-10-01

Magnetoencephalographic (MEG) investigations of inter-regional amplitude correlations have yielded new insights into the organization and neurophysiology of resting-state networks (RSNs) first identified using fMRI. Inter-regional MEG amplitude correlations in adult RSNs have been shown to be most prominent in alpha and beta frequency ranges and to express strong congruence with RSN topologies found using fMRI. Despite such advances, little is known about how oscillatory connectivity in RSNs develops throughout childhood and adolescence. This study used a novel fMRI-guided MEG approach to investigate the maturation of resting-state amplitude correlations in physiologically relevant frequency ranges within and among six RSNs in 59 participants, aged 6-34 years. We report age-related increases in inter-regional amplitude correlations that were largest in alpha and beta frequency bands. In contrast to fMRI reports, these changes were observed both within and between the various RSNs analyzed. Our results provide the first evidence of developmental changes in spontaneous neurophysiological connectivity in source-resolved RSNs, which indicate increasing integration within and among intrinsic functional brain networks throughout childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Strengthening of Top-Down Frontal Cognitive Control Networks Underlying the Development of Inhibitory Control: An fMRI Effective Connectivity Study

PubMed Central

Hwang, Kai; Velanova, Katerina; Luna, Beatriz

2010-01-01

The ability to voluntarily inhibit responses to task irrelevant stimuli, which is a fundamental component of cognitive control, has a protracted development through adolescence. Prior human developmental imaging studies have found immaturities in localized brain activity in children and adolescents. However, little is known about how these regions integrate with age to form the distributed networks known to support cognitive control. In the present study, we used Granger Causality analysis to characterize developmental changes in effective connectivity underlying inhibitory control (antisaccade task) compared to reflexive responses (prosaccade task) in human participants. By childhood few top-down connectivity were evident with increased parietal interconnectivity. By adolescence connections from prefrontal cortex increased and parietal interconnectivity decreased in number. From adolescence to adulthood there was evidence of increased number and strength of frontal connections to cortical regions as well as subcortical regions. Taken together, results suggest that developmental improvements in inhibitory control may be supported by age related enhancements in top-down effective connectivity between frontal, oculomotor and subcortical regions. PMID:21084608

Development of the Intrinsic Language Network in Preschool Children from Ages 3 to 5 Years.

PubMed

Xiao, Yaqiong; Brauer, Jens; Lauckner, Mark; Zhai, Hongchang; Jia, Fucang; Margulies, Daniel S; Friederici, Angela D

2016-01-01

Resting state studies of spontaneous fluctuations in the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) blood oxygen level dependent signal have shown great potential in mapping the intrinsic functional connectivity of the human brain underlying cognitive functions. The aim of the present study was to explore the developmental changes in functional networks of the developing human brain exemplified with the language network in typically developing preschool children. To this end, resting-sate fMRI data were obtained from native Chinese children at ages of 3 and 5 years, 15 in each age group. Resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) was analyzed for four regions of interest; these are the left and right anterior superior temporal gyrus (aSTG), left posterior superior temporal gyrus (pSTG), and left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). The comparison of these RSFC maps between 3- and 5-year-olds revealed that RSFC decreases in the right aSTG and increases in the left hemisphere between aSTG seed and IFG, between pSTG seed and IFG, as well as between IFG seed and posterior superior temporal sulcus. In a subsequent analysis, functional asymmetry of the language network seeding in aSTG, pSTG and IFG was further investigated. The results showed an increase of left lateralization in both RSFC of pSTG and of IFG from ages 3 to 5 years. The IFG showed a leftward lateralized trend in 3-year-olds, while pSTG demonstrated rightward asymmetry in 5-year-olds. These findings suggest clear developmental trajectories of the language network between 3- and 5-year-olds revealed as a function of age, characterized by increasing long-range connections and dynamic hemispheric lateralization with age. Our study provides new insights into the developmental changes of a well-established functional network in young children and also offers a basis for future cross-culture and cross-age studies of the resting-state language network.

The Brain Adapts to Orthography with Experience: Evidence from English and Chinese

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cao, Fan; Brennan, Christine; Booth, James R.

2015-01-01

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we examined the process of language specialization in the brain by comparing developmental changes in two contrastive orthographies: Chinese and English. In a visual word rhyming judgment task, we found a significant interaction between age and language in left inferior parietal lobule and left…

Numerical and Non-Numerical Ordinality Processing in Children with and without Developmental Dyscalculia: Evidence from fMRI

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaufmann, L.; Vogel, S. E.; Starke, M.; Kremser, C.; Schocke, M.

2009-01-01

Ordinality is--beyond numerical magnitude (i.e., quantity)--an important characteristic of the number system. There is converging empirical evidence that (intra)parietal brain regions mediate number magnitude processing. Furthermore, recent findings suggest that the human intraparietal sulcus (IPS) supports magnitude and ordinality in a…

Reading for Meaning in Dyslexic and Young Children: Distinct Neural Pathways but Common Endpoints

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schulz, Enrico; Maurer, Urs; van der Mark, Sanne; Bucher, Kerstin; Brem, Silvia; Martin, Ernst; Brandeis, Daniel

2009-01-01

Developmental dyslexia is a highly prevalent and specific disorder of reading acquisition characterised by impaired reading fluency and comprehension. We have previously identified fMRI- and ERP-based neural markers of impaired sentence reading in dyslexia that indicated both deviant basic word processing and deviant semantic incongruency…

Estimation of Dynamic Sparse Connectivity Patterns From Resting State fMRI.

PubMed

Cai, Biao; Zille, Pascal; Stephen, Julia M; Wilson, Tony W; Calhoun, Vince D; Wang, Yu Ping

2018-05-01

Functional connectivity (FC) estimated from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) time series, especially during resting state periods, provides a powerful tool to assess human brain functional architecture in health, disease, and developmental states. Recently, the focus of connectivity analysis has shifted toward the subnetworks of the brain, which reveals co-activating patterns over time. Most prior works produced a dense set of high-dimensional vectors, which are hard to interpret. In addition, their estimations to a large extent were based on an implicit assumption of spatial and temporal stationarity throughout the fMRI scanning session. In this paper, we propose an approach called dynamic sparse connectivity patterns (dSCPs), which takes advantage of both matrix factorization and time-varying fMRI time series to improve the estimation power of FC. The feasibility of analyzing dynamic FC with our model is first validated through simulated experiments. Then, we use our framework to measure the difference between young adults and children with real fMRI data set from the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort (PNC). The results from the PNC data set showed significant FC differences between young adults and children in four different states. For instance, young adults had reduced connectivity between the default mode network and other subnetworks, as well as hyperconnectivity within the visual system in states 1 and 3, and hypoconnectivity in state 2. Meanwhile, they exhibited temporal correlation patterns that changed over time within functional subnetworks. In addition, the dSCPs model indicated that older people tend to spend more time within a relatively connected FC pattern. Overall, the proposed method provides a valid means to assess dynamic FC, which could facilitate the study of brain networks.

Relating resting-state fMRI and EEG whole-brain connectomes across frequency bands.

PubMed

Deligianni, Fani; Centeno, Maria; Carmichael, David W; Clayden, Jonathan D

2014-01-01

Whole brain functional connectomes hold promise for understanding human brain activity across a range of cognitive, developmental and pathological states. So called resting-state (rs) functional MRI studies have contributed to the brain being considered at a macroscopic scale as a set of interacting regions. Interactions are defined as correlation-based signal measurements driven by blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) contrast. Understanding the neurophysiological basis of these measurements is important in conveying useful information about brain function. Local coupling between BOLD fMRI and neurophysiological measurements is relatively well defined, with evidence that gamma (range) frequency EEG signals are the closest correlate of BOLD fMRI changes during cognitive processing. However, it is less clear how whole-brain network interactions relate during rest where lower frequency signals have been suggested to play a key role. Simultaneous EEG-fMRI offers the opportunity to observe brain network dynamics with high spatio-temporal resolution. We utilize these measurements to compare the connectomes derived from rs-fMRI and EEG band limited power (BLP). Merging this multi-modal information requires the development of an appropriate statistical framework. We relate the covariance matrices of the Hilbert envelope of the source localized EEG signal across bands to the covariance matrices derived from rs-fMRI with the means of statistical prediction based on sparse Canonical Correlation Analysis (sCCA). Subsequently, we identify the most prominent connections that contribute to this relationship. We compare whole-brain functional connectomes based on their geodesic distance to reliably estimate the performance of the prediction. The performance of predicting fMRI from EEG connectomes is considerably better than predicting EEG from fMRI across all bands, whereas the connectomes derived in low frequency EEG bands resemble best rs-fMRI connectivity.

Relating resting-state fMRI and EEG whole-brain connectomes across frequency bands

PubMed Central

Deligianni, Fani; Centeno, Maria; Carmichael, David W.; Clayden, Jonathan D.

2014-01-01

Whole brain functional connectomes hold promise for understanding human brain activity across a range of cognitive, developmental and pathological states. So called resting-state (rs) functional MRI studies have contributed to the brain being considered at a macroscopic scale as a set of interacting regions. Interactions are defined as correlation-based signal measurements driven by blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) contrast. Understanding the neurophysiological basis of these measurements is important in conveying useful information about brain function. Local coupling between BOLD fMRI and neurophysiological measurements is relatively well defined, with evidence that gamma (range) frequency EEG signals are the closest correlate of BOLD fMRI changes during cognitive processing. However, it is less clear how whole-brain network interactions relate during rest where lower frequency signals have been suggested to play a key role. Simultaneous EEG-fMRI offers the opportunity to observe brain network dynamics with high spatio-temporal resolution. We utilize these measurements to compare the connectomes derived from rs-fMRI and EEG band limited power (BLP). Merging this multi-modal information requires the development of an appropriate statistical framework. We relate the covariance matrices of the Hilbert envelope of the source localized EEG signal across bands to the covariance matrices derived from rs-fMRI with the means of statistical prediction based on sparse Canonical Correlation Analysis (sCCA). Subsequently, we identify the most prominent connections that contribute to this relationship. We compare whole-brain functional connectomes based on their geodesic distance to reliably estimate the performance of the prediction. The performance of predicting fMRI from EEG connectomes is considerably better than predicting EEG from fMRI across all bands, whereas the connectomes derived in low frequency EEG bands resemble best rs-fMRI connectivity. PMID:25221467

Neural dissociation of phonological and visual attention span disorders in developmental dyslexia: FMRI evidence from two case reports.

PubMed

Peyrin, C; Lallier, M; Démonet, J F; Pernet, C; Baciu, M; Le Bas, J F; Valdois, S

2012-03-01

A dissociation between phonological and visual attention (VA) span disorders has been reported in dyslexic children. This study investigates whether this cognitively-based dissociation has a neurobiological counterpart through the investigation of two cases of developmental dyslexia. LL showed a phonological disorder but preserved VA span whereas FG exhibited the reverse pattern. During a phonological rhyme judgement task, LL showed decreased activation of the left inferior frontal gyrus whereas this region was activated at the level of the controls in FG. Conversely, during a visual categorization task, FG demonstrated decreased activation of the parietal lobules whereas these regions were activated in LL as in the controls. These contrasted patterns of brain activation thus mirror the cognitive disorders' dissociation. These findings provide the first evidence for an association between distinct brain mechanisms and distinct cognitive deficits in developmental dyslexia, emphasizing the importance of taking into account the heterogeneity of the reading disorder. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging of story listening in adolescents and young adults with Down syndrome: evidence for atypical neurodevelopment.

PubMed

Jacola, L M; Byars, A W; Hickey, F; Vannest, J; Holland, S K; Schapiro, M B

2014-10-01

Previous studies have documented differences in neural activation during language processing in individuals with Down syndrome (DS) in comparison with typically developing individuals matched for chronological age. This study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to compare activation during language processing in young adults with DS to typically developing comparison groups matched for chronological age or mental age. We hypothesised that the pattern of neural activation in the DS cohort would differ when compared with both typically developing cohorts. Eleven persons with DS (mean chronological age = 18.3; developmental age range = 4-6 years) and two groups of typically developing individuals matched for chronological (n = 13; mean age = 18.3 years) and developmental (mental) age (n = 12; chronological age range = 4-6 years) completed fMRI scanning during a passive story listening paradigm. Random effects group comparisons were conducted on individual maps of the contrast between activation (story listening) and rest (tone presentation) conditions. Robust activation was seen in typically developing groups in regions associated with processing auditory information, including bilateral superior and middle temporal lobe gyri. In contrast, the DS cohort demonstrated atypical spatial distribution of activation in midline frontal and posterior cingulate regions when compared with both typically developing control groups. Random effects group analyses documented reduced magnitude of activation in the DS cohort when compared with both control groups. Activation in the DS group differed significantly in magnitude and spatial extent when compared with chronological and mental age-matched typically developing control groups during a story listening task. Results provide additional support for an atypical pattern of functional organisation for language processing in this population. © 2013 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Developmental Shift from Positive to Negative Connectivity in Human Amygdala-Prefrontal Circuitry

PubMed Central

Gee, Dylan G.; Humphreys, Kathryn L.; Flannery, Jessica; Goff, Bonnie; Telzer, Eva H.; Shapiro, Mor; Hare, Todd A.; Bookheimer, Susan Y.; Tottenham, Nim

2013-01-01

Recent human imaging and animal studies highlight the importance of frontoamygdala circuitry in the regulation of emotional behavior and its disruption in anxiety-related disorders. While tracing studies have suggested changes in amygdala-cortical connectivity through the adolescent period in rodents, less is known about the reciprocal connections within this circuitry across human development, when these circuits are being fine-tuned and substantial changes in emotional control are observed. The present study examined developmental changes in amygdala-prefrontal circuitry across the ages of 4 to 22 years using task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Results suggest positive amygdala-prefrontal connectivity in early childhood that switches to negative functional connectivity during the transition to adolescence. Amygdala-mPFC functional connectivity was significantly positive (greater than zero) among participants younger than ten, whereas functional connectivity was significantly negative (less than zero) among participants ten years and older, over and above the effect of amygdala reactivity. The developmental switch in functional connectivity was paralleled by a steady decline in amygdala reactivity. Moreover, the valence switch might explain age-related improvement in task performance and a developmentally normative decline in anxiety. Initial positive connectivity followed by a valence shift to negative connectivity provides a neurobiological basis for regulatory development and may present novel insight into a more general process of developing regulatory connections. PMID:23467374

Healthy adolescents' neural response to reward: associations with puberty, positive affect, and depressive symptoms.

PubMed

Forbes, Erika E; Ryan, Neal D; Phillips, Mary L; Manuck, Stephen B; Worthman, Carol M; Moyles, Donna L; Tarr, Jill A; Sciarrillo, Samantha R; Dahl, Ronald E

2010-02-01

Changes in reward-related behavior are an important component of normal adolescent affective development. Understanding the neural underpinnings of these normative changes creates a foundation for investigating adolescence as a period of vulnerability to affective disorders, substance use disorders, and health problems. Studies of reward-related brain function have revealed conflicting findings regarding developmental change in the reactivity of the striatum and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and have not considered puberty. The current study focused on puberty-specific changes in brain function and their association with mood. A sample of 77 healthy adolescents (26 pre-/early pubertal, 51 mid-/late pubertal) recruited in a narrow age range (mean = 11.94 years, SD = 0.75) were assessed for sexual maturation and circulating testosterone, completed a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) guessing task with monetary reward, and underwent experience sampling of mood in natural environments. For comparison, 19 healthy adults completed the fMRI assessment. Adolescents with more advanced pubertal maturation exhibited less striatal and more mPFC reactivity during reward outcome than similarly aged adolescents with less advanced maturation. Testosterone was positively correlated with striatal reactivity in boys during reward anticipation and negatively correlated with striatal reactivity in girls and boys during reward outcome. Striatal reactivity was positively correlated with real-world subjective positive affect and negatively correlated with depressive symptoms. mPFC reactivity was positively correlated with depressive symptoms. Reward-related brain function changes with puberty and is associated with adolescents' positive affect and depressive symptoms. Increased reward-seeking behavior at this developmental point could serve to compensate for these changes.

Resting-State Brain Activity in Adult Males Who Stutter

PubMed Central

Zhu, Chaozhe; Wang, Liang; Yan, Qian; Lin, Chunlan; Yu, Chunshui

2012-01-01

Although developmental stuttering has been extensively studied with structural and task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), few studies have focused on resting-state brain activity in this disorder. We investigated resting-state brain activity of stuttering subjects by analyzing the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), region of interest (ROI)-based functional connectivity (FC) and independent component analysis (ICA)-based FC. Forty-four adult males with developmental stuttering and 46 age-matched fluent male controls were scanned using resting-state fMRI. ALFF, ROI-based FCs and ICA-based FCs were compared between male stuttering subjects and fluent controls in a voxel-wise manner. Compared with fluent controls, stuttering subjects showed increased ALFF in left brain areas related to speech motor and auditory functions and bilateral prefrontal cortices related to cognitive control. However, stuttering subjects showed decreased ALFF in the left posterior language reception area and bilateral non-speech motor areas. ROI-based FC analysis revealed decreased FC between the posterior language area involved in the perception and decoding of sensory information and anterior brain area involved in the initiation of speech motor function, as well as increased FC within anterior or posterior speech- and language-associated areas and between the prefrontal areas and default-mode network (DMN) in stuttering subjects. ICA showed that stuttering subjects had decreased FC in the DMN and increased FC in the sensorimotor network. Our findings support the concept that stuttering subjects have deficits in multiple functional systems (motor, language, auditory and DMN) and in the connections between them. PMID:22276215

Time-Resolved and Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Complex Cognitive Processes and their Role in Disorders like Developmental Dyscalculia

PubMed Central

Mórocz, István Akos; Janoos, Firdaus; van Gelderen, Peter; Manor, David; Karni, Avi; Breznitz, Zvia; von Aster, Michael; Kushnir, Tammar; Shalev, Ruth

2012-01-01

The aim of this article is to report on the importance and challenges of a time-resolved and spatio-temporal analysis of fMRI data from complex cognitive processes and associated disorders using a study on developmental dyscalculia (DD). Participants underwent fMRI while judging the incorrectness of multiplication results, and the data were analyzed using a sequence of methods, each of which progressively provided more a detailed picture of the spatio-temporal aspect of this disease. Healthy subjects and subjects with DD performed alike behaviorally though they exhibited parietal disparities using traditional voxel-based group analyses. Further and more detailed differences, however, surfaced with a time-resolved examination of the neural responses during the experiment. While performing inter-group comparisons, a third group of subjects with dyslexia (DL) but with no arithmetic difficulties was included to test the specificity of the analysis and strengthen the statistical base with overall fifty-eight subjects. Surprisingly, the analysis showed a functional dissimilarity during an initial reading phase for the group of dyslexic but otherwise normal subjects, with respect to controls, even though only numerical digits and no alphabetic characters were presented. Thus our results suggest that time-resolved multi-variate analysis of complex experimental paradigms has the ability to yield powerful new clinical insights about abnormal brain function. Similarly, a detailed compilation of aberrations in the functional cascade may have much greater potential to delineate the core processing problems in mental disorders. PMID:22368322

Normative data on development of neural and behavioral mechanisms underlying attention orienting toward social-emotional stimuli: An exploratory study

PubMed Central

Lindstrom, Kara; Guyer, Amanda E.; Mogg, Karin; Bradley, Brendan P.; Fox, Nathan A.; Ernst, Monique; Nelson, Eric E.; Leibenluft, Ellen; Britton, Jennifer C.; Monk, Christopher S.; Pine, Daniel S.; Bar-Haim, Yair

2009-01-01

The ability of positive and negative facial signals to influence attention orienting is crucial to social functioning. Given the dramatic developmental change in neural architecture supporting social function, positive and negative facial cues may influence attention orienting differently in relatively young or old individuals. However, virtually no research examines such age-related differences in the neural circuitry supporting attention orienting to emotional faces. We examined age-related correlations in attention-orienting biases to positive and negative face emotions in a healthy sample (N=37; 9-40 years old) using functional magnetic resonance imaging and a dot-probe task. The dot-probe task in an fMRI setting yields both behavioral and neural indices of attention biases towards or away from an emotional cue (happy or angry face). In the full sample, angry-face attention bias scores did not correlate with age, and age did not correlate with brain activation to angry faces. However, age did positively correlate with attention bias towards happy faces; age also negatively correlated with left cuneus and left caudate activation to a happy-bias fMRI contrast. Secondary analyses suggested age-related changes in attention bias to happy faces. The tendency in younger children to direct attention away from happy faces (relative to neutral faces) was diminished in the older age groups, in tandem with increasing neural deactivation. Implications for future work on developmental changes in attention-emotion processing are discussed. PMID:19631626

Scene construction in developmental amnesia: an fMRI study.

PubMed

Mullally, Sinéad L; Vargha-Khadem, Faraneh; Maguire, Eleanor A

2014-01-01

Amnesic patients with bilateral hippocampal damage sustained in adulthood are generally unable to construct scenes in their imagination. By contrast, patients with developmental amnesia (DA), where hippocampal damage was acquired early in life, have preserved performance on this task, although the reason for this sparing is unclear. One possibility is that residual function in remnant hippocampal tissue is sufficient to support basic scene construction in DA. Such a situation was found in the one amnesic patient with adult-acquired hippocampal damage (P01) who could also construct scenes. Alternatively, DA patients' scene construction might not depend on the hippocampus, perhaps being instead reliant on non-hippocampal regions and mediated by semantic knowledge. To adjudicate between these two possibilities, we examined scene construction during functional MRI (fMRI) in Jon, a well-characterised patient with DA who has previously been shown to have preserved scene construction. We found that when Jon constructed scenes he activated many of the regions known to be associated with imagining scenes in control participants including ventromedial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate, retrosplenial and posterior parietal cortices. Critically, however, activity was not increased in Jon's remnant hippocampal tissue. Direct comparisons with a group of control participants and patient P01, confirmed that they activated their right hippocampus more than Jon. Our results show that a type of non-hippocampal dependent scene construction is possible and occurs in DA, perhaps mediated by semantic memory, which does not appear to involve the vivid visualisation of imagined scenes. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Adolescents with Developmental Dyscalculia Do Not Have a Generalized Magnitude Deficit - Processing of Discrete and Continuous Magnitudes.

PubMed

McCaskey, Ursina; von Aster, Michael; O'Gorman Tuura, Ruth; Kucian, Karin

2017-01-01

The link between number and space has been discussed in the literature for some time, resulting in the theory that number, space and time might be part of a generalized magnitude system. To date, several behavioral and neuroimaging findings support the notion of a generalized magnitude system, although contradictory results showing a partial overlap or separate magnitude systems are also found. The possible existence of a generalized magnitude processing area leads to the question how individuals with developmental dyscalculia (DD), known for deficits in numerical-arithmetical abilities, process magnitudes. By means of neuropsychological tests and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) we aimed to examine the relationship between number and space in typical and atypical development. Participants were 16 adolescents with DD (14.1 years) and 14 typically developing (TD) peers (13.8 years). In the fMRI paradigm participants had to perform discrete (arrays of dots) and continuous magnitude (angles) comparisons as well as a mental rotation task. In the neuropsychological tests, adolescents with dyscalculia performed significantly worse in numerical and complex visuo-spatial tasks. However, they showed similar results to TD peers when making discrete and continuous magnitude decisions during the neuropsychological tests and the fMRI paradigm. A conjunction analysis of the fMRI data revealed commonly activated higher order visual (inferior and middle occipital gyrus) and parietal (inferior and superior parietal lobe) magnitude areas for the discrete and continuous magnitude tasks. Moreover, no differences were found when contrasting both magnitude processing conditions, favoring the possibility of a generalized magnitude system. Group comparisons further revealed that dyscalculic subjects showed increased activation in domain general regions, whilst TD peers activate domain specific areas to a greater extent. In conclusion, our results point to the existence of a generalized magnitude system in the occipito-parietal stream in typical development. The detailed investigation of spatial and numerical magnitude abilities in DD reveals that the deficits in number processing and arithmetic cannot be explained with a general magnitude deficiency. Our results further indicate that multiple neuro-cognitive components might contribute to the explanation of DD.

Adolescents with Developmental Dyscalculia Do Not Have a Generalized Magnitude Deficit – Processing of Discrete and Continuous Magnitudes

PubMed Central

McCaskey, Ursina; von Aster, Michael; O’Gorman Tuura, Ruth; Kucian, Karin

2017-01-01

The link between number and space has been discussed in the literature for some time, resulting in the theory that number, space and time might be part of a generalized magnitude system. To date, several behavioral and neuroimaging findings support the notion of a generalized magnitude system, although contradictory results showing a partial overlap or separate magnitude systems are also found. The possible existence of a generalized magnitude processing area leads to the question how individuals with developmental dyscalculia (DD), known for deficits in numerical-arithmetical abilities, process magnitudes. By means of neuropsychological tests and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) we aimed to examine the relationship between number and space in typical and atypical development. Participants were 16 adolescents with DD (14.1 years) and 14 typically developing (TD) peers (13.8 years). In the fMRI paradigm participants had to perform discrete (arrays of dots) and continuous magnitude (angles) comparisons as well as a mental rotation task. In the neuropsychological tests, adolescents with dyscalculia performed significantly worse in numerical and complex visuo-spatial tasks. However, they showed similar results to TD peers when making discrete and continuous magnitude decisions during the neuropsychological tests and the fMRI paradigm. A conjunction analysis of the fMRI data revealed commonly activated higher order visual (inferior and middle occipital gyrus) and parietal (inferior and superior parietal lobe) magnitude areas for the discrete and continuous magnitude tasks. Moreover, no differences were found when contrasting both magnitude processing conditions, favoring the possibility of a generalized magnitude system. Group comparisons further revealed that dyscalculic subjects showed increased activation in domain general regions, whilst TD peers activate domain specific areas to a greater extent. In conclusion, our results point to the existence of a generalized magnitude system in the occipito-parietal stream in typical development. The detailed investigation of spatial and numerical magnitude abilities in DD reveals that the deficits in number processing and arithmetic cannot be explained with a general magnitude deficiency. Our results further indicate that multiple neuro-cognitive components might contribute to the explanation of DD. PMID:28373834

Severity of dysfluency correlates with basal ganglia activity in persistent developmental stuttering.

PubMed

Giraud, Anne-Lise; Neumann, Katrin; Bachoud-Levi, Anne-Catherine; von Gudenberg, Alexander W; Euler, Harald A; Lanfermann, Heinrich; Preibisch, Christine

2008-02-01

Previous studies suggest that anatomical anomalies [Foundas, A. L., Bollich, A. M., Corey, D. M., Hurley, M., & Heilman, K. M. (2001). Anomalous anatomy of speech-language areas in adults with persistent developmental stuttering. Neurology, 57, 207-215; Foundas, A. L., Corey, D. M., Angeles, V., Bollich, A. M., Crabtree-Hartman, E., & Heilman, K. M. (2003). Atypical cerebral laterality in adults with persistent developmental stuttering. Neurology, 61, 1378-1385; Foundas, A. L., Bollich, A. M., Feldman, J., Corey, D. M., Hurley, M., & Lemen, L. C. et al., (2004). Aberrant auditory processing and atypical planum temporale in developmental stuttering. Neurology, 63, 1640-1646; Jancke, L., Hanggi, J., & Steinmetz, H. (2004). Morphological brain differences between adult stutterers and non-stutterers. BMC Neurology, 4, 23], in particular a reduction of the white matter anisotropy underlying the left sensorimotor cortex [Sommer, M., Koch, M. A., Paulus, W., Weiller, C., & Buchel, C. (2002). Disconnection of speech-relevant brain areas in persistent developmental stuttering. Lancet, 360, 380-383] could be at the origin of persistent developmental stuttering (PDS). Because neural connections between the motor cortex and basal ganglia are implicated in speech motor functions, PDS could also be associated with a dysfunction in basal ganglia activity [Alm, P. (2004). Stuttering and the basal ganglia circuits: a critical review of possible relations. Journal of Communication Disorders, 37, 325-369]. This fMRI study reports a correlation between severity of stuttering and activity in the basal ganglia and shows that this activity is modified by fluency shaping therapy through long-term therapy effects that reflect speech production improvement. A model of dysfunction in stuttering and possible repair modes is proposed that accommodates the data presented here and observations previously made by us and by others.

Reading without words or target detection? A re-analysis and replication fMRI study of the Landolt paradigm.

PubMed

Heim, Stefan; von Tongeln, Franziska; Hillen, Rebekka; Horbach, Josefine; Radach, Ralph; Günther, Thomas

2018-06-19

The Landolt paradigm is a visual scanning task intended to evoke reading-like eye-movements in the absence of orthographic or lexical information, thus allowing the dissociation of (sub-) lexical vs. visual processing. To that end, all letters in real word sentences are exchanged for closed Landolt rings, with 0, 1, or 2 open Landolt rings as targets in each Landolt sentence. A preliminary fMRI block-design study (Hillen et al. in Front Hum Neurosci 7:1-14, 2013) demonstrated that the Landolt paradigm has a special neural signature, recruiting the right IPS and SPL as part of the endogenous attention network. However, in that analysis, the brain responses to target detection could not be separated from those involved in processing Landolt stimuli without targets. The present study presents two fMRI experiments testing the question whether targets or the Landolt stimuli per se, led to the right IPS/SPL activation. Experiment 1 was an event-related re-analysis of the Hillen et al. (Front Hum Neurosci 7:1-14, 2013) data. Experiment 2 was a replication study with a new sample and identical procedures. In both experiments, the right IPS/SPL were recruited in the Landolt condition as compared to orthographic stimuli even in the absence of any target in the stimulus, indicating that the properties of the Landolt task itself trigger this right parietal activation. These findings are discussed against the background of behavioural and neuroimaging studies of healthy reading as well as developmental and acquired dyslexia. Consequently, this neuroimaging evidence might encourage the use of the Landolt paradigm also in the context of examining reading disorders, as it taps into the orientation of visual attention during reading-like scanning of stimuli without interfering sub-lexical information.

Genetic and Diagnostic Biomarker Development in ASD Toddlers Using Resting State Functional MRI

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-11-01

and activation-based fMRI from the Courchesne lab report the presence of structural and functional abnormality in these structures by ages 1 to 2...young ages. With this invaluable resource, we will identify early developmental patterns of intrinsic functional network abnormalities in ASD infants...all infants and toddlers, analyses also investigate whether there may be subtypes of abnormal intrinsic connectivity patterns based on early clinical

Weak task-related modulation and stimulus representations during arithmetic problem solving in children with developmental dyscalculia

PubMed Central

Ashkenazi, Sarit; Rosenberg-Lee, Miriam; Tenison, Caitlin; Menon, Vinod

2015-01-01

Developmental dyscalculia (DD) is a disability that impacts math learning and skill acquisition in school-age children. Here we investigate arithmetic problem solving deficits in young children with DD using univariate and multivariate analysis of fMRI data. During fMRI scanning, 17 children with DD (ages 7–9, grades 2 and 3) and 17 IQ- and reading ability-matched typically developing (TD) children performed complex and simple addition problems which differed only in arithmetic complexity. While the TD group showed strong modulation of brain responses with increasing arithmetic complexity, children with DD failed to show such modulation. Children with DD showed significantly reduced activation compared to TD children in the intraparietal sulcus, superior parietal lobule, supramarginal gyrus and bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in relation to arithmetic complexity. Critically, multivariate representational similarity revealed that brain response patterns to complex and simple problems were less differentiated in the DD group in bilateral anterior IPS, independent of overall differences in signal level. Taken together, these results show that children with DD not only under-activate key brain regions implicated in mathematical cognition, but they also fail to generate distinct neural responses and representations for different arithmetic problems. Our findings provide novel insights into the neural basis of DD. PMID:22682904

Weak task-related modulation and stimulus representations during arithmetic problem solving in children with developmental dyscalculia.

PubMed

Ashkenazi, Sarit; Rosenberg-Lee, Miriam; Tenison, Caitlin; Menon, Vinod

2012-02-15

Developmental dyscalculia (DD) is a disability that impacts math learning and skill acquisition in school-age children. Here we investigate arithmetic problem solving deficits in young children with DD using univariate and multivariate analysis of fMRI data. During fMRI scanning, 17 children with DD (ages 7-9, grades 2 and 3) and 17 IQ- and reading ability-matched typically developing (TD) children performed complex and simple addition problems which differed only in arithmetic complexity. While the TD group showed strong modulation of brain responses with increasing arithmetic complexity, children with DD failed to show such modulation. Children with DD showed significantly reduced activation compared to TD children in the intraparietal sulcus, superior parietal lobule, supramarginal gyrus and bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in relation to arithmetic complexity. Critically, multivariate representational similarity revealed that brain response patterns to complex and simple problems were less differentiated in the DD group in bilateral anterior IPS, independent of overall differences in signal level. Taken together, these results show that children with DD not only under-activate key brain regions implicated in mathematical cognition, but they also fail to generate distinct neural responses and representations for different arithmetic problems. Our findings provide novel insights into the neural basis of DD. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of neural networks for exact and approximate calculation: a FMRI study.

PubMed

Kucian, Karin; von Aster, Michael; Loenneker, Thomas; Dietrich, Thomas; Martin, Ernst

2008-01-01

Neuroimaging findings in adults suggest exact and approximate number processing relying on distinct neural circuits. In the present study we are investigating whether this cortical specialization is already established in 9- and 12-year-old children. Using fMRI, brain activation was measured in 10 third- and 10 sixth-grade school children and 20 adults during trials of symbolic approximate (AP) and exact (EX) calculation, as well as non-symbolic magnitude comparison (MC) of objects. Children activated similar networks like adults, denoting an availability and a similar spatial extent of specified networks as early as third grade. However, brain areas related to number processing become further specialized with schooling. Children showed weaker activation in the intraparietal sulcus during all three tasks, in the left inferior frontal gyrus during EX and in occipital areas during MC. In contrast, activation in the anterior cingulate gyrus, a region associated with attentional effort and working memory load, was enhanced in children. Moreover, children revealed reduced or absent deactivation of regions involved in the so-called default network during symbolic calculation, suggesting a rather general developmental effect. No difference in brain activation patterns between AP and EX was found. Behavioral results indicated major differences between children and adults in AP and EX, but not in MC. Reaction time and accuracy rate were not correlated to brain activation in regions showing developmental changes suggesting rather effects of development than performance differences between children and adults. In conclusion, increasing expertise with age may lead to more automated processing of mental arithmetic, which is reflected by improved performance and by increased brain activation in regions related to number processing and decreased activation in supporting areas.

Evaluating the negative or valuing the positive? Neural mechanisms supporting feedback-based learning across development.

PubMed

van Duijvenvoorde, Anna C K; Zanolie, Kiki; Rombouts, Serge A R B; Raijmakers, Maartje E J; Crone, Eveline A

2008-09-17

How children learn from positive and negative performance feedback lies at the foundation of successful learning and is therefore of great importance for educational practice. In this study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine the neural developmental changes related to feedback-based learning when performing a rule search and application task. Behavioral results from three age groups (8-9, 11-13, and 18-25 years of age) demonstrated that, compared with adults, 8- to 9-year-old children performed disproportionally more inaccurately after receiving negative feedback relative to positive feedback. Additionally, imaging data pointed toward a qualitative difference in how children and adults use performance feedback. That is, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and superior parietal cortex were more active after negative feedback for adults, but after positive feedback for children (8-9 years of age). For 11- to 13-year-olds, these regions did not show differential feedback sensitivity, suggesting that the transition occurs around this age. Pre-supplementary motor area/anterior cingulate cortex, in contrast, was more active after negative feedback in both 11- to 13-year-olds and adults, but not 8- to 9-year-olds. Together, the current data show that cognitive control areas are differentially engaged during feedback-based learning across development. Adults engage these regions after signals of response adjustment (i.e., negative feedback). Young children engage these regions after signals of response continuation (i.e., positive feedback). The neural activation patterns found in 11- to 13-year-olds indicate a transition around this age toward an increased influence of negative feedback on performance adjustment. This is the first developmental fMRI study to compare qualitative changes in brain activation during feedback learning across distinct stages of development.

Adult brains don't fully overcome biases that lead to incorrect performance during cognitive development: an fMRI study in young adults completing a Piaget-like task.

PubMed

Leroux, Gaëlle; Spiess, Jeanne; Zago, Laure; Rossi, Sandrine; Lubin, Amélie; Turbelin, Marie-Renée; Mazoyer, Bernard; Tzourio-Mazoyer, Nathalie; Houdé, Olivier; Joliot, Marc

2009-03-01

A current issue in developmental science is that greater continuity in cognition between children and adults may exist than is usually appreciated in Piaget-like (stages or 'staircase') models. This phenomenon has been demonstrated at the behavioural level, but never at the brain level. Here we show with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), for the first time, that adult brains do not fully overcome the biases of childhood. More specifically, the aim of this fMRI study was to evaluate whether the perceptual bias that leads to incorrect performance during cognitive development in a Piaget-like task is still a bias in the adult brain and hence requires an executive network to overcome it. Here, we compared two numerical-judgment tasks, one being a Piaget-like task with number-length interference (called 'INT') and the other being a control task with number-length covariation ('COV'). We also used a colour-detection task to control for stimuli numerosity, spatial distribution, and frequency. Our behavioural results confirmed that INT remains a difficult task for young adults. Indeed, response times were significantly higher in INT than in COV. Moreover, we observed that only in INT did response times increase linearly as a function of the number of items. The fMRI results indicate that the brain network common to INT and COV shows a large rightward functional asymmetry, emphasizing the visuospatial nature of these two tasks. When INT was compared with COV, activations were found within a right frontal network, including the pre-supplementary motor area, the anterior cingulate cortex, and the middle frontal gyrus, which probably reflect detection of the number/length conflict and inhibition of the 'length-equals-number' response strategy. Finally, activations related to visuospatial and quantitative processing, enhanced or specifically recruited in the Piaget-like task, were found in bilateral posterior areas.

Neural correlates of autobiographical memory retrieval in children and adults.

PubMed

Bauer, Patricia J; Pathman, Thanujeni; Inman, Cory; Campanella, Carolina; Hamann, Stephan

2017-04-01

Autobiographical memory (AM) is a critically important form of memory for life events that undergoes substantial developmental changes from childhood to adulthood. Relatively little is known regarding the functional neural correlates of AM retrieval in children as assessed with fMRI, and how they may differ from adults. We investigated this question with 14 children ages 8-11 years and 14 adults ages 19-30 years, contrasting AM retrieval with semantic memory (SM) retrieval. During scanning, participants were cued by verbal prompts to retrieve previously selected recent AMs or to verify semantic properties of words. As predicted, both groups showed AM retrieval-related increased activation in regions implicated in prior studies, including bilateral hippocampus, and prefrontal, posterior cingulate, and parietal cortices. Adults showed greater activation in the hippocampal/parahippocampal region as well as prefrontal and parietal cortex, relative to children; age-related differences were most prominent in the first 8 sec versus the second 8 sec of AM retrieval and when AM retrieval was contrasted with semantic retrieval. This study is the first to characterise similarities and differences during AM retrieval in children and adults using fMRI.

The brain adapts to orthography with experience: Evidence from English and Chinese

PubMed Central

Cao, Fan; Brennan, Christine; Booth, James R.

2016-01-01

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we examined the process of language specialization in the brain by comparing developmental changes in two contrastive orthographies: Chinese and English. In a visual word rhyming judgment task, we found a significant interaction between age and language in left inferior parietal lobule and left superior temporal gyrus, which was due to greater developmental increases in English than in Chinese. Moreover, we found that higher skill only in English children was correlated with greater activation in left inferior parietal lobule. These findings suggest that the regions associated with phonological processing are essential in English reading development. We also found greater developmental increases in English than in Chinese in left inferior temporal gyrus, suggesting refinement of this region for fine-grained word form recognition. In contrast, greater developmental increases in Chinese than in English were found in right middle occipital gyrus, suggesting the importance of holistic visual-orthographic analysis in Chinese reading acquisition. Our results suggest that the brain adapts to the special features of the orthography by engaging relevant brain regions to a greater degree over development. PMID:25444089

Developmental differences in the neural mechanisms of facial emotion labeling

PubMed Central

Adleman, Nancy E.; Kim, Pilyoung; Oakes, Allison H.; Hsu, Derek; Reynolds, Richard C.; Chen, Gang; Pine, Daniel S.; Brotman, Melissa A.; Leibenluft, Ellen

2016-01-01

Adolescence is a time of increased risk for the onset of psychological disorders associated with deficits in face emotion labeling. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine age-related differences in brain activation while adolescents and adults labeled the emotion on fearful, happy and angry faces of varying intensities [0% (i.e. neutral), 50%, 75%, 100%]. Adolescents and adults did not differ on accuracy to label emotions. In the superior temporal sulcus, ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and middle temporal gyrus, adults show an inverted-U-shaped response to increasing intensities of fearful faces and a U-shaped response to increasing intensities of happy faces, whereas adolescents show the opposite patterns. In addition, adults, but not adolescents, show greater inferior occipital gyrus activation to negative (angry, fearful) vs positive (happy) emotions. In sum, when subjects classify subtly varying facial emotions, developmental differences manifest in several ‘ventral stream’ brain regions. Charting the typical developmental course of the brain mechanisms of socioemotional processes, such as facial emotion labeling, is an important focus for developmental psychopathology research. PMID:26245836

Neurobiological Basis of Language Learning Difficulties.

PubMed

Krishnan, Saloni; Watkins, Kate E; Bishop, Dorothy V M

2016-09-01

In this paper we highlight why there is a need to examine subcortical learning systems in children with language impairment and dyslexia, rather than focusing solely on cortical areas relevant for language. First, behavioural studies find that children with these neurodevelopmental disorders perform less well than peers on procedural learning tasks that depend on corticostriatal learning circuits. Second, fMRI studies in neurotypical adults implicate corticostriatal and hippocampal systems in language learning. Finally, structural and functional abnormalities are seen in the striatum in children with language disorders. Studying corticostriatal networks in developmental language disorders could offer us insights into their neurobiological basis and elucidate possible modes of compensation for intervention. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Heightened Salience of Anger and Aggression in Female Adolescents With Borderline Personality Disorder—A Script-Based fMRI Study

PubMed Central

Krauch, Marlene; Ueltzhöffer, Kai; Brunner, Romuald; Kaess, Michael; Hensel, Saskia; Herpertz, Sabine C.; Bertsch, Katja

2018-01-01

Background: Anger and aggression belong to the core symptoms of borderline personality disorder. Although an early and specific treatment of BPD is highly relevant to prevent chronification, still little is known about anger and aggression and their neural underpinnings in adolescents with BPD. Method: Twenty female adolescents with BPD (age 15–17 years) and 20 female healthy adolescents (age 15–17 years) took part in this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study. A script-driven imagery paradigm was used to induce rejection-based feelings of anger, which was followed by descriptions of self-directed and other-directed aggressive reactions. To investigate the specificity of the neural activation patterns for adolescent patients, results were compared with data from 34 female adults with BPD (age 18–50 years) and 32 female healthy adults (age 18–50 years). Results: Adolescents with BPD showed increased activations in the left posterior insula and left dorsal striatum as well as in the left inferior frontal cortex and parts of the mentalizing network during the rejection-based anger induction and the imagination of aggressive reactions compared to healthy adolescents. For the other-directed aggression phase, a significant diagnosis by age interaction confirmed that these results were specific for adolescents. Discussion: The results of this very first fMRI study on anger and aggression in adolescents with BPD suggest an enhanced emotional reactivity to and higher effort in controlling anger and aggression evoked by social rejection at an early developmental stage of the disorder. Since emotion dysregulation is a known mediator for aggression in BPD, the results point to the need of appropriate early interventions for adolescents with BPD. PMID:29632476

Frontal Preparatory Neural Oscillations Associated with Cognitive Control: A Developmental Study Comparing Young Adults and Adolescents

PubMed Central

Hwang, Kai; Ghuman, Avniel S.; Manoach, Dara S.; Jones, Stephanie R.; Luna, Beatriz

2016-01-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies suggest that age-related changes in the frontal cortex may underlie developmental improvements in cognitive control. In the present study we used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to identify frontal oscillatory neurodynamics that support age-related improvements in cognitive control during adolescence. We characterized the differences in neural oscillations in adolescents and adults during the preparation to suppress a prepotent saccade (antisaccade trials – AS) compared to preparing to generate a more automatic saccade (prosaccade trials – PS). We found that for adults, AS were associated with increased beta-band (16–38 Hz) power in the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), enhanced alpha- to low beta-band (10–18 Hz) power in the frontal eye field (FEF) that predicted performance, and increased cross-frequency alpha-beta (10–26 Hz) amplitude coupling between the DLPFC and the FEF. Developmental comparisons between adults and adolescents revealed similar engagement of DLPFC beta-band power but weaker FEF alpha-band power, and lower cross-frequency coupling between the DLPFC and the FEF in adolescents. These results suggest that lateral prefrontal neural activity associated with cognitive control is adult-like by adolescence; the development of cognitive control from adolescence to adulthood is instead associated with increases in prefrontal connectivity and strengthening of inhibition signaling for suppressing task-incompatible processes. PMID:27173759

Haptic fMRI: Reliability and performance of electromagnetic haptic interfaces for motion and force neuroimaging experiments.

PubMed

Menon, Samir; Zhu, Jack; Goyal, Deeksha; Khatib, Oussama

2017-07-01

Haptic interfaces compatible with functional magnetic resonance imaging (Haptic fMRI) promise to enable rich motor neuroscience experiments that study how humans perform complex manipulation tasks. Here, we present a large-scale study (176 scans runs, 33 scan sessions) that characterizes the reliability and performance of one such electromagnetically actuated device, Haptic fMRI Interface 3 (HFI-3). We outline engineering advances that ensured HFI-3 did not interfere with fMRI measurements. Observed fMRI temporal noise levels with HFI-3 operating were at the fMRI baseline (0.8% noise to signal). We also present results from HFI-3 experiments demonstrating that high resolution fMRI can be used to study spatio-temporal patterns of fMRI blood oxygenation dependent (BOLD) activation. These experiments include motor planning, goal-directed reaching, and visually-guided force control. Observed fMRI responses are consistent with existing literature, which supports Haptic fMRI's effectiveness at studying the brain's motor regions.

Alterations of parenchymal microstructure, neuronal connectivity and cerebrovascular resistance at adolescence following mild to moderate traumatic brain injury in early development.

PubMed

Parent, Maxime; Li, Ying; Santhakumar, Vijayalakshmi; Hyder, Fahmeed; Sanganahalli, Basavaraju G; Kannurpatti, Sridhar

2018-06-01

TBI is a leading cause of morbidity in children. To investigate outcome of early developmental TBI during adolescence, a rat model of fluid percussion injury was developed, where previous work reported deficits in sensorimotor behavior and cortical blood flow at adolescence. 1 Based on the non-localized outcome, we hypothesized that multiple neurophysiological components of brain function, namely neuronal connectivity, synapse/axonal microstructural integrity and neurovascular function are altered and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods could be used to determine regional alterations. Adolescent outcomes of developmental TBI were studied 2-months after injury, using functional MRI (fMRI) and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI). fMRI based resting state functional connectivity (RSFC), representing neural connectivity, was significantly altered between sham and TBI. RSFC strength decreased in the cortex, hippocampus and thalamus accompanied by decrease in the spatial extent of their corresponding RSFC networks and inter-hemispheric asymmetry. Cerebrovascular reactivity to arterial CO2 changes diminished after TBI across both hemispheres, with a more pronounced decrease in the ipsilateral hippocampus, thalamus and motor cortex. DTI measures of fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), reporting on axonal and microstructural integrity of the brain, indicated similar inter-hemispheric asymmetry, with highest change in the ipsilateral hippocampus and regions adjoining the ipsilateral thalamus, hypothalamus and amygdala. TBI-induced corpus callosal microstructural alterations indicated measurable changes in inter-hemispheric structural connectivity. Hippocampus, thalamus and select cortical regions were most consistently affected in multiple imaging markers. The multi-modal MRI results demonstrate cortical and subcortical alterations in neural connectivity, cerebrovascular resistance and parenchymal microstructure in the adolescent brain, indicating the highly diffuse and persistent nature of the lateral fluid percussion TBI early in development.

Local brain connectivity across development in autism spectrum disorder: A cross-sectional investigation.

PubMed

Dajani, Dina R; Uddin, Lucina Q

2016-01-01

There is a general consensus that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is accompanied by alterations in brain connectivity. Much of the neuroimaging work has focused on assessing long-range connectivity disruptions in ASD. However, evidence from both animal models and postmortem examination of the human brain suggests that local connections may also be disrupted in individuals with the disorder. Here, we investigated how regional homogeneity (ReHo), a measure of similarity of a voxel's timeseries to its nearest neighbors, varies across age in individuals with ASD and typically developing (TD) individuals using a cross-sectional design. Resting-state fMRI data obtained from a publicly available database were analyzed to determine group differences in ReHo between three age cohorts: children, adolescents, and adults. In typical development, ReHo across the entire brain was higher in children than in adolescents and adults. In contrast, children with ASD exhibited marginally lower ReHo than TD children, while adolescents and adults with ASD exhibited similar levels of local connectivity as age-matched neurotypical individuals. During all developmental stages, individuals with ASD exhibited lower local connectivity in sensory processing brain regions and higher local connectivity in complex information processing regions. Further, higher local connectivity in ASD corresponded to more severe ASD symptomatology. These results demonstrate that local connectivity is disrupted in ASD across development, with the most pronounced differences occurring in childhood. Developmental changes in ReHo do not mirror findings from fMRI studies of long-range connectivity in ASD, pointing to a need for more nuanced accounts of brain connectivity alterations in the disorder. © 2015 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Is the encoding of Reward Prediction Error reliable during development?

PubMed

Keren, Hanna; Chen, Gang; Benson, Brenda; Ernst, Monique; Leibenluft, Ellen; Fox, Nathan A; Pine, Daniel S; Stringaris, Argyris

2018-05-16

Reward Prediction Errors (RPEs), defined as the difference between the expected and received outcomes, are integral to reinforcement learning models and play an important role in development and psychopathology. In humans, RPE encoding can be estimated using fMRI recordings, however, a basic measurement property of RPE signals, their test-retest reliability across different time scales, remains an open question. In this paper, we examine the 3-month and 3-year reliability of RPE encoding in youth (mean age at baseline = 10.6 ± 0.3 years), a period of developmental transitions in reward processing. We show that RPE encoding is differentially distributed between the positive values being encoded predominantly in the striatum and negative RPEs primarily encoded in the insula. The encoding of negative RPE values is highly reliable in the right insula, across both the long and the short time intervals. Insula reliability for RPE encoding is the most robust finding, while other regions, such as the striatum, are less consistent. Striatal reliability appeared significant as well once covarying for factors, which were possibly confounding the signal to noise ratio. By contrast, task activation during feedback in the striatum is highly reliable across both time intervals. These results demonstrate the valence-dependent differential encoding of RPE signals between the insula and striatum, and the consistency of RPE signals or lack thereof, during childhood and into adolescence. Characterizing the regions where the RPE signal in BOLD fMRI is a reliable marker is key for estimating reward-processing alterations in longitudinal designs, such as developmental or treatment studies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Brain Response to Working Memory Over Three Years of Adolescence: Influence of Initiating Heavy Drinking

PubMed Central

Squeglia, Lindsay M.; Pulido, Carmen; Wetherill, Reagan R.; Jacobus, Joanna; Brown, Gregory G.; Tapert, Susan F.

2012-01-01

Objective: Many adolescents engage in heavy alcohol use. The aim of this study was to disentangle whether brain abnormalities seen in adolescent heavy drinkers are a consequence of heavy drinking, a preexisting risk factor for initiation of alcohol use, or both. Method: Study 1 used cross-sectional functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) visual working-memory (VWM) data from 15- to 19-year-olds (20 heavy drinkers, 20 controls) to identify brain regions affected by heavy adolescent alcohol use. Study 2 used longitudinal fMRI VWM data from 12- to 16-year-olds imaged before the onset of drinking and imaged again on the same scanner approximately 3 years later. Those who had transitioned into heavy drinking (n = 20) were matched to continuous nondrinkers (n = 20) on baseline alcohol risk and developmental factors (N = 40; 80 scans). Results: Study 1 found that heavy drinkers exhibited more frontal and parietal but less occipital activation than controls, defining the regions of interest for Study 2. In Study 2, adolescents who later transitioned into heavy drinking showed less fMRI response contrast at baseline than continuous nondrinkers, which increased after the onset of heavy drinking, in frontal (1,431 μL, p = .003; η2 = .19) and parietal (810 μL, p = .005; η2 = .23) regions, as in Study 1. Lower baseline activation in the frontal and parietal regions predicted subsequent substance use, more so than commonly observed predictors of youth drinking (p < .05). Conclusions: Adolescents who initiated heavy drinking showed different brain activation before the onset of drinking, then less efficient information processing after high-dose alcohol use started. This suggests neural response patterns that could be risk factors for future substance use and also supports prior neuropsychological reports indicating that initiating heavy episodic drinking in adolescence may be followed by subtle alterations in brain functioning. PMID:22846239

Capturing neuroplastic changes after bimanual intensive rehabilitation in children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy: A combined DTI, TMS and fMRI pilot study

PubMed Central

Bleyenheuft, Yannick; Dricot, Laurence; Gilis, Nathalie; Kuo, Hsing-Ching; Grandin, Cécile; Bleyenheuft, Corinne; Gordon, Andrew M.; Friel, Kathleen M.

2016-01-01

Intensive rehabilitation interventions have been shown to be efficacious in improving upper extremity function in children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy (USCP). These interventions are based on motor learning principles and engage children in skillful movements. Improvements in upper extremity function are believed to be associated with neuroplastic changes. However, these neuroplastic changes have not been well-described in children with cerebral palsy, likely due to challenges in defining and implementing the optimal tools and tests in children. Here we documented the implementation of three different neurological assessments (diffusion tensor imaging-DTI, transcranial magnetic stimulation-TMS and functional magnetic resonance imaging-fMRI) before and after a bimanual intensive treatment (HABIT-ILE) in two children with USCP presenting differential corticospinal developmental reorganization (ipsilateral and contralateral). The aim of the study was to capture neurophysiological changes and to document the complementary relationship between these measures, the potential measurable changes and the feasibility of applying these techniques in children with USCP. Independent of cortical reorganization, both children showed increases in activation and size of the motor areas controlling the affected hand, quantified with different techniques. In addition, fMRI provided additional unexpected changes in the reward circuit while using the affected hand. PMID:26183338

Personality and complex brain networks: The role of openness to experience in default network efficiency

PubMed Central

Kaufman, Scott Barry; Benedek, Mathias; Jung, Rex E.; Kenett, Yoed N.; Jauk, Emanuel; Neubauer, Aljoscha C.; Silvia, Paul J.

2015-01-01

Abstract The brain's default network (DN) has been a topic of considerable empirical interest. In fMRI research, DN activity is associated with spontaneous and self‐generated cognition, such as mind‐wandering, episodic memory retrieval, future thinking, mental simulation, theory of mind reasoning, and creative cognition. Despite large literatures on developmental and disease‐related influences on the DN, surprisingly little is known about the factors that impact normal variation in DN functioning. Using structural equation modeling and graph theoretical analysis of resting‐state fMRI data, we provide evidence that Openness to Experience—a normally distributed personality trait reflecting a tendency to engage in imaginative, creative, and abstract cognitive processes—underlies efficiency of information processing within the DN. Across two studies, Openness predicted the global efficiency of a functional network comprised of DN nodes and corresponding edges. In Study 2, Openness remained a robust predictor—even after controlling for intelligence, age, gender, and other personality variables—explaining 18% of the variance in DN functioning. These findings point to a biological basis of Openness to Experience, and suggest that normally distributed personality traits affect the intrinsic architecture of large‐scale brain systems. Hum Brain Mapp 37:773–779, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:26610181

Audio-visual speech perception in adult readers with dyslexia: an fMRI study.

PubMed

Rüsseler, Jascha; Ye, Zheng; Gerth, Ivonne; Szycik, Gregor R; Münte, Thomas F

2018-04-01

Developmental dyslexia is a specific deficit in reading and spelling that often persists into adulthood. In the present study, we used slow event-related fMRI and independent component analysis to identify brain networks involved in perception of audio-visual speech in a group of adult readers with dyslexia (RD) and a group of fluent readers (FR). Participants saw a video of a female speaker saying a disyllabic word. In the congruent condition, audio and video input were identical whereas in the incongruent condition, the two inputs differed. Participants had to respond to occasionally occurring animal names. The independent components analysis (ICA) identified several components that were differently modulated in FR and RD. Two of these components including fusiform gyrus and occipital gyrus showed less activation in RD compared to FR possibly indicating a deficit to extract face information that is needed to integrate auditory and visual information in natural speech perception. A further component centered on the superior temporal sulcus (STS) also exhibited less activation in RD compared to FR. This finding is corroborated in the univariate analysis that shows less activation in STS for RD compared to FR. These findings suggest a general impairment in recruitment of audiovisual processing areas in dyslexia during the perception of natural speech.

EFFECTS OF SENSORI-MOTOR LEARNING ON MELODY PROCESSING ACROSS DEVELOPMENT

PubMed Central

WAKEFIELD, Elizabeth M.; JAMES, Karin H.

2014-01-01

Actions influence perceptions, but how this occurs may change across the lifespan. Studies have investigated how object-directed actions (e.g., learning about objects through manipulation) affect subsequent perception, but how abstract actions affect perception, and how this may change across development, have not been well studied. In the present study, we address this question, teaching children (4–7 year-olds) and adults sung melodies, with or without an abstract motor component, and using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to determine how these melodies are subsequently processed. Results demonstrated developmental change in the motor cortices and Middle Temporal Gyrus. Results have implications for understanding sensori-motor integration in the developing brain, and may provide insight into motor learning use in some music education techniques. PMID:25653926

Look into my eyes: Investigating joint attention using interactive eye-tracking and fMRI in a developmental sample.

PubMed

Oberwelland, E; Schilbach, L; Barisic, I; Krall, S C; Vogeley, K; Fink, G R; Herpertz-Dahlmann, B; Konrad, K; Schulte-Rüther, M

2016-04-15

Joint attention, the shared attentional focus of at least two people on a third significant object, is one of the earliest steps in social development and an essential aspect of reciprocal interaction. However, the neural basis of joint attention (JA) in the course of development is completely unknown. The present study made use of an interactive eye-tracking paradigm in order to examine the developmental trajectories of JA and the influence of a familiar interaction partner during the social encounter. Our results show that across children and adolescents JA elicits a similar network of "social brain" areas as well as attention and motor control associated areas as in adults. While other-initiated JA particularly recruited visual, attention and social processing areas, self-initiated JA specifically activated areas related to social cognition, decision-making, emotions and motivational/reward processes highlighting the rewarding character of self-initiated JA. Activation was further enhanced during self-initiated JA with a familiar interaction partner. With respect to developmental effects, activation of the precuneus declined from childhood to adolescence and additionally shifted from a general involvement in JA towards a more specific involvement for self-initiated JA. Similarly, the temporoparietal junction (TPJ) was broadly involved in JA in children and more specialized for self-initiated JA in adolescents. Taken together, this study provides first-time data on the developmental trajectories of JA and the effect of a familiar interaction partner incorporating the interactive character of JA, its reciprocity and motivational aspects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

How stable is activation in the amygdala and prefrontal cortex in adolescence? A study of emotional face processing across three measurements.

PubMed

van den Bulk, Bianca G; Koolschijn, P Cédric M P; Meens, Paul H F; van Lang, Natasja D J; van der Wee, Nic J A; Rombouts, Serge A R B; Vermeiren, Robert R J M; Crone, Eveline A

2013-04-01

Prior developmental functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have demonstrated elevated activation patterns in the amygdala and prefrontal cortex (PFC) in response to viewing emotional faces. As adolescence is a time of substantial variability in mood and emotional responsiveness, the stability of activation patterns could be fluctuating over time. In the current study, 27 healthy adolescents (age: 12-19 years) were scanned three times over a period of six months (mean test-retest interval of three months; final samples N=27, N=22, N=18). At each session, participants performed the same emotional faces task. At first measurement the presentation of emotional faces resulted in heightened activation in bilateral amygdala, bilateral lateral PFC and visual areas including the fusiform face area. Average activation did not differ across test-sessions over time, indicating that at the group level activation patterns in this network do not vary significantly over time. However, using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC), fMRI reliability demonstrated only fair reliability for PFC (ICC=0.41-0.59) and poor reliability for the amygdala (ICC<0.4). These findings suggest substantial variability of brain activity over time and may have implications for studies investigating the influence of treatment effects on changes in neural levels in adolescents with psychiatric disorders. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Salience network response to changes in emotional expressions of others is heightened during early adolescence: relevance for social functioning.

PubMed

Rosen, Maya L; Sheridan, Margaret A; Sambrook, Kelly A; Dennison, Meg J; Jenness, Jessica L; Askren, Mary K; Meltzoff, Andrew N; McLaughlin, Katie A

2018-05-01

Adolescence is a unique developmental period when the salience of social and emotional information becomes particularly pronounced. Although this increased sensitivity to social and emotional information has frequently been considered with respect to risk behaviors and psychopathology, evidence suggests that increased adolescent sensitivity to social and emotional cues may confer advantages. For example, greater sensitivity to shifts in the emotions of others is likely to promote flexible and adaptive social behavior. In this study, a sample of 54 children and adolescents (age 8-19 years) performed a delayed match-to-sample task for emotional faces while undergoing fMRI scanning. Recruitment of the anterior cingulate and anterior insula when the emotion of the probe face did not match the emotion held in memory followed a quadratic developmental pattern that peaked during early adolescence. These findings indicate meaningful developmental variation in the neural mechanisms underlying sensitivity to changes in the emotional expressions. Across all participants, greater activation of this network for changes in emotional expression was associated with less social anxiety and fewer social problems. These results suggest that the heightened salience of social and emotional information during adolescence may confer important advantages for social behavior, providing sensitivity to others' emotions that facilitates flexible social responding. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Sex differences during humor appreciation in child-sibling pairs.

PubMed

Vrticka, Pascal; Neely, Michelle; Walter Shelly, Elizabeth; Black, Jessica M; Reiss, Allan L

2013-01-01

The developmental origin of sex differences in adult brain function is poorly understood. Elucidating neural mechanisms underlying comparable cognitive functionality in both children and adults is required to address this gap. Humor appreciation represents a particularly relevant target for such developmental research because explanatory theories apply across the life span, and underlying neurocircuitry shows sex differences in adults. As a positive mood state, humor is also of interest due to sex differences in rates of depression, a disorder afflicting twice as many women as men. In this study, we employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate brain responses to funny versus positive (and neutral) video clips in 22 children, ages 6-13 years, including eight sibling-pairs. Our data revealed increased activity to funny clips in bilateral temporo-occipital cortex, midbrain, and amygdala in girls. Conversely, we found heightened activation to positive clips in bilateral inferior parietal lobule, fusiform gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, amygdala, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex in boys. Many of these effects persisted when looking at sibling-pairs only. We interpret such findings as reflecting the presence of early sex divergence in reward saliency or expectation and stimulus relevance attribution. These findings are discussed in the context of evolutionary and developmental theories of humor function.

Number development and developmental dyscalculia.

PubMed

von Aster, Michael G; Shalev, Ruth S

2007-11-01

There is a growing consensus that the neuropsychological underpinnings of developmental dyscalculia (DD) are a genetically determined disorder of 'number sense', a term denoting the ability to represent and manipulate numerical magnitude nonverbally on an internal number line. However, this spatially-oriented number line develops during elementary school and requires additional cognitive components including working memory and number symbolization (language). Thus, there may be children with familial-genetic DD with deficits limited to number sense and others with DD and comorbidities such as language delay, dyslexia, or attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder. This duality is supported by epidemiological data indicating that two-thirds of children with DD have comorbid conditions while one-third have pure DD. Clinically, they differ according to their profile of arithmetic difficulties. fMRI studies indicate that parietal areas (important for number functions), and frontal regions (dominant for executive working memory and attention functions), are under-activated in children with DD. A four-step developmental model that allows prediction of different pathways for DD is presented. The core-system representation of numerical magnitude (cardinality; step 1) provides the meaning of 'number', a precondition to acquiring linguistic (step 2), and Arabic (step 3) number symbols, while a growing working memory enables neuroplastic development of an expanding mental number line during school years (step 4). Therapeutic and educational interventions can be drawn from this model.

The Neonatal Connectome During Preterm Brain Development

PubMed Central

van den Heuvel, Martijn P.; Kersbergen, Karina J.; de Reus, Marcel A.; Keunen, Kristin; Kahn, René S.; Groenendaal, Floris; de Vries, Linda S.; Benders, Manon J.N.L.

2015-01-01

The human connectome is the result of an elaborate developmental trajectory. Acquiring diffusion-weighted imaging and resting-state fMRI, we studied connectome formation during the preterm phase of macroscopic connectome genesis. In total, 27 neonates were scanned at week 30 and/or week 40 gestational age (GA). Examining the architecture of the neonatal anatomical brain network revealed a clear presence of a small-world modular organization before term birth. Analysis of neonatal functional connectivity (FC) showed the early formation of resting-state networks, suggesting that functional networks are present in the preterm brain, albeit being in an immature state. Moreover, structural and FC patterns of the neonatal brain network showed strong overlap with connectome architecture of the adult brain (85 and 81%, respectively). Analysis of brain development between week 30 and week 40 GA revealed clear developmental effects in neonatal connectome architecture, including a significant increase in white matter microstructure (P < 0.01), small-world topology (P < 0.01) and interhemispheric FC (P < 0.01). Computational analysis further showed that developmental changes involved an increase in integration capacity of the connectivity network as a whole. Taken together, we conclude that hallmark organizational structures of the human connectome are present before term birth and subject to early development. PMID:24833018

SEX DIFFERENCES DURING HUMOR APPRECIATION IN CHILD SIBLING-PAIRS

PubMed Central

Vrticka, Pascal; Neely, Michelle; Walter, Elizabeth; Black, Jessica M.; Reiss, Allan L.

2013-01-01

The developmental origin of sex differences in adult brain function is poorly understood. Elucidating neural mechanisms underlying comparable cognitive functionality in both children and adults is required to address this gap. Humor appreciation represents a particularly relevant target for such developmental research because explanatory theories apply across the life span and underlying neurocircuitry shows sex differences in adults. As a positive mood state, humor is also of interest due to sex differences in rates of depression, a disorder afflicting twice as many women as men. In this study, we employed fMRI to investigate brain responses to funny versus positive (and neutral) video clips in 22 children ages 6 to 13 years, including 8 sibling pairs. Our data revealed increased activity to funny clips in bilateral temporo-occipital cortex, midbrain, and amygdala in girls. Conversely, we found heightened activation to positive clips in bilateral inferior parietal lobule, fusiform gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, amygdala, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex in boys. Many of these effects persisted when looking at sibling-pairs only. We interpret such findings as reflecting the presence of early sex divergence in reward saliency / expectation and stimulus relevance attribution. These findings are discussed in the context of evolutionary and developmental theories of humor function. PMID:23672302

Enhanced Right Amygdala Activity in Adolescents during Encoding of Positively-Valenced Pictures

PubMed Central

Vasa, Roma A.; Pine, Daniel S.; Thorn, Julia M.; Nelson, Tess E.; Spinelli, Simona; Nelson, Eric; Maheu, Francoise S.; Ernst, Monique; Bruck, Maggie; Mostofsky, Stewart H.

2010-01-01

While studies among adults implicate the amygdala and interconnecting brain regions in encoding emotional stimuli, few studies have examined whether developmental changes occur within this emotional-memory network during adolescence. The present study examined whether adolescents and adults differentially engaged the amygdala and hippocampus during successful encoding of emotional pictures, with either positive or negative valence. Eighteen adults and twelve adolescents underwent event-related fMRI while encoding emotional pictures. Approximately 30 minutes later, outside the scanner, subjects were asked to recall the pictures seen during the scan. Age group differences in brain activity in the amygdala and hippocampus during encoding of the pictures that were later successfully and unsuccessfully recalled were separately compared for the positive and negative pictures. Adolescents, relative to adults, demonstrated enhanced activity in the right amygdala during encoding of positive pictures that were later recalled compared to not recalled. There were no age group differences in amygdala or hippocampal activity during successful encoding of negative pictures. The findings of preferential activity within the adolescent right amygdala during successful encoding of positive pictures may have implications for the increased reward and novelty seeking behavior, as well as elevated rates of psychopathology, observed during this distinct developmental period. PMID:21127721

Developmental differences in the neural mechanisms of facial emotion labeling.

PubMed

Wiggins, Jillian Lee; Adleman, Nancy E; Kim, Pilyoung; Oakes, Allison H; Hsu, Derek; Reynolds, Richard C; Chen, Gang; Pine, Daniel S; Brotman, Melissa A; Leibenluft, Ellen

2016-01-01

Adolescence is a time of increased risk for the onset of psychological disorders associated with deficits in face emotion labeling. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine age-related differences in brain activation while adolescents and adults labeled the emotion on fearful, happy and angry faces of varying intensities [0% (i.e. neutral), 50%, 75%, 100%]. Adolescents and adults did not differ on accuracy to label emotions. In the superior temporal sulcus, ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and middle temporal gyrus, adults show an inverted-U-shaped response to increasing intensities of fearful faces and a U-shaped response to increasing intensities of happy faces, whereas adolescents show the opposite patterns. In addition, adults, but not adolescents, show greater inferior occipital gyrus activation to negative (angry, fearful) vs positive (happy) emotions. In sum, when subjects classify subtly varying facial emotions, developmental differences manifest in several 'ventral stream' brain regions. Charting the typical developmental course of the brain mechanisms of socioemotional processes, such as facial emotion labeling, is an important focus for developmental psychopathology research. Published by Oxford University Press 2015. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

Advances in functional brain imaging technology and developmental neuro-psychology: their applications in the Jungian analytic domain.

PubMed

Petchkovsky, Leon

2017-06-01

Analytical psychology shares with many other psychotherapies the important task of repairing the consequences of developmental trauma. The majority of analytic patients come from compromised early developmental backgrounds: they may have experienced neglect, abuse, or failures of empathic resonance from their carers. Functional brain imagery techniques including Quantitative Electroencephalogram (QEEG), and functional Magnetic Resonance Imagery (fMRI), allow us to track mental processes in ways beyond verbal reportage and introspection. This independent perspective is useful for developing new psychodynamic hypotheses, testing current ones, providing diagnostic markers, and monitoring treatment progress. Jung, with the Word Association Test, grasped these principles 100 years ago. Brain imaging techniques have contributed to powerful recent advances in our understanding of neurodevelopmental processes in the first three years of life. If adequate nurturance is compromised, a range of difficulties may emerge. This has important implications for how we understand and treat our psychotherapy clients. The paper provides an overview of functional brain imaging and advances in developmental neuropsychology, and looks at applications of some of these findings (including neurofeedback) in the Jungian psychotherapy domain. © 2017, The Society of Analytical Psychology.

Breaking down the barriers: fMRI applications in pain, analgesia and analgesics

PubMed Central

Borsook, David; Becerra, Lino R

2006-01-01

This review summarizes functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) findings that have informed our current understanding of pain, analgesia and related phenomena, and discusses the potential role of fMRI in improved therapeutic approaches to pain. It is divided into 3 main sections: (1) fMRI studies of acute and chronic pain. Physiological studies of pain have found numerous regions of the brain to be involved in the interpretation of the 'pain experience'; studies in chronic pain conditions have identified a significant CNS component; and fMRI studies of surrogate models of chronic pain are also being used to further this understanding. (2) fMRI studies of endogenous pain processing including placebo, empathy, attention or cognitive modulation of pain. (3) The use of fMRI to evaluate the effects of analgesics on brain function in acute and chronic pain. fMRI has already provided novel insights into the neurobiology of pain. These insights should significantly advance therapeutic approaches to chronic pain. PMID:16982005

Removing the effect of response time on brain activity reveals developmental differences in conflict processing in the posterior medial prefrontal cortex.

PubMed

Carp, Joshua; Fitzgerald, Kate Dimond; Taylor, Stephan F; Weissman, Daniel H

2012-01-02

In functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies, researchers often attempt to ensure that group differences in brain activity are not confounded with group differences in mean reaction time (RT). However, even when groups are matched for performance, they may differ in terms of the RT-BOLD relationship: the degree to which brain activity varies with RT on a trial-by-trial basis. Group activation differences might therefore be influenced by group differences in the relationship between brain activity and time on task. Here, we investigated whether correcting for this potential confound alters group differences in brain activity. Specifically, we reanalyzed data from a functional MRI study of response conflict in children and adults, in which conventional analyses indicated that conflict-related activity did not differ between groups. We found that the RT-BOLD relationship was weaker in children than in adults. Consequently, after removing the effect of RT on brain activity, children exhibited greater conflict-related activity than adults in both the posterior medial prefrontal cortex and the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. These results identify the RT-BOLD relationship as an important potential confound in fMRI studies of group differences. They also suggest that the magnitude of the RT-BOLD relationship may be a useful biomarker of brain maturity. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Scene construction in developmental amnesia: An fMRI study☆

PubMed Central

Mullally, Sinéad L.; Vargha-Khadem, Faraneh; Maguire, Eleanor A.

2014-01-01

Amnesic patients with bilateral hippocampal damage sustained in adulthood are generally unable to construct scenes in their imagination. By contrast, patients with developmental amnesia (DA), where hippocampal damage was acquired early in life, have preserved performance on this task, although the reason for this sparing is unclear. One possibility is that residual function in remnant hippocampal tissue is sufficient to support basic scene construction in DA. Such a situation was found in the one amnesic patient with adult-acquired hippocampal damage (P01) who could also construct scenes. Alternatively, DA patients’ scene construction might not depend on the hippocampus, perhaps being instead reliant on non-hippocampal regions and mediated by semantic knowledge. To adjudicate between these two possibilities, we examined scene construction during functional MRI (fMRI) in Jon, a well-characterised patient with DA who has previously been shown to have preserved scene construction. We found that when Jon constructed scenes he activated many of the regions known to be associated with imagining scenes in control participants including ventromedial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate, retrosplenial and posterior parietal cortices. Critically, however, activity was not increased in Jon's remnant hippocampal tissue. Direct comparisons with a group of control participants and patient P01, confirmed that they activated their right hippocampus more than Jon. Our results show that a type of non-hippocampal dependent scene construction is possible and occurs in DA, perhaps mediated by semantic memory, which does not appear to involve the vivid visualisation of imagined scenes. PMID:24231038

Neural Correlates of Social Influence on Risk Taking and Substance Use in Adolescents.

PubMed

Telzer, Eva H; Rogers, Christina R; Van Hoorn, Jorien

2017-09-01

Adolescents often engage in elevated levels of risk taking that gives rise to substance use. Family and peers constitute the primary contextual risk factors for adolescent substance use. This report reviews how families and peers influence adolescent neurocognitive development to inform their risk taking and subsequent substance use. Developmental neuroscience using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has identified regions of the brain involved in social cognition, cognitive control, and reward processing that are integrally linked to social influence on adolescent risk taking. These neural mechanisms play a role in how peer and family influence (e.g., physical presence, relationship quality, rejection) translates into adolescent substance use. Peers and families can independently, and in tandem, contribute to adolescent substance use, for better or for worse. We propose that future work utilize fMRI to investigate the neural mechanisms involved in different aspects of peer and family influence, and how these contexts uniquely and interactively influence adolescent substance use initiation and escalation across development.

The development of cortical sensitivity to visual word forms.

PubMed

Ben-Shachar, Michal; Dougherty, Robert F; Deutsch, Gayle K; Wandell, Brian A

2011-09-01

The ability to extract visual word forms quickly and efficiently is essential for using reading as a tool for learning. We describe the first longitudinal fMRI study to chart individual changes in cortical sensitivity to written words as reading develops. We conducted four annual measurements of brain function and reading skills in a heterogeneous group of children, initially 7-12 years old. The results show age-related increase in children's cortical sensitivity to word visibility in posterior left occipito-temporal sulcus (LOTS), nearby the anatomical location of the visual word form area. Moreover, the rate of increase in LOTS word sensitivity specifically correlates with the rate of improvement in sight word efficiency, a measure of speeded overt word reading. Other cortical regions, including V1, posterior parietal cortex, and the right homologue of LOTS, did not demonstrate such developmental changes. These results provide developmental support for the hypothesis that LOTS is part of the cortical circuitry that extracts visual word forms quickly and efficiently and highlight the importance of developing cortical sensitivity to word visibility in reading acquisition.

The Development of Cortical Sensitivity to Visual Word Forms

PubMed Central

Ben-Shachar, Michal; Dougherty, Robert F.; Deutsch, Gayle K.; Wandell, Brian A.

2011-01-01

The ability to extract visual word forms quickly and efficiently is essential for using reading as a tool for learning. We describe the first longitudinal fMRI study to chart individual changes in cortical sensitivity to written words as reading develops. We conducted four annual measurements of brain function and reading skills in a heterogeneous group of children, initially 7–12 years old. The results show age-related increase in children's cortical sensitivity to word visibility in posterior left occipito-temporal sulcus (LOTS), nearby the anatomical location of the visual word form area. Moreover, the rate of increase in LOTS word sensitivity specifically correlates with the rate of improvement in sight word efficiency, a measure of speeded overt word reading. Other cortical regions, including V1, posterior parietal cortex, and the right homologue of LOTS, did not demonstrate such developmental changes. These results provide developmental support for the hypothesis that LOTS is part of the cortical circuitry that extracts visual word forms quickly and efficiently and highlight the importance of developing cortical sensitivity to word visibility in reading acquisition. PMID:21261451

Development of brain networks involved in spoken word processing of Mandarin Chinese.

PubMed

Cao, Fan; Khalid, Kainat; Lee, Rebecca; Brennan, Christine; Yang, Yanhui; Li, Kuncheng; Bolger, Donald J; Booth, James R

2011-08-01

Developmental differences in phonological and orthographic processing of Chinese spoken words were examined in 9-year-olds, 11-year-olds and adults using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Rhyming and spelling judgments were made to two-character words presented sequentially in the auditory modality. Developmental comparisons between adults and both groups of children combined showed that age-related changes in activation in visuo-orthographic regions depended on a task. There were developmental increases in the left inferior temporal gyrus and the right inferior occipital gyrus in the spelling task, suggesting more extensive visuo-orthographic processing in a task that required access to these representations. Conversely, there were developmental decreases in activation in the left fusiform gyrus and left middle occipital gyrus in the rhyming task, suggesting that the development of reading is marked by reduced involvement of orthography in a spoken language task that does not require access to these orthographic representations. Developmental decreases may arise from the existence of extensive homophony (auditory words that have multiple spellings) in Chinese. In addition, we found that 11-year-olds and adults showed similar activation in the left superior temporal gyrus across tasks, with both groups showing greater activation than 9-year-olds. This pattern suggests early development of perceptual representations of phonology. In contrast, 11-year-olds and 9-year-olds showed similar activation in the left inferior frontal gyrus across tasks, with both groups showing weaker activation than adults. This pattern suggests late development of controlled retrieval and selection of lexical representations. Altogether, this study suggests differential effects of character acquisition on development of components of the language network in Chinese as compared to previous reports on alphabetic languages. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Using fMRI to study reward processing in humans: past, present, and future

PubMed Central

Wang, Kainan S.; Smith, David V.

2016-01-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a noninvasive tool used to probe cognitive and affective processes. Although fMRI provides indirect measures of neural activity, the advent of fMRI has allowed for 1) the corroboration of significant animal findings in the human brain, and 2) the expansion of models to include more common human attributes that inform behavior. In this review, we briefly consider the neural basis of the blood oxygenation level dependent signal to set up a discussion of how fMRI studies have applied it in examining cognitive models in humans and the promise of using fMRI to advance such models. Specifically, we illustrate the contribution that fMRI has made to the study of reward processing, focusing on the role of the striatum in encoding reward-related learning signals that drive anticipatory and consummatory behaviors. For instance, we discuss how fMRI can be used to link neural signals (e.g., striatal responses to rewards) to individual differences in behavior and traits. While this functional segregation approach has been constructive to our understanding of reward-related functions, many fMRI studies have also benefitted from a functional integration approach that takes into account how interconnected regions (e.g., corticostriatal circuits) contribute to reward processing. We contend that future work using fMRI will profit from using a multimodal approach, such as combining fMRI with noninvasive brain stimulation tools (e.g., transcranial electrical stimulation), that can identify causal mechanisms underlying reward processing. Consequently, advancements in implementing fMRI will promise new translational opportunities to inform our understanding of psychopathologies. PMID:26740530

Interaction of childhood urbanicity and variation in dopamine genes alters adult prefrontal function as measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

PubMed

Reed, Jessica L; D'Ambrosio, Enrico; Marenco, Stefano; Ursini, Gianluca; Zheutlin, Amanda B; Blasi, Giuseppe; Spencer, Barbara E; Romano, Raffaella; Hochheiser, Jesse; Reifman, Ann; Sturm, Justin; Berman, Karen F; Bertolino, Alessandro; Weinberger, Daniel R; Callicott, Joseph H

2018-01-01

Brain phenotypes showing environmental influence may help clarify unexplained associations between urban exposure and psychiatric risk. Heritable prefrontal fMRI activation during working memory (WM) is such a phenotype. We hypothesized that urban upbringing (childhood urbanicity) would alter this phenotype and interact with dopamine genes that regulate prefrontal function during WM. Further, dopamine has been hypothesized to mediate urban-associated factors like social stress. WM-related prefrontal function was tested for main effects of urbanicity, main effects of three dopamine genes-catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), dopamine receptor D1 (DRD1), and dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2)-and, importantly, dopamine gene-by-urbanicity interactions. For COMT, three independent human samples were recruited (total n = 487). We also studied 253 subjects genotyped for DRD1 and DRD2. 3T fMRI activation during the N-back WM task was the dependent variable, while childhood urbanicity, dopamine genotype, and urbanicity-dopamine interactions were independent variables. Main effects of dopamine genes and of urbanicity were found. Individuals raised in an urban environment showed altered prefrontal activation relative to those raised in rural or town settings. For each gene, dopamine genotype-by-urbanicity interactions were shown in prefrontal cortex-COMT replicated twice in two independent samples. An urban childhood upbringing altered prefrontal function and interacted with each gene to alter genotype-phenotype relationships. Gene-environment interactions between multiple dopamine genes and urban upbringing suggest that neural effects of developmental environmental exposure could mediate, at least partially, increased risk for psychiatric illness in urban environments via dopamine genes expressed into adulthood.

Developmental specialization in the right intraparietal sulcus for the abstract representation of numerical magnitude.

PubMed

Holloway, Ian D; Ansari, Daniel

2010-11-01

Because number is an abstract quality of a set, the way in which a number is externally represented does not change its quantitative meaning. In this study, we examined the development of the brain regions that support format-independent representation of numerical magnitude. We asked children and adults to perform both symbolic (Hindu-Arabic numerals) and nonsymbolic (arrays of squares) numerical comparison tasks as well as two control tasks while their brains were scanned using fMRI. In a preliminary analysis, we calculated the conjunction between symbolic and nonsymbolic numerical comparison. We then examined in which brain regions this conjunction differed between children and adults. This analysis revealed a large network of visual and parietal regions that showed greater activation in adults relative to children. In our primary analysis, we examined age-related differences in the conjunction of symbolic and nonsymbolic comparison after subtracting the control tasks. This analysis revealed a much more limited set of regions including the right inferior parietal lobe near the intraparietal sulcus. In addition to showing increased activation to both symbolic and nonsymbolic magnitudes over and above activation related to response selection, this region showed age-related differences in the distance effect. Our findings demonstrate that the format-independent representation of numerical magnitude in the right inferior parietal lobe is the product of developmental processes of cortical specialization and highlight the importance of using appropriate control tasks when conducting developmental neuroimaging studies.

Neural Correlates of Perceiving Emotional Faces and Bodies in Developmental Prosopagnosia: An Event-Related fMRI-Study

PubMed Central

Van den Stock, Jan; van de Riet, Wim A. C.; Righart, Ruthger; de Gelder, Beatrice

2008-01-01

Many people experience transient difficulties in recognizing faces but only a small number of them cannot recognize their family members when meeting them unexpectedly. Such face blindness is associated with serious problems in everyday life. A better understanding of the neuro-functional basis of impaired face recognition may be achieved by a careful comparison with an equally unique object category and by a adding a more realistic setting involving neutral faces as well facial expressions. We used event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the neuro-functional basis of perceiving faces and bodies in three developmental prosopagnosics (DP) and matched healthy controls. Our approach involved materials consisting of neutral faces and bodies as well as faces and bodies expressing fear or happiness. The first main result is that the presence of emotional information has a different effect in the patient vs. the control group in the fusiform face area (FFA). Neutral faces trigger lower activation in the DP group, compared to the control group, while activation for facial expressions is the same in both groups. The second main result is that compared to controls, DPs have increased activation for bodies in the inferior occipital gyrus (IOG) and for neutral faces in the extrastriate body area (EBA), indicating that body and face sensitive processes are less categorically segregated in DP. Taken together our study shows the importance of using naturalistic emotional stimuli for a better understanding of developmental face deficits. PMID:18797499

Neural Mechanisms of Recognizing Camouflaged Objects: A Human fMRI Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-07-30

Unlimited Final Report: Neural Mechanisms of Recognizing Camouflaged Objects: A Human fMRI Study The views, opinions and/or findings contained in this...27709-2211 Visual search, Camouflage, Functional magnetic resonance imaging ( fMRI ), Perceptual learning REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE 11. SPONSOR...ABSTRACT Number of Papers published in peer-reviewed journals: Final Report: Neural Mechanisms of Recognizing Camouflaged Objects: A Human fMRI Study

Capturing neuroplastic changes after bimanual intensive rehabilitation in children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy: A combined DTI, TMS and fMRI pilot study.

PubMed

Bleyenheuft, Yannick; Dricot, Laurence; Gilis, Nathalie; Kuo, Hsing-Ching; Grandin, Cécile; Bleyenheuft, Corinne; Gordon, Andrew M; Friel, Kathleen M

2015-01-01

Intensive rehabilitation interventions have been shown to be efficacious in improving upper extremity function in children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy (USCP). These interventions are based on motor learning principles and engage children in skillful movements. Improvements in upper extremity function are believed to be associated with neuroplastic changes. However, these neuroplastic changes have not been well-described in children with cerebral palsy, likely due to challenges in defining and implementing the optimal tools and tests in children. Here we documented the implementation of three different neurological assessments (diffusion tensor imaging-DTI, transcranial magnetic stimulation-TMS and functional magnetic resonance imaging-fMRI) before and after a bimanual intensive treatment (HABIT-ILE) in two children with USCP presenting differential corticospinal developmental reorganization (ipsilateral and contralateral). The aim of the study was to capture neurophysiological changes and to document the complementary relationship between these measures, the potential measurable changes and the feasibility of applying these techniques in children with USCP. Independent of cortical reorganization, both children showed increases in activation and size of the motor areas controlling the affected hand, quantified with different techniques. In addition, fMRI provided additional unexpected changes in the reward circuit while using the affected hand. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Reward-related frontostriatal activity and smoking behavior among adolescents in treatment for smoking cessation.

PubMed

Garrison, Kathleen A; Yip, Sarah W; Balodis, Iris M; Carroll, Kathleen M; Potenza, Marc N; Krishnan-Sarin, Suchitra

2017-08-01

Tobacco use is often initiated during adolescence and continued into adulthood despite desires to quit. A better understanding of the neural correlates of abstinence from smoking in adolescents may inform more effective smoking cessation interventions. Neural reward systems are implicated in tobacco use disorder, and adolescent smokers have shown reduced reward-related ventral striatal activation related to increased smoking. The current study evaluated nondrug reward anticipation in adolescent smokers using a monetary incentive delay task in fMRI pre- and post- smoking cessation treatment (n=14). This study tested how changes in neural responses to reward anticipation pre- to post-treatment were related to reduced smoking. An exploratory analysis in a larger sample of adolescents with only pre-treatment fMRI (n=28) evaluated how neural responses to reward anticipation were related to behavioral inhibition and behavioral activation scales. Adolescent smokers showed pre- to post-treatment increases in reward anticipation-related activity in the bilateral nucleus accumbens and insula, and medial prefrontal cortex, and greater increases in reward anticipation-related activity were correlated with larger percent days of smoking abstinence during treatment. These findings suggest that reduced smoking during smoking cessation treatment is associated with a "recovery of function" in frontostriatal responses to nondrug reward anticipation in adolescent smokers, although comparison with a developmental control group of adolescent nonsmokers is warranted. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Adolescent Major Depressive Disorder: Neuroimaging Evidence of Sex Difference during an Affective Go/No-Go Task.

PubMed

Chuang, Jie-Yu; Hagan, Cindy C; Murray, Graham K; Graham, Julia M E; Ooi, Cinly; Tait, Roger; Holt, Rosemary J; Elliott, Rebecca; van Nieuwenhuizen, Adrienne O; Bullmore, Edward T; Lennox, Belinda R; Sahakian, Barbara J; Goodyer, Ian M; Suckling, John

2017-01-01

Compared to female major depressive disorder (MDD), male MDD often receives less attention. However, research is warranted since there are significant sex differences in the clinical presentation of MDD and a higher rate of suicide in depressed men. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study with a large sample addressing putative sex differences in MDD during adolescence, a period when one of the most robust findings in psychiatric epidemiology emerges; that females are twice as likely to suffer from MDD than males. Twenty-four depressed and 10 healthy male adolescents, together with 82 depressed and 24 healthy female adolescents, aged 11-18 years, undertook an affective go/no-go task during fMRI acquisition. In response to sad relative to neutral distractors, significant sex differences (in the supramarginal gyrus) and group-by-sex interactions (in the supramarginal gyrus and the posterior cingulate cortex) were found. Furthermore, in contrast to the healthy male adolescents, depressed male adolescents showed decreased activation in the cerebellum with a significant group-by-age interaction in connectivity. Future research may consider altered developmental trajectories and the possible implications of sex-specific treatment and prevention strategies for MDD.

Neural substrates related to auditory working memory comparisons in dyslexia: An fMRI study

PubMed Central

CONWAY, TIM; HEILMAN, KENNETH M.; GOPINATH, KAUNDINYA; PECK, KYUNG; BAUER, RUSSELL; BRIGGS, RICHARD W.; TORGESEN, JOSEPH K.; CROSSON, BRUCE

2010-01-01

Adult readers with developmental phonological dyslexia exhibit significant difficulty comparing pseudowords and pure tones in auditory working memory (AWM). This suggests deficient AWM skills for adults diagnosed with dyslexia. Despite behavioral differences, it is unknown whether neural substrates of AWM differ between adults diagnosed with dyslexia and normal readers. Prior neuroimaging of adults diagnosed with dyslexia and normal readers, and post-mortem findings of neural structural anomalies in adults diagnosed with dyslexia support the hypothesis of atypical neural activity in temporoparietal and inferior frontal regions during AWM tasks in adults diagnosed with dyslexia. We used fMRI during two binaural AWM tasks (pseudowords or pure tones comparisons) in adults diagnosed with dyslexia (n = 11) and normal readers (n = 11). For both AWM tasks, adults diagnosed with dyslexia exhibited greater activity in left posterior superior temporal (BA 22) and inferior parietal regions (BA 40) than normal readers. Comparing neural activity between groups and between stimuli contrasts (pseudowords vs. tones), adults diagnosed with dyslexia showed greater primary auditory cortex activity (BA 42; tones > pseudowords) than normal readers. Thus, greater activity in primary auditory, posterior superior temporal, and inferior parietal cortices during linguistic and non-linguistic AWM tasks for adults diagnosed with dyslexia compared to normal readers indicate differences in neural substrates of AWM comparison tasks. PMID:18577292

Developmental differences in the neural correlates of relational encoding and recall in children: An event-related fMRI study

PubMed Central

Güler, O. Evren; Thomas, Kathleen M.

2012-01-01

Despite vast knowledge on the behavioral processes mediating the development of episodic memory, little is known about the neural mechanisms underlying these changes. We used event-related fMRI to examine the neural correlates of both encoding and recall processes during an episodic memory task in two different groups of school age children (8–9 & 12–13 years). The memory task was composed of an encoding phase in which children were presented with a series of unrelated pictorial pairs, and a retrieval phase during which one of these items acted as a cue to prompt recall of the paired item. Age-related differences in activations were observed for both encoding and recall. Younger children recruited additional regions in the right dorsolateral prefrontal and right temporal cortex compared to older children during successful encoding of the pairs. During successful recall, older children recruited additional regions in the left ventrolateral prefrontal and left inferior parietal cortex compared to younger children. The results suggest that the prefrontal cortex contributes to not only the formation of memories but also access to them, and this contribution changes with development. The protracted development of the prefrontal cortex has implications for our understanding of the development of episodic memory. PMID:22884992

Maturation of language networks in children: A systematic review of 22years of functional MRI.

PubMed

Weiss-Croft, Louise J; Baldeweg, Torsten

2015-12-01

Understanding how language networks change during childhood is important for theories of cognitive development and for identifying the neural causes of language impairment. Despite this, there is currently little systematic evidence regarding the typical developmental trajectory for language from the field of neuroimaging. We reviewed functional MRI (fMRI) studies published between 1992 and 2014, and quantified the evidence for age-related changes in localisation and lateralisation of fMRI activation in the language network (excluding the cerebellum and subcortical regions). Although age-related changes differed according to task type and input modality, we identified four consistent findings concerning the typical maturation of the language system. First, activation in core semantic processing regions increases with age. Second, activation in lower-level sensory and motor regions increases with age as activation in higher-level control regions reduces. We suggest that this reflects increased automaticity of language processing as children become more proficient. Third, the posterior cingulate cortex and precuneus (regions associated with the default mode network) show increasing attenuation across childhood and adolescence. Finally, language lateralisation is established by approximately 5years of age. Small increases in leftward lateralisation are observed in frontal regions, but these are tightly linked to performance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Does functional MRI detect activation in white matter? A review of emerging evidence, issues, and future directions

PubMed Central

Gawryluk, Jodie R.; Mazerolle, Erin L.; D'Arcy, Ryan C. N.

2014-01-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a non-invasive technique that allows for visualization of activated brain regions. Until recently, fMRI studies have focused on gray matter. There are two main reasons white matter fMRI remains controversial: (1) the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) fMRI signal depends on cerebral blood flow and volume, which are lower in white matter than gray matter and (2) fMRI signal has been associated with post-synaptic potentials (mainly localized in gray matter) as opposed to action potentials (the primary type of neural activity in white matter). Despite these observations, there is no direct evidence against measuring fMRI activation in white matter and reports of fMRI activation in white matter continue to increase. The questions underlying white matter fMRI activation are important. White matter fMRI activation has the potential to greatly expand the breadth of brain connectivity research, as well as improve the assessment and diagnosis of white matter and connectivity disorders. The current review provides an overview of the motivation to investigate white matter fMRI activation, as well as the published evidence of this phenomenon. We speculate on possible neurophysiologic bases of white matter fMRI signals, and discuss potential explanations for why reports of white matter fMRI activation are relatively scarce. We end with a discussion of future basic and clinical research directions in the study of white matter fMRI. PMID:25152709

On children's dyslexia with NIRS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gan, Zhuo; Li, Chengjun; Gong, Hui; Luo, Qingming; Yao, Bin; Song, Ranran; Wu, Hanrong

2003-12-01

Developmental dyslexia is a kind of prevalent psychologic disease. Some functional imaging technologies, such as FMRI and PET, have been used to study the brain activities of dyslexics. NIRS is a kind of novel technology which is more and more widely being used for study of the cognitive psychology. However, there aren"t reports about the dyslexic research using NIRS to be found until now. This paper introduces a NIRS system of four measuring channels. Brain activities of dyslexic subjects and normal subjects during reading task were studied with the NIRS system. Two groups of subjects, the group of dyslexia and the group of normal, were appointed to perform two reading tasks. At the same time, their cortical activities were measured with the NIRS system. This experimental result indicates that the brain activities of the dyslexic group were significantly higher than the control group in BA 48 and that NIRS can be used for the study of human brain activity.

A guide to using functional magnetic resonance imaging to study Alzheimer's disease in animal models.

PubMed

Asaad, Mazen; Lee, Jin Hyung

2018-05-18

Alzheimer's disease is a leading healthcare challenge facing our society today. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of the brain has played an important role in our efforts to understand how Alzheimer's disease alters brain function. Using fMRI in animal models of Alzheimer's disease has the potential to provide us with a more comprehensive understanding of the observations made in human clinical fMRI studies. However, using fMRI in animal models of Alzheimer's disease presents some unique challenges. Here, we highlight some of these challenges and discuss potential solutions for researchers interested in performing fMRI in animal models. First, we briefly summarize our current understanding of Alzheimer's disease from a mechanistic standpoint. We then overview the wide array of animal models available for studying this disease and how to choose the most appropriate model to study, depending on which aspects of the condition researchers seek to investigate. Finally, we discuss the contributions of fMRI to our understanding of Alzheimer's disease and the issues to consider when designing fMRI studies for animal models, such as differences in brain activity based on anesthetic choice and ways to interrogate more specific questions in rodents beyond those that can be addressed in humans. The goal of this article is to provide information on the utility of fMRI, and approaches to consider when using fMRI, for studies of Alzheimer's disease in animal models. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

A guide to using functional magnetic resonance imaging to study Alzheimer's disease in animal models

PubMed Central

Asaad, Mazen

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Alzheimer's disease is a leading healthcare challenge facing our society today. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of the brain has played an important role in our efforts to understand how Alzheimer's disease alters brain function. Using fMRI in animal models of Alzheimer's disease has the potential to provide us with a more comprehensive understanding of the observations made in human clinical fMRI studies. However, using fMRI in animal models of Alzheimer's disease presents some unique challenges. Here, we highlight some of these challenges and discuss potential solutions for researchers interested in performing fMRI in animal models. First, we briefly summarize our current understanding of Alzheimer's disease from a mechanistic standpoint. We then overview the wide array of animal models available for studying this disease and how to choose the most appropriate model to study, depending on which aspects of the condition researchers seek to investigate. Finally, we discuss the contributions of fMRI to our understanding of Alzheimer's disease and the issues to consider when designing fMRI studies for animal models, such as differences in brain activity based on anesthetic choice and ways to interrogate more specific questions in rodents beyond those that can be addressed in humans. The goal of this article is to provide information on the utility of fMRI, and approaches to consider when using fMRI, for studies of Alzheimer's disease in animal models. PMID:29784664

Longitudinal Growth Curves of Brain Function Underlying Inhibitory Control through Adolescence

PubMed Central

Foran, William; Velanova, Katerina; Luna, Beatriz

2013-01-01

Neuroimaging studies suggest that developmental improvements in inhibitory control are primarily supported by changes in prefrontal executive function. However, studies are contradictory with respect to how activation in prefrontal regions changes with age, and they have yet to analyze longitudinal data using growth curve modeling, which allows characterization of dynamic processes of developmental change, individual differences in growth trajectories, and variables that predict any interindividual variability in trajectories. In this study, we present growth curves modeled from longitudinal fMRI data collected over 302 visits (across ages 9 to 26 years) from 123 human participants. Brain regions within circuits known to support motor response control, executive control, and error processing (i.e., aspects of inhibitory control) were investigated. Findings revealed distinct developmental trajectories for regions within each circuit and indicated that a hierarchical pattern of maturation of brain activation supports the gradual emergence of adult-like inhibitory control. Mean growth curves of activation in motor response control regions revealed no changes with age, although interindividual variability decreased with development, indicating equifinality with maturity. Activation in certain executive control regions decreased with age until adolescence, and variability was stable across development. Error-processing activation in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex showed continued increases into adulthood and no significant interindividual variability across development, and was uniquely associated with task performance. These findings provide evidence that continued maturation of error-processing abilities supports the protracted development of inhibitory control over adolescence, while motor response control regions provide early-maturing foundational capacities and suggest that some executive control regions may buttress immature networks as error processing continues to mature. PMID:24227721

Experimental induction of reading difficulties in normal readers provides novel insights into the neurofunctional mechanisms of visual word recognition.

PubMed

Heim, Stefan; Weidner, Ralph; von Overheidt, Ann-Christin; Tholen, Nicole; Grande, Marion; Amunts, Katrin

2014-03-01

Phonological and visual dysfunctions may result in reading deficits like those encountered in developmental dyslexia. Here, we use a novel approach to induce similar reading difficulties in normal readers in an event-related fMRI study, thus systematically investigating which brain regions relate to different pathways relating to orthographic-phonological (e.g. grapheme-to-phoneme conversion, GPC) vs. visual processing. Based upon a previous behavioural study (Tholen et al. 2011), the retrieval of phonemes from graphemes was manipulated by lowering the identifiability of letters in familiar vs. unfamiliar shapes. Visual word and letter processing was impeded by presenting the letters of a word in a moving, non-stationary manner. FMRI revealed that the visual condition activated cytoarchitectonically defined area hOC5 in the magnocellular pathway and area 7A in the right mesial parietal cortex. In contrast, the grapheme manipulation revealed different effects localised predominantly in bilateral inferior frontal gyrus (left cytoarchitectonic area 44; right area 45) and inferior parietal lobule (including areas PF/PFm), regions that have been demonstrated to show abnormal activation in dyslexic as compared to normal readers. This pattern of activation bears close resemblance to recent findings in dyslexic samples both behaviourally and with respect to the neurofunctional activation patterns. The novel paradigm may thus prove useful in future studies to understand reading problems related to distinct pathways, potentially providing a link also to the understanding of real reading impairments in dyslexia.

Rapid Postnatal Expansion of Neural Networks Occurs in an Environment of Altered Neurovascular and Neurometabolic Coupling.

PubMed

Kozberg, Mariel G; Ma, Ying; Shaik, Mohammed A; Kim, Sharon H; Hillman, Elizabeth M C

2016-06-22

In the adult brain, increases in neural activity lead to increases in local blood flow. However, many prior measurements of functional hemodynamics in the neonatal brain, including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in human infants, have noted altered and even inverted hemodynamic responses to stimuli. Here, we demonstrate that localized neural activity in early postnatal mice does not evoke blood flow increases as in the adult brain, and elucidate the neural and metabolic correlates of these altered functional hemodynamics as a function of developmental age. Using wide-field GCaMP imaging, the development of neural responses to somatosensory stimulus is visualized over the entire bilaterally exposed cortex. Neural responses are observed to progress from tightly localized, unilateral maps to bilateral responses as interhemispheric connectivity becomes established. Simultaneous hemodynamic imaging confirms that spatiotemporally coupled functional hyperemia is not present during these early stages of postnatal brain development, and develops gradually as cortical connectivity is established. Exploring the consequences of this lack of functional hyperemia, measurements of oxidative metabolism via flavoprotein fluorescence suggest that neural activity depletes local oxygen to below baseline levels at early developmental stages. Analysis of hemoglobin oxygenation dynamics at the same age confirms oxygen depletion for both stimulus-evoked and resting-state neural activity. This state of unmet metabolic demand during neural network development poses new questions about the mechanisms of neurovascular development and its role in both normal and abnormal brain development. These results also provide important insights for the interpretation of fMRI studies of the developing brain. This work demonstrates that the postnatal development of neuronal connectivity is accompanied by development of the mechanisms that regulate local blood flow in response to neural activity. Novel in vivo imaging reveals that, in the developing mouse brain, strong and localized GCaMP neural responses to stimulus fail to evoke local blood flow increases, leading to a state in which oxygen levels become locally depleted. These results demonstrate that the development of cortical connectivity occurs in an environment of altered energy availability that itself may play a role in shaping normal brain development. These findings have important implications for understanding the pathophysiology of abnormal developmental trajectories, and for the interpretation of functional magnetic resonance imaging data acquired in the developing brain. Copyright © 2016 the authors 0270-6474/16/366704-14$15.00/0.

FUNCTIONAL NETWORK ARCHITECTURE OF READING-RELATED REGIONS ACROSS DEVELOPMENT

PubMed Central

Vogel, Alecia C.; Church, Jessica A.; Power, Jonathan D.; Miezin, Fran M.; Petersen, Steven E.; Schlaggar, Bradley L.

2013-01-01

Reading requires coordinated neural processing across a large number of brain regions. Studying relationships between reading-related regions informs the specificity of information processing performed in each region. Here, regions of interest were defined from a meta-analysis of reading studies, including a developmental study. Relationships between regions were defined as temporal correlations in spontaneous fMRI signal; i.e., resting state functional connectivity MRI (RSFC). Graph theory based network analysis defined the community structure of the “reading-related” regions. Regions sorted into previously defined communities, such as the fronto-parietal and cingulo-opercular control networks, and the default mode network. This structure was similar in children, and no apparent “reading” community was defined in any age group. These results argue against regions, or sets of regions, being specific or preferential for reading, instead indicating that regions used in reading are also used in a number of other tasks. PMID:23506969

Toward Dysfunctional Connectivity: A Review of Neuroimaging Findings in Pediatric Major Depressive Disorder

PubMed Central

Hulvershorn, Leslie; Cullen, Kathryn; Anand, Amit

2011-01-01

Child and adolescent psychiatric neuroimaging research typically lags behind similar advances in adult disorders. While the pediatric depression imaging literature is less developed, a recent surge in interest has created the need for a synthetic review of this work. Major findings from pediatric volumetric and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and resting state functional connectivity studies converge to implicate a corticolimbic network of key areas that work together to mediate the task of emotion regulation. Imaging the brain of children and adolescents with unipolar depression began with volumetric studies of isolated brain regions that served to identify key prefrontal, cingulate and limbic nodes of depression-related circuitry elucidated from more recent advances in DTI and functional connectivity imaging. Systematic review of these studies preliminarily suggests developmental differences between findings in youth and adults, including prodromal neurobiological features, along with some continuity across development. PMID:21901425

Functional neuroimaging for addiction medicine: From mechanisms to practical considerations.

PubMed

Ekhtiari, Hamed; Faghiri, Ashkan; Oghabian, Mohammad-Ali; Paulus, Martin P

2016-01-01

During last 20 years, neuroimaging with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in people with drug addictions has introduced a wide range of quantitative biomarkers from brain's regional or network level activities during different cognitive functions. These quantitative biomarkers could be potentially used for assessment, planning, prediction, and monitoring for "addiction medicine" during screening, acute intoxication, admission to a program, completion of an acute program, admission to a long-term program, and postgraduation follow-up. In this chapter, we have briefly reviewed main neurocognitive targets for fMRI studies associated with addictive behaviors, main study types using fMRI among drug dependents, and potential applications for fMRI in addiction medicine. Main challenges and limitations for extending fMRI studies and evidences aiming at clinical applications in addiction medicine are also discussed. There is still a significant gap between available evidences from group-based fMRI studies and personalized decisions during daily practices in addiction medicine. It will be important to fill this gap with large-scale clinical trials and longitudinal studies using fMRI measures with a well-defined strategic plan for the future. © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Can fMRI safely replace the Wada test for preoperative assessment of language lateralisation? A meta-analysis and systematic review.

PubMed

Bauer, Prisca R; Reitsma, Johannes B; Houweling, Bernard M; Ferrier, Cyrille H; Ramsey, Nick F

2014-05-01

Recent studies have shown that fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) may be of value for pre-surgical assessment of language lateralisation. The aim of this study was to systematically review and analyse the available literature. A systematic electronic search for studies comparing fMRI with Wada testing was conducted in the PubMed database between March 2009 and November 2011. Studies involving unilateral Wada testing, study population consisting exclusively of children younger than 12 years of age or involving five patients or fewer were excluded. 22 studies (504 patients) were included. A random effects meta-analysis was conducted to obtain pooled estimates of the positive and negative predictive values of the fMRI using the Wada test as the reference standard. The impact of several study features on the performance of fMRI was assessed. The results showed that 81% of patients were correctly classified as having left or right language dominance or mixed language representation. Techniques were discordant in 19% of patients. fMRI and Wada test agreed in 94% for typical language lateralisation and in 51% for atypical language lateralisation. Language production or language comprehension tasks and different regions of interest did not yield statistically significant different results. It can be concluded that fMRI is reliable when there is strong left-lateralised language. The Wada test is warranted when fMRI fails to show clear left-lateralisation.

"I won, but I’m not getting my hopes up": Depression Moderates the Relationship Outcomes and Reward Anticipation

PubMed Central

Olino, Thomas M.; McMakin, Dana L.; Dahl, Ronald E.; Ryan, Neal D.; Silk, Jennifer S.; Birmaher, Boris; Axelson, David A.; Forbes, Erika E.

2011-01-01

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in adolescents is characterized by alterations in positive emotions and reward processing. Recent investigations using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) find depression-related differences in reward anticipation. However, it is unknown whether feedback influences subsequent reward anticipation, which may highlight the context of reward processing. Ten youth with MDD and sixteen youth with no history of MDD completed an fMRI assessment using a reward task. Reward anticipation was indexed by blood oxygen level dependent signal change in the striatum following winning; losing; non-winning; and non-losing outcomes. A significant interaction between diagnostic status and outcome condition predicted reward anticipation in the caudate. Decomposition of the interaction indicated that following winning outcomes, depressed youth demonstrated reduced reward anticipation relative to healthy youth. However, no significant differences between depressed and healthy youth were found after other outcomes. Reward anticipation is altered following winning outcomes. This finding has implications for understanding the developmental pathophysiology of MDD and suggests specific contexts where altered motivational system functioning may play a role in maintaining depression. PMID:22079656

Cross-cultural reading the mind in the eyes: an fMRI investigation.

PubMed

Adams, Reginald B; Rule, Nicholas O; Franklin, Robert G; Wang, Elsie; Stevenson, Michael T; Yoshikawa, Sakiko; Nomura, Mitsue; Sato, Wataru; Kveraga, Kestutis; Ambady, Nalini

2010-01-01

The ability to infer others' thoughts, intentions, and feelings is regarded as uniquely human. Over the last few decades, this remarkable ability has captivated the attention of philosophers, primatologists, clinical and developmental psychologists, anthropologists, social psychologists, and cognitive neuroscientists. Most would agree that the capacity to reason about others' mental states is innately prepared, essential for successful human social interaction. Whether this ability is culturally tuned, however, remains entirely uncharted on both the behavioral and neural levels. Here we provide the first behavioral and neural evidence for an intracultural advantage (better performance for same- vs. other-culture) in mental state decoding in a sample of native Japanese and white American participants. We examined the neural correlates of this intracultural advantage using fMRI, revealing greater bilateral posterior superior temporal sulci recruitment during same- versus other-culture mental state decoding in both cultural groups. These findings offer preliminary support for cultural consistency in the neurological architecture subserving high-level mental state reasoning, as well as its differential recruitment based on cultural group membership.

Amygdala response to faces parallels social behavior in Williams syndrome

PubMed Central

Snyder, Abraham Z.; Haist, Frank; Raichle, Marcus E.; Bellugi, Ursula; Stiles, Joan

2009-01-01

Individuals with Williams syndrome (WS), a genetically determined disorder, show relatively strong face-processing abilities despite poor visuospatial skills and depressed intellectual function. Interestingly, beginning early in childhood they also show an unusually high level of interest in face-to-face social interaction. We employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate physiological responses in face-sensitive brain regions, including ventral occipito-temporal cortex and the amygdala, in this unique genetic disorder. Participants included 17 individuals with WS, 17 age- and gender-matched healthy adults (chronological age-matched controls, CA) and 17 typically developing 8- to 9-year-old children (developmental age controls, DA). While engaged in a face discrimination task, WS participants failed to recruit the amygdala, unlike both CA and DA controls. WS fMRI responses in ventral occipito-temporal cortex, however, were comparable to those of DA controls. Given the integral role of the amygdala in social behavior, the failure of WS participants to recruit this region during face processing may be a neural correlate of the abnormally high sociability that characterizes this disorder. PMID:19633063

Effects of prenatal substance exposure on neurocognitive correlates of inhibitory control success and failure.

PubMed

Roos, Leslie E; Beauchamp, Kathryn G; Pears, Katherine C; Fisher, Philip A; Berkman, Elliot T; Capaldi, Deborah

2017-01-01

Adolescents with prenatal substance (drug and alcohol) exposure exhibit inhibitory control (IC) deficits and aberrations in associated neural function. Nearly all research to date examines exposure to individual substances, and a minimal amount is known about the effects of heterogeneous exposure-which is more representative of population exposure levels. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we investigated IC (Go/NoGo) in heterogeneously exposed (n = 7) vs. control (n = 7) at-risk adolescents (ages 13-17). The fMRI results indicated multiple IC processing differences consistent with a more immature developmental profile for exposed adolescents (Exposed  >  Nonexposed: NoGo > Go: right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, right cuneus, and left inferior parietal lobe; NoGo > false alarm: occipital lobe; Go > false alarm: right anterior prefrontal cortex). Simple effects suggest exposed adolescents exhibited exaggerated correct trial but decreased incorrect trial activation. Results provide initial evidence that prenatal exposure across substances creates similar patterns of atypical brain activation to IC success and failure.

Neurobiology of culturally common maternal responses to infant cry

PubMed Central

Bornstein, Marc H.; Rigo, Paola; Esposito, Gianluca; Swain, James E.; Suwalsky, Joan T. D.; Su, Xueyun; Du, Xiaoxia; Zhang, Kaihua; Cote, Linda R.; De Pisapia, Nicola; Venuti, Paola

2017-01-01

This report coordinates assessments of five types of behavioral responses in new mothers to their own infants’ cries with neurobiological responses in new mothers to their own infants’ cries and in experienced mothers and inexperienced nonmothers to infant cries and other emotional and control sounds. We found that 684 new primipara mothers in 11 countries (Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Cameroon, France, Kenya, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, and the United States) preferentially responded to their infants’ vocalizing distress by picking up and holding and by talking to their infants, as opposed to displaying affection, distracting, or nurturing. Complementary functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) analyses of brain responses to their own infants’ cries in 43 new primipara US mothers revealed enhanced activity in concordant brain territories linked to the intention to move and to speak, to process auditory stimulation, and to caregive [supplementary motor area (SMA), inferior frontal regions, superior temporal regions, midbrain, and striatum]. Further, fMRI brain responses to infant cries in 50 Chinese and Italian mothers replicated, extended, and, through parcellation, refined the results. Brains of inexperienced nonmothers activated differently. Culturally common responses to own infant cry coupled with corresponding fMRI findings to own infant and to generic infant cries identified specific, common, and automatic caregiving reactions in mothers to infant vocal expressions of distress and point to their putative neurobiological bases. Candidate behaviors embedded in the nervous systems of human caregivers lie at the intersection of evolutionary biology and developmental cultural psychology. PMID:29078366

Developmental trends and individual differences in brain systems involved in intertemporal choice during adolescence.

PubMed

Banich, Marie T; De La Vega, Alejandro; Andrews-Hanna, Jessica R; Mackiewicz Seghete, Kristen; Du, Yiping; Claus, Eric D

2013-06-01

This study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine the neural systems activated during an intertemporal choice task in a group of 14- to 19-year-old adolescents, as well as the relationship of such activation patterns to individual differences in the self-reported ability to engage in nonimmediate thinking (i.e., less impulsive and more future-oriented thoughts and action). With increasing age, there was greater differentiation between patterns of brain activity for immediate versus future choices across three distinct brain systems involved in intertemporal choice--those involved in exerting control over behavior, attributing affective value to choices, and imagining future outcomes. Furthermore, a greater propensity toward self-reported nonimmediate thinking was associated with decreased activity in the systems involved in cognitive control, possibly suggesting that individuals with greater self-reported nonimmediate thinking need to rely less on cognitive control regions during conditions of intertemporal choice. These results highlight the role that both developmental age and individual differences play in influencing neural systems involved in intertemporal choice. Implications for understanding the onset of substance abuse disorders during adolescence are discussed. 2013 APA, all rights reserved

Fronto-Parietal Network Reconfiguration Supports the Development of Reasoning Ability

PubMed Central

Wendelken, Carter; Ferrer, Emilio; Whitaker, Kirstie J.; Bunge, Silvia A.

2016-01-01

The goal of this fMRI study was to examine how well developmental improvements in reasoning ability can be explained by changes in functional connectivity between specific nodes in prefrontal and parietal cortices. To this end, we examined connectivity within the lateral fronto-parietal network (LFPN) and its relation to reasoning ability in 132 children and adolescents aged 6–18 years, 56 of whom were scanned twice over the course of 1.5 years. Developmental changes in strength of connections within the LFPN were most prominent in late childhood and early adolescence. Reasoning ability was related to functional connectivity between left rostrolateral prefrontal cortex (RLPFC) and inferior parietal lobule (IPL), but only among 12–18-year olds. For 9–11-year olds, reasoning ability was most strongly related to connectivity between left and right RLPFC; this relationship was mediated by working memory. For 6–8-year olds, significant relationships between connectivity and performance were not observed; in this group, processing speed was the primary mediator of improvement in reasoning ability. We conclude that different connections best support reasoning at different points in development and that RLPFC-IPL connectivity becomes an important predictor of reasoning during adolescence. PMID:25824536

Longitudinal Brain Development of Numerical Skills in Typically Developing Children and Children with Developmental Dyscalculia.

PubMed

McCaskey, Ursina; von Aster, Michael; Maurer, Urs; Martin, Ernst; O'Gorman Tuura, Ruth; Kucian, Karin

2017-01-01

Developmental dyscalculia (DD) is a learning disability affecting the acquisition of numerical-arithmetical skills. Studies report persistent deficits in number processing and aberrant functional activation of the fronto-parietal numerical network in DD. However, the neural development of numerical abilities has been scarcely investigated. The present paper provides a first attempt to investigate behavioral and neural trajectories of numerical abilities longitudinally in typically developing (TD) and DD children. During a study period of 4 years, 28 children (8-11 years) were evaluated twice by means of neuropsychological tests and a numerical order fMRI paradigm. Over time, TD children improved in numerical abilities and showed a consistent and well-developed fronto-parietal network. In contrast, DD children revealed persistent deficits in number processing and arithmetic. Brain imaging results of the DD group showed an age-related activation increase in parietal regions (intraparietal sulcus), pointing to a delayed development of number processing areas. Besides, an activation increase in frontal areas was observed over time, indicating the use of compensatory mechanisms. In conclusion, results suggest a continuation in neural development of number representation in DD, whereas the neural network for simple ordinal number estimation seems to be stable or show only subtle changes in TD children over time.

Longitudinal Brain Development of Numerical Skills in Typically Developing Children and Children with Developmental Dyscalculia

PubMed Central

McCaskey, Ursina; von Aster, Michael; Maurer, Urs; Martin, Ernst; O'Gorman Tuura, Ruth; Kucian, Karin

2018-01-01

Developmental dyscalculia (DD) is a learning disability affecting the acquisition of numerical-arithmetical skills. Studies report persistent deficits in number processing and aberrant functional activation of the fronto-parietal numerical network in DD. However, the neural development of numerical abilities has been scarcely investigated. The present paper provides a first attempt to investigate behavioral and neural trajectories of numerical abilities longitudinally in typically developing (TD) and DD children. During a study period of 4 years, 28 children (8–11 years) were evaluated twice by means of neuropsychological tests and a numerical order fMRI paradigm. Over time, TD children improved in numerical abilities and showed a consistent and well-developed fronto-parietal network. In contrast, DD children revealed persistent deficits in number processing and arithmetic. Brain imaging results of the DD group showed an age-related activation increase in parietal regions (intraparietal sulcus), pointing to a delayed development of number processing areas. Besides, an activation increase in frontal areas was observed over time, indicating the use of compensatory mechanisms. In conclusion, results suggest a continuation in neural development of number representation in DD, whereas the neural network for simple ordinal number estimation seems to be stable or show only subtle changes in TD children over time. PMID:29354041

Resting-State Seed-Based Analysis: An Alternative to Task-Based Language fMRI and Its Laterality Index.

PubMed

Smitha, K A; Arun, K M; Rajesh, P G; Thomas, B; Kesavadas, C

2017-06-01

Language is a cardinal function that makes human unique. Preservation of language function poses a great challenge for surgeons during resection. The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of resting-state fMRI in the lateralization of language function in healthy subjects to permit its further testing in patients who are unable to perform task-based fMRI. Eighteen healthy right-handed volunteers were prospectively evaluated with resting-state fMRI and task-based fMRI to assess language networks. The laterality indices of Broca and Wernicke areas were calculated by using task-based fMRI via a voxel-value approach. We adopted seed-based resting-state fMRI connectivity analysis together with parameters such as amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation and fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF). Resting-state fMRI connectivity maps for language networks were obtained from Broca and Wernicke areas in both hemispheres. We performed correlation analysis between the laterality index and the z scores of functional connectivity, amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation, and fALFF. Pearson correlation analysis between signals obtained from the z score of fALFF and the laterality index yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.849 ( P < .05). Regression analysis of the fALFF with the laterality index yielded an R 2 value of 0.721, indicating that 72.1% of the variance in the laterality index of task-based fMRI could be predicted from the fALFF of resting-state fMRI. The present study demonstrates that fALFF can be used as an alternative to task-based fMRI for assessing language laterality. There was a strong positive correlation between the fALFF of the Broca area of resting-state fMRI with the laterality index of task-based fMRI. Furthermore, we demonstrated the efficacy of fALFF for predicting the laterality of task-based fMRI. © 2017 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Anterior Medial Temporal Lobe Activation during Encoding of Words: FMRI Methods to Optimize Sensitivity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parsons, Michael W.; Haut, Marc W.; Lemieux, Susan K.; Moran, Maria T.; Leach, Sharon G.

2006-01-01

The existence of a rostrocaudal gradient of medial temporal lobe (MTL) activation during memory encoding has historically received support from positron emission tomography studies, but less so from functional MRI (FMRI) studies. More recently, FMRI studies have demonstrated that characteristics of the stimuli can affect the location of activation…

Altered Dynamics of the fMRI Response to Faces in Individuals with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kleinhans, Natalia M.; Richards, Todd; Greenson, Jessica; Dawson, Geraldine; Aylward, Elizabeth

2016-01-01

Abnormal fMRI habituation in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) has been proposed as a critical component in social impairment. This study investigated habituation to fearful faces and houses in ASD and whether fMRI measures of brain activity discriminate between ASD and typically developing (TD) controls. Two identical fMRI runs presenting masked…

Neuroimaging the traumatized self: fMRI reveals altered response in cortical midline structures and occipital cortex during visual and verbal self- and other-referential processing in women with PTSD

PubMed Central

Frewen, Paul; Thornley, Elizabeth; Rabellino, Daniela; Lanius, Ruth

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Changes to the diagnostic criteria for PTSD in DSM-5 reflect an increased emphasis on negative cognition referring to self and other, including self-blame, and related pervasive negative affective states including for self-conscious emotions such as guilt and shame. Objective: Investigate the neural correlates of valenced self-referential processing (SRP) and other-referential processing (ORP) in persons with PTSD. Method: We compared response to the Visual-Verbal Self-Other Referential Processing Task in an fMRI study of women with (n = 20) versus without (n = 24) PTSD primarily relating to childhood and interpersonal trauma histories using statistical parametric mapping and group independent component analysis. Results: As compared to women without PTSD, women with PTSD endorsed negative words as more descriptive both of themselves and others, whereas positive words were endorsed as less descriptive both of themselves and others. Women with PTSD also reported a greater experience of negative affect and a lesser experience of positive affect during SRP specifically. Significant differences between groups were observed within independent components defined by ventral- and middle-medial prefrontal corte x, mediolateral parietal cortex, and visual cortex, depending on experimental conditions. Conclusions: This study reveals brain-based disturbances during SRP and ORP in women with PTSD related to interpersonal and developmental trauma. Psychological assessment and treatment should address altered sense of self and affective response to others in PTSD. PMID:28649298

Typical and Atypical Development of Functional Connectivity in the Face Network.

PubMed

Song, Yiying; Zhu, Qi; Li, Jingguang; Wang, Xu; Liu, Jia

2015-10-28

Extensive studies have demonstrated that face recognition performance does not reach adult levels until adolescence. However, there is no consensus on whether such prolonged improvement stems from development of general cognitive factors or face-specific mechanisms. Here, we used behavioral experiments and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to evaluate these two hypotheses. With a large cohort of children (n = 379), we found that the ability of face-specific recognition in humans increased with age throughout childhood and into late adolescence in both face memory and face perception. Neurally, to circumvent the potential problem of age differences in task performance, attention, or cognitive strategies in task-state fMRI studies, we measured the resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) between the occipital face area (OFA) and fusiform face area (FFA) in human brain and found that the OFA-FFA RSFC increased until 11-13 years of age. Moreover, the OFA-FFA RSFC was selectively impaired in adults with developmental prosopagnosia (DP). In contrast, no age-related changes or differences between DP and normal adults were observed for RSFCs in the object system. Finally, the OFA-FFA RSFC matured earlier than face selectivity in either the OFA or FFA. These results suggest the critical role of the OFA-FFA RSFC in the development of face recognition. Together, our findings support the hypothesis that prolonged development of face recognition is face specific, not domain general. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/3514624-12$15.00/0.

Developmental trajectories during adolescence in males and females: a cross-species understanding of underlying brain changes

PubMed Central

Brenhouse, Heather C.; Andersen, Susan L.

2011-01-01

Adolescence is a transitional period between childhood and adulthood that encompasses vast changes within brain systems that parallel some, but not all, behavioral changes. Elevations in emotional reactivity and reward processing follow an inverted U shape in terms of onset and remission, with the peak occurring during adolescence. However, cognitive processing follows a more linear course of development. This review will focus on changes within key structures and will highlight the relationships between brain changes and behavior, with evidence spanning from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in humans to molecular studies of receptor and signaling factors in animals. Adolescent changes in neuronal substrates will be used to understand how typical and atypical behaviors arise during adolescence. We draw upon clinical and preclinical studies to provide a neural framework for defining adolescence and its role in the transition to adulthood. PMID:21600919

Neuroimaging mechanisms of change in psychotherapy for addictive behaviors: emerging translational approaches that bridge biology and behavior.

PubMed

Feldstein Ewing, Sarah W; Chung, Tammy

2013-06-01

Research on mechanisms of behavior change provides an innovative method to improve treatment for addictive behaviors. An important extension of mechanisms of change research involves the use of translational approaches, which examine how basic biological (i.e., brain-based mechanisms) and behavioral factors interact in initiating and sustaining positive behavior change as a result of psychotherapy. Articles in this special issue include integrative conceptual reviews and innovative empirical research on brain-based mechanisms that may underlie risk for addictive behaviors and response to psychotherapy from adolescence through adulthood. Review articles discuss hypothesized mechanisms of change for cognitive and behavioral therapies, mindfulness-based interventions, and neuroeconomic approaches. Empirical articles cover a range of addictive behaviors, including use of alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, cocaine, and pathological gambling and represent a variety of imaging approaches including fMRI, magneto-encephalography, real-time fMRI, and diffusion tensor imaging. Additionally, a few empirical studies directly examine brain-based mechanisms of change, whereas others examine brain-based indicators as predictors of treatment outcome. Finally, two commentaries discuss craving as a core feature of addiction, and the importance of a developmental approach to examining mechanisms of change. Ultimately, translational research on mechanisms of behavior change holds promise for increasing understanding of how psychotherapy may modify brain structure and functioning and facilitate the initiation and maintenance of positive treatment outcomes for addictive behaviors. 2013 APA, all rights reserved

Neuroimaging mechanisms of change in psychotherapy for addictive behaviors: Emerging translational approaches that bridge biology and behavior

PubMed Central

Feldstein Ewing, Sarah W.; Chung, Tammy

2013-01-01

Research on mechanisms of behavior change provides an innovative method to improve treatment for addictive behaviors. An important extension of mechanisms of change research involves the use of translational approaches, which examine how basic biological (i.e., brain-based mechanisms) and behavioral factors interact in initiating and sustaining positive behavior change as a result of psychotherapy. Articles in this special issue include integrative conceptual reviews and innovative empirical research on brain-based mechanisms that may underlie risk for addictive behaviors and response to psychotherapy from adolescence through adulthood. Review articles discuss hypothesized mechanisms of change for cognitive and behavioral therapies, mindfulness-based interventions, and neuroeconomic approaches. Empirical articles cover a range of addictive behaviors, including use of alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, cocaine, and pathological gambling and represent a variety of imaging approaches including fMRI, magneto-encephalography, real time fMRI, and diffusion tensor imaging. Additionally, a few empirical studies directly examined brain-based mechanisms of change, whereas others examined brain-based indicators as predictors of treatment outcome. Finally, two commentaries discuss craving as a core feature of addiction, and the importance of a developmental approach to examining mechanisms of change. Ultimately, translational research on mechanisms of behavior change holds promise for increasing understanding of how psychotherapy may modify brain structure and functioning and facilitate the initiation and maintenance of positive treatment outcomes for addictive behaviors. PMID:23815447

Visual Cortical Representation of Whole Words and Hemifield-split Word Parts.

PubMed

Strother, Lars; Coros, Alexandra M; Vilis, Tutis

2016-02-01

Reading requires the neural integration of visual word form information that is split between our retinal hemifields. We examined multiple visual cortical areas involved in this process by measuring fMRI responses while observers viewed words that changed or repeated in one or both hemifields. We were specifically interested in identifying brain areas that exhibit decreased fMRI responses as a result of repeated versus changing visual word form information in each visual hemifield. Our method yielded highly significant effects of word repetition in a previously reported visual word form area (VWFA) in occipitotemporal cortex, which represents hemifield-split words as whole units. We also identified a more posterior occipital word form area (OWFA), which represents word form information in the right and left hemifields independently and is thus both functionally and anatomically distinct from the VWFA. Both the VWFA and the OWFA were left-lateralized in our study and strikingly symmetric in anatomical location relative to known face-selective visual cortical areas in the right hemisphere. Our findings are consistent with the observation that category-selective visual areas come in pairs and support the view that neural mechanisms in left visual cortex--especially those that evolved to support the visual processing of faces--are developmentally malleable and become incorporated into a left-lateralized visual word form network that supports rapid word recognition and reading.

Lying about Facial Recognition: An fMRI Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhatt, S.; Mbwana, J.; Adeyemo, A.; Sawyer, A.; Hailu, A.; VanMeter, J.

2009-01-01

Novel deception detection techniques have been in creation for centuries. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a neuroscience technology that non-invasively measures brain activity associated with behavior and cognition. A number of investigators have explored the utilization and efficiency of fMRI in deception detection. In this study,…

A comparison between EEG source localization and fMRI during the processing of emotional visual stimuli

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Jin; Tian, Jie; Pan, Xiaohong; Liu, Jiangang

2007-03-01

The purpose of this paper is to compare between EEG source localization and fMRI during emotional processing. 108 pictures for EEG (categorized as positive, negative and neutral) and 72 pictures for fMRI were presented to 24 healthy, right-handed subjects. The fMRI data were analyzed using statistical parametric mapping with SPM2. LORETA was applied to grand averaged ERP data to localize intracranial sources. Statistical analysis was implemented to compare spatiotemporal activation of fMRI and EEG. The fMRI results are in accordance with EEG source localization to some extent, while part of mismatch in localization between the two methods was also observed. In the future we should apply the method for simultaneous recording of EEG and fMRI to our study.

Intersession reliability of fMRI activation for heat pain and motor tasks

PubMed Central

Quiton, Raimi L.; Keaser, Michael L.; Zhuo, Jiachen; Gullapalli, Rao P.; Greenspan, Joel D.

2014-01-01

As the practice of conducting longitudinal fMRI studies to assess mechanisms of pain-reducing interventions becomes more common, there is a great need to assess the test–retest reliability of the pain-related BOLD fMRI signal across repeated sessions. This study quantitatively evaluated the reliability of heat pain-related BOLD fMRI brain responses in healthy volunteers across 3 sessions conducted on separate days using two measures: (1) intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) calculated based on signal amplitude and (2) spatial overlap. The ICC analysis of pain-related BOLD fMRI responses showed fair-to-moderate intersession reliability in brain areas regarded as part of the cortical pain network. Areas with the highest intersession reliability based on the ICC analysis included the anterior midcingulate cortex, anterior insula, and second somatosensory cortex. Areas with the lowest intersession reliability based on the ICC analysis also showed low spatial reliability; these regions included pregenual anterior cingulate cortex, primary somatosensory cortex, and posterior insula. Thus, this study found regional differences in pain-related BOLD fMRI response reliability, which may provide useful information to guide longitudinal pain studies. A simple motor task (finger-thumb opposition) was performed by the same subjects in the same sessions as the painful heat stimuli were delivered. Intersession reliability of fMRI activation in cortical motor areas was comparable to previously published findings for both spatial overlap and ICC measures, providing support for the validity of the analytical approach used to assess intersession reliability of pain-related fMRI activation. A secondary finding of this study is that the use of standard ICC alone as a measure of reliability may not be sufficient, as the underlying variance structure of an fMRI dataset can result in inappropriately high ICC values; a method to eliminate these false positive results was used in this study and is recommended for future studies of test–retest reliability. PMID:25161897

Interleaved EPI based fMRI improved by multiplexed sensitivity encoding (MUSE) and simultaneous multi-band imaging.

PubMed

Chang, Hing-Chiu; Gaur, Pooja; Chou, Ying-hui; Chu, Mei-Lan; Chen, Nan-kuei

2014-01-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a non-invasive and powerful imaging tool for detecting brain activities. The majority of fMRI studies are performed with single-shot echo-planar imaging (EPI) due to its high temporal resolution. Recent studies have demonstrated that, by increasing the spatial-resolution of fMRI, previously unidentified neuronal networks can be measured. However, it is challenging to improve the spatial resolution of conventional single-shot EPI based fMRI. Although multi-shot interleaved EPI is superior to single-shot EPI in terms of the improved spatial-resolution, reduced geometric distortions, and sharper point spread function (PSF), interleaved EPI based fMRI has two main limitations: 1) the imaging throughput is lower in interleaved EPI; 2) the magnitude and phase signal variations among EPI segments (due to physiological noise, subject motion, and B0 drift) are translated to significant in-plane aliasing artifact across the field of view (FOV). Here we report a method that integrates multiple approaches to address the technical limitations of interleaved EPI-based fMRI. Firstly, the multiplexed sensitivity-encoding (MUSE) post-processing algorithm is used to suppress in-plane aliasing artifacts resulting from time-domain signal instabilities during dynamic scans. Secondly, a simultaneous multi-band interleaved EPI pulse sequence, with a controlled aliasing scheme incorporated, is implemented to increase the imaging throughput. Thirdly, the MUSE algorithm is then generalized to accommodate fMRI data obtained with our multi-band interleaved EPI pulse sequence, suppressing both in-plane and through-plane aliasing artifacts. The blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) signal detectability and the scan throughput can be significantly improved for interleaved EPI-based fMRI. Our human fMRI data obtained from 3 Tesla systems demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed methods. It is expected that future fMRI studies requiring high spatial-resolvability and fidelity will largely benefit from the reported techniques.

Presurgical language fMRI: Clinical practices and patient outcomes in epilepsy surgical planning.

PubMed

Benjamin, Christopher F A; Li, Alexa X; Blumenfeld, Hal; Constable, R Todd; Alkawadri, Rafeed; Bickel, Stephan; Helmstaedter, Christoph; Meletti, Stefano; Bronen, Richard; Warfield, Simon K; Peters, Jurriaan M; Reutens, David; Połczyńska, Monika; Spencer, Dennis D; Hirsch, Lawrence J

2018-03-12

The goal of this study was to document current clinical practice and report patient outcomes in presurgical language functional MRI (fMRI) for epilepsy surgery. Epilepsy surgical programs worldwide were surveyed as to the utility, implementation, and efficacy of language fMRI in the clinic; 82 programs responded. Respondents were predominantly US (61%) academic programs (85%), and evaluated adults (44%), adults and children (40%), or children only (16%). Nearly all (96%) reported using language fMRI. Surprisingly, fMRI is used to guide surgical margins (44% of programs) as well as lateralize language (100%). Sites using fMRI for localization most often use a distance margin around activation of 10mm. While considered useful, 56% of programs reported at least one instance of disagreement with other measures. Direct brain stimulation typically confirmed fMRI findings (74%) when guiding margins, but instances of unpredicted decline were reported by 17% of programs and 54% reported unexpected preservation of function. Programs reporting unexpected decline did not clearly differ from those which did not. Clinicians using fMRI to guide surgical margins do not typically map known language-critical areas beyond Broca's and Wernicke's. This initial data shows many clinical teams are confident using fMRI not only for language lateralization but also to guide surgical margins. Reported cases of unexpected language preservation when fMRI activation is resected, and cases of language decline when it is not, emphasize a critical need for further validation. Comprehensive studies comparing commonly-used fMRI paradigms to predict stimulation mapping and post-surgical language decline remain of high importance. © 2018 The Authors Human Brain Mapping Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Developmental changes in brain regions involved in phonological and orthographic processing during spoken language processing

PubMed Central

Cone, Nadia E.; Burman, Douglas D.; Bitan, Tali; Bolger, Donald J.; Booth, James R.

2008-01-01

Developmental differences in brain activation of 9- to 15-year-old children were examined during an auditory rhyme decision task to spoken words using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). As a group, children showed activation in left superior/middle temporal gyri (BA 22, 21), right middle temporal gyrus (BA 21), dorsal (BA 45, pars opercularis) and ventral (BA 46, pars triangularis) aspects of left inferior frontal gyrus, and left fusiform gyrus (BA 37). There was a developmental increase in activation in left middle temporal gyrus (BA 22) across all lexical conditions, suggesting that automatic semantic processing increases with age regardless of task demands. Activation in left dorsal inferior frontal gyrus also showed developmental increases for the conflicting (e.g. PINT-MINT) compared to the non-conflicting (e.g. PRESS-LIST) non-rhyming conditions, indicating that this area becomes increasingly involved in strategic phonological processing in the face of conflicting orthographic and phonological representations. Left inferior temporal/fusiform gyrus (BA 37) activation was also greater for the conflicting (e.g. PINT-MINT) condition, and a developmental increase was found in the positive relationship between individuals' reaction time and activation in left lingual/fusiform gyrus (BA 18) in this condition, indicating an age-related increase in the association between longer reaction times and greater visual-orthographic processing in this conflicting condition. These results suggest that orthographic processing is automatically engaged by children in a task that does not require access to orthographic information for correct performance, especially when orthographic and phonological representations conflict, and especially for longer response latencies in older children. PMID:18413290

Subtle In-Scanner Motion Biases Automated Measurement of Brain Anatomy From In Vivo MRI

PubMed Central

Alexander-Bloch, Aaron; Clasen, Liv; Stockman, Michael; Ronan, Lisa; Lalonde, Francois; Giedd, Jay; Raznahan, Armin

2016-01-01

While the potential for small amounts of motion in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans to bias the results of functional neuroimaging studies is well appreciated, the impact of in-scanner motion on morphological analysis of structural MRI is relatively under-studied. Even among “good quality” structural scans, there may be systematic effects of motion on measures of brain morphometry. In the present study, the subjects’ tendency to move during fMRI scans, acquired in the same scanning sessions as their structural scans, yielded a reliable, continuous estimate of in-scanner motion. Using this approach within a sample of 127 children, adolescents, and young adults, significant relationships were found between this measure and estimates of cortical gray matter volume and mean curvature, as well as trend-level relationships with cortical thickness. Specifically, cortical volume and thickness decreased with greater motion, and mean curvature increased. These effects of subtle motion were anatomically heterogeneous, were present across different automated imaging pipelines, showed convergent validity with effects of frank motion assessed in a separate sample of 274 scans, and could be demonstrated in both pediatric and adult populations. Thus, using different motion assays in two large non-overlapping sets of structural MRI scans, convergent evidence showed that in-scanner motion—even at levels which do not manifest in visible motion artifact—can lead to systematic and regionally specific biases in anatomical estimation. These findings have special relevance to structural neuroimaging in developmental and clinical datasets, and inform ongoing efforts to optimize neuroanatomical analysis of existing and future structural MRI datasets in non-sedated humans. PMID:27004471

Tracking brain arousal fluctuations with fMRI

PubMed Central

Chang, Catie; Leopold, David A.; Schölvinck, Marieke Louise; Mandelkow, Hendrik; Picchioni, Dante; Liu, Xiao; Ye, Frank Q.; Turchi, Janita N.; Duyn, Jeff H.

2016-01-01

Changes in brain activity accompanying shifts in vigilance and arousal can interfere with the study of other intrinsic and task-evoked characteristics of brain function. However, the difficulty of tracking and modeling the arousal state during functional MRI (fMRI) typically precludes the assessment of arousal-dependent influences on fMRI signals. Here we combine fMRI, electrophysiology, and the monitoring of eyelid behavior to demonstrate an approach for tracking continuous variations in arousal level from fMRI data. We first characterize the spatial distribution of fMRI signal fluctuations that track a measure of behavioral arousal; taking this pattern as a template, and using the local field potential as a simultaneous and independent measure of cortical activity, we observe that the time-varying expression level of this template in fMRI data provides a close approximation of electrophysiological arousal. We discuss the potential benefit of these findings for increasing the sensitivity of fMRI as a cognitive and clinical biomarker. PMID:27051064

Localization of cortical primary motor area of the hand using navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation, BOLD and arterial spin labeling fMRI.

PubMed

Kallioniemi, Elisa; Pitkänen, Minna; Könönen, Mervi; Vanninen, Ritva; Julkunen, Petro

2016-11-01

Although the relationship between neuronavigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been widely studied in motor mapping, it is unknown how the motor response type or the choice of motor task affect this relationship. Centers of gravity (CoGs) and response maxima were measured with blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) and arterial spin labeling (ASL) fMRI during motor tasks against nTMS CoGs and response maxima, which were mapped with motor evoked potentials (MEPs) and silent periods (SPs). No differences in motor representations (CoGs and response maxima) were observed in lateral-medial direction (p=0.265). fMRI methods localized the motor representation more posterior than nTMS (p<0.001). This was not affected by the BOLD fMRI motor task (p>0.999) nor nTMS response type (p>0.999). ASL fMRI maxima did not differ from the nTMS nor BOLD fMRI CoGs (p≥0.070), but the ASL CoG was deeper in comparison to other methods (p≤0.042). The BOLD fMRI motor task did not influence the depth of the motor representation (p≥0.745). The median Euclidean distances between the nTMS and fMRI motor representations varied between 7.7mm and 14.5mm and did not differ between the methods (F≤1.23, p≥0.318). The relationship between fMRI and nTMS mapped excitatory (MEP) and inhibitory (SP) responses, and whether the choice of motor task affects this relationship, have not been studied before. The congruence between fMRI and nTMS is good. The choice of nTMS motor response type nor BOLD fMRI motor task had no effect on this relationship. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Compressed Sensing for fMRI: Feasibility Study on the Acceleration of Non-EPI fMRI at 9.4T

PubMed Central

Kim, Seong-Gi; Ye, Jong Chul

2015-01-01

Conventional functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technique known as gradient-recalled echo (GRE) echo-planar imaging (EPI) is sensitive to image distortion and degradation caused by local magnetic field inhomogeneity at high magnetic fields. Non-EPI sequences such as spoiled gradient echo and balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) have been proposed as an alternative high-resolution fMRI technique; however, the temporal resolution of these sequences is lower than the typically used GRE-EPI fMRI. One potential approach to improve the temporal resolution is to use compressed sensing (CS). In this study, we tested the feasibility of k-t FOCUSS—one of the high performance CS algorithms for dynamic MRI—for non-EPI fMRI at 9.4T using the model of rat somatosensory stimulation. To optimize the performance of CS reconstruction, different sampling patterns and k-t FOCUSS variations were investigated. Experimental results show that an optimized k-t FOCUSS algorithm with acceleration by a factor of 4 works well for non-EPI fMRI at high field under various statistical criteria, which confirms that a combination of CS and a non-EPI sequence may be a good solution for high-resolution fMRI at high fields. PMID:26413503

Comparison of fMRI data analysis by SPM99 on different operating systems.

PubMed

Shinagawa, Hideo; Honda, Ei-ichi; Ono, Takashi; Kurabayashi, Tohru; Ohyama, Kimie

2004-09-01

The hardware chosen for fMRI data analysis may depend on the platform already present in the laboratory or the supporting software. In this study, we ran SPM99 software on multiple platforms to examine whether we could analyze fMRI data by SPM99, and to compare their differences and limitations in processing fMRI data, which can be attributed to hardware capabilities. Six normal right-handed volunteers participated in a study of hand-grasping to obtain fMRI data. Each subject performed a run that consisted of 98 images. The run was measured using a gradient echo-type echo planar imaging sequence on a 1.5T apparatus with a head coil. We used several personal computer (PC), Unix and Linux machines to analyze the fMRI data. There were no differences in the results obtained on several PC, Unix and Linux machines. The only limitations in processing large amounts of the fMRI data were found using PC machines. This suggests that the results obtained with different machines were not affected by differences in hardware components, such as the CPU, memory and hard drive. Rather, it is likely that the limitations in analyzing a huge amount of the fMRI data were due to differences in the operating system (OS).

The development of antisocial behavior: what can we learn from functional neuroimaging studies?

PubMed

Crowe, S L; Blair, R J R

2008-01-01

The recent development of low-risk imaging technologies, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), have had a significant impact on the investigation of psychopathologies in children and adolescents. This review considers what we can infer from fMRI work regarding the development of conduct disorder (CD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). We make two central assumptions that are grounded in the empirical literature. First, the diagnoses of CD and ODD identify individuals with heterogeneous pathologies; that is, different developmental pathologies can receive a CDD or ODD diagnosis. This is indicated by the comorbidities associated with CD/ODD, some of which appear to be mutually exclusive at the biological level (e.g., posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD] and psychopathic tendencies). Second, two populations of antisocial individuals can be identified: those that show an increased risk for only reactive aggression and those that show an increased risk for both reactive and instrumental aggression. We review the fMRI data indicating that particular comorbidities of CD/ODD (i.e., mood and anxiety conditions such as childhood bipolar disorder and PTSD) are associated with either increased responsiveness of neural regions implicated in the basic response to threat (e.g., the amygdala) or decreased responsiveness in regions of frontal cortex (e.g., ventromedial frontal cortex) that are implicated in the regulation of the basic threat response. We suggest why such pathology would increase the risk for reactive aggression and, in turn, lead to the association with a CD/ODD diagnosis. We also review the literature on psychopathic tendencies, a condition where the individual is at significantly elevated risk for both reactive and instrumental aggression. We show that in individuals with psychopathic tendencies, the functioning of the amygdala in stimulus-reinforcement learning and of the ventromedial frontal cortex in the representation of reinforcement expectancies is impaired. We suggest why such pathology would increase the risk for reactive and instrumental aggression and thus also lead to the association with a CD/ODD diagnosis.

Neural Correlates of Feigned Memory Impairment are Distinguishable from Answering Randomly and Answering Incorrectly: An fMRI and Behavioral Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liang, Chun-Yu; Xu, Zhi-Yuan; Mei, Wei; Wang, Li-Li; Xue, Li; Lu, De Jian; Zhao, Hu

2012-01-01

Previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have identified activation in the prefrontal-parietal-sub-cortical circuit during feigned memory impairment when comparing with truthful telling. Here, we used fMRI to determine whether neural activity can differentiate between answering correctly, answering randomly, answering…

Haptic fMRI: combining functional neuroimaging with haptics for studying the brain's motor control representation.

PubMed

Menon, Samir; Brantner, Gerald; Aholt, Chris; Kay, Kendrick; Khatib, Oussama

2013-01-01

A challenging problem in motor control neuroimaging studies is the inability to perform complex human motor tasks given the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanner's disruptive magnetic fields and confined workspace. In this paper, we propose a novel experimental platform that combines Functional MRI (fMRI) neuroimaging, haptic virtual simulation environments, and an fMRI-compatible haptic device for real-time haptic interaction across the scanner workspace (above torso ∼ .65×.40×.20m(3)). We implement this Haptic fMRI platform with a novel haptic device, the Haptic fMRI Interface (HFI), and demonstrate its suitability for motor neuroimaging studies. HFI has three degrees-of-freedom (DOF), uses electromagnetic motors to enable high-fidelity haptic rendering (>350Hz), integrates radio frequency (RF) shields to prevent electromagnetic interference with fMRI (temporal SNR >100), and is kinematically designed to minimize currents induced by the MRI scanner's magnetic field during motor displacement (<2cm). HFI possesses uniform inertial and force transmission properties across the workspace, and has low friction (.05-.30N). HFI's RF noise levels, in addition, are within a 3 Tesla fMRI scanner's baseline noise variation (∼.85±.1%). Finally, HFI is haptically transparent and does not interfere with human motor tasks (tested for .4m reaches). By allowing fMRI experiments involving complex three-dimensional manipulation with haptic interaction, Haptic fMRI enables-for the first time-non-invasive neuroscience experiments involving interactive motor tasks, object manipulation, tactile perception, and visuo-motor integration.

A new vibrator to stimulate muscle proprioceptors in fMRI.

PubMed

Montant, Marie; Romaiguère, Patricia; Roll, Jean-Pierre

2009-03-01

Studying cognitive brain functions by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) requires appropriate stimulation devices that do not interfere with the magnetic fields. Since the emergence of fMRI in the 90s, a number of stimulation devices have been developed for the visual and auditory modalities. Only few devices, however, have been developed for the somesthesic modality. Here, we present a vibration device for studying somesthesia that is compatible with high magnetic field environments and that can be used in fMRI machines. This device consists of a poly vinyl chloride (PVC) vibrator containing a wind turbine and of a pneumatic apparatus that controls 1-6 vibrators simultaneously. Just like classical electromagnetic vibrators, our device stimulates muscle mechanoreceptors (muscle spindles) and generates reliable illusions of movement. We provide the fMRI compatibility data (phantom test), the calibration curve (vibration frequency as a function of air flow), as well as the results of a kinesthetic test (perceived speed of the illusory movement as a function of vibration frequency). This device was used successfully in several brain imaging studies using both fMRI and magnetoencephalography.

A Java-based fMRI processing pipeline evaluation system for assessment of univariate general linear model and multivariate canonical variate analysis-based pipelines.

PubMed

Zhang, Jing; Liang, Lichen; Anderson, Jon R; Gatewood, Lael; Rottenberg, David A; Strother, Stephen C

2008-01-01

As functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) becomes widely used, the demands for evaluation of fMRI processing pipelines and validation of fMRI analysis results is increasing rapidly. The current NPAIRS package, an IDL-based fMRI processing pipeline evaluation framework, lacks system interoperability and the ability to evaluate general linear model (GLM)-based pipelines using prediction metrics. Thus, it can not fully evaluate fMRI analytical software modules such as FSL.FEAT and NPAIRS.GLM. In order to overcome these limitations, a Java-based fMRI processing pipeline evaluation system was developed. It integrated YALE (a machine learning environment) into Fiswidgets (a fMRI software environment) to obtain system interoperability and applied an algorithm to measure GLM prediction accuracy. The results demonstrated that the system can evaluate fMRI processing pipelines with univariate GLM and multivariate canonical variates analysis (CVA)-based models on real fMRI data based on prediction accuracy (classification accuracy) and statistical parametric image (SPI) reproducibility. In addition, a preliminary study was performed where four fMRI processing pipelines with GLM and CVA modules such as FSL.FEAT and NPAIRS.CVA were evaluated with the system. The results indicated that (1) the system can compare different fMRI processing pipelines with heterogeneous models (NPAIRS.GLM, NPAIRS.CVA and FSL.FEAT) and rank their performance by automatic performance scoring, and (2) the rank of pipeline performance is highly dependent on the preprocessing operations. These results suggest that the system will be of value for the comparison, validation, standardization and optimization of functional neuroimaging software packages and fMRI processing pipelines.

HAFNI-enabled largescale platform for neuroimaging informatics (HELPNI).

PubMed

Makkie, Milad; Zhao, Shijie; Jiang, Xi; Lv, Jinglei; Zhao, Yu; Ge, Bao; Li, Xiang; Han, Junwei; Liu, Tianming

Tremendous efforts have thus been devoted on the establishment of functional MRI informatics systems that recruit a comprehensive collection of statistical/computational approaches for fMRI data analysis. However, the state-of-the-art fMRI informatics systems are especially designed for specific fMRI sessions or studies of which the data size is not really big, and thus has difficulty in handling fMRI 'big data.' Given the size of fMRI data are growing explosively recently due to the advancement of neuroimaging technologies, an effective and efficient fMRI informatics system which can process and analyze fMRI big data is much needed. To address this challenge, in this work, we introduce our newly developed informatics platform, namely, 'HAFNI-enabled largescale platform for neuroimaging informatics (HELPNI).' HELPNI implements our recently developed computational framework of sparse representation of whole-brain fMRI signals which is called holistic atlases of functional networks and interactions (HAFNI) for fMRI data analysis. HELPNI provides integrated solutions to archive and process large-scale fMRI data automatically and structurally, to extract and visualize meaningful results information from raw fMRI data, and to share open-access processed and raw data with other collaborators through web. We tested the proposed HELPNI platform using publicly available 1000 Functional Connectomes dataset including over 1200 subjects. We identified consistent and meaningful functional brain networks across individuals and populations based on resting state fMRI (rsfMRI) big data. Using efficient sampling module, the experimental results demonstrate that our HELPNI system has superior performance than other systems for large-scale fMRI data in terms of processing and storing the data and associated results much faster.

HAFNI-enabled largescale platform for neuroimaging informatics (HELPNI).

PubMed

Makkie, Milad; Zhao, Shijie; Jiang, Xi; Lv, Jinglei; Zhao, Yu; Ge, Bao; Li, Xiang; Han, Junwei; Liu, Tianming

2015-12-01

Tremendous efforts have thus been devoted on the establishment of functional MRI informatics systems that recruit a comprehensive collection of statistical/computational approaches for fMRI data analysis. However, the state-of-the-art fMRI informatics systems are especially designed for specific fMRI sessions or studies of which the data size is not really big, and thus has difficulty in handling fMRI 'big data.' Given the size of fMRI data are growing explosively recently due to the advancement of neuroimaging technologies, an effective and efficient fMRI informatics system which can process and analyze fMRI big data is much needed. To address this challenge, in this work, we introduce our newly developed informatics platform, namely, 'HAFNI-enabled largescale platform for neuroimaging informatics (HELPNI).' HELPNI implements our recently developed computational framework of sparse representation of whole-brain fMRI signals which is called holistic atlases of functional networks and interactions (HAFNI) for fMRI data analysis. HELPNI provides integrated solutions to archive and process large-scale fMRI data automatically and structurally, to extract and visualize meaningful results information from raw fMRI data, and to share open-access processed and raw data with other collaborators through web. We tested the proposed HELPNI platform using publicly available 1000 Functional Connectomes dataset including over 1200 subjects. We identified consistent and meaningful functional brain networks across individuals and populations based on resting state fMRI (rsfMRI) big data. Using efficient sampling module, the experimental results demonstrate that our HELPNI system has superior performance than other systems for large-scale fMRI data in terms of processing and storing the data and associated results much faster.

fMRI Validation of fNIRS Measurements During a Naturalistic Task

PubMed Central

Noah, J. Adam; Ono, Yumie; Nomoto, Yasunori; Shimada, Sotaro; Tachibana, Atsumichi; Zhang, Xian; Bronner, Shaw; Hirsch, Joy

2015-01-01

We present a method to compare brain activity recorded with near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in a dance video game task to that recorded in a reduced version of the task using fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging). Recently, it has been shown that fNIRS can accurately record functional brain activities equivalent to those concurrently recorded with functional magnetic resonance imaging for classic psychophysical tasks and simple finger tapping paradigms. However, an often quoted benefit of fNIRS is that the technique allows for studying neural mechanisms of complex, naturalistic behaviors that are not possible using the constrained environment of fMRI. Our goal was to extend the findings of previous studies that have shown high correlation between concurrently recorded fNIRS and fMRI signals to compare neural recordings obtained in fMRI procedures to those separately obtained in naturalistic fNIRS experiments. Specifically, we developed a modified version of the dance video game Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) to be compatible with both fMRI and fNIRS imaging procedures. In this methodology we explain the modifications to the software and hardware for compatibility with each technique as well as the scanning and calibration procedures used to obtain representative results. The results of the study show a task-related increase in oxyhemoglobin in both modalities and demonstrate that it is possible to replicate the findings of fMRI using fNIRS in a naturalistic task. This technique represents a methodology to compare fMRI imaging paradigms which utilize a reduced-world environment to fNIRS in closer approximation to naturalistic, full-body activities and behaviors. Further development of this technique may apply to neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, late states of dementia, or those with magnetic susceptibility which are contraindicated for fMRI scanning. PMID:26132365

The relationship between puberty and social emotion processing

PubMed Central

Goddings, Anne-Lise; Burnett Heyes, Stephanie; Bird, Geoffrey; Viner, Russell M; Blakemore, Sarah-Jayne

2012-01-01

The social brain undergoes developmental change during adolescence, and pubertal hormones are hypothesized to contribute to this development. We used fMRI to explore how pubertal indicators (salivary concentrations of testosterone, oestradiol and DHEA; pubertal stage; menarcheal status) relate to brain activity during a social emotion task. Forty-two females aged 11.1 to 13.7 years underwent fMRI scanning while reading scenarios pertaining either to social emotions, which require the representation of another person’s mental states, or to basic emotions, which do not. Pubertal stage and menarcheal status were used to assign girls to early or late puberty groups. Across the entire sample, the contrast between social versus basic emotion resulted in activity within the social brain network, including dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC), the posterior superior temporal sulcus, and the anterior temporal cortex (ATC) in both hemispheres. Increased hormone levels (independent of age) were associated with higher left ATC activity during social emotion processing. More advanced age (independent of hormone levels) was associated with lower DMPFC activity during social emotion processing. Our results suggest functionally dissociable effects of pubertal hormones and age on the adolescent social brain. PMID:23106734

Transferring cognitive tasks between brain imaging modalities: implications for task design and results interpretation in FMRI studies.

PubMed

Warbrick, Tracy; Reske, Martina; Shah, N Jon

2014-09-22

As cognitive neuroscience methods develop, established experimental tasks are used with emerging brain imaging modalities. Here transferring a paradigm (the visual oddball task) with a long history of behavioral and electroencephalography (EEG) experiments to a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiment is considered. The aims of this paper are to briefly describe fMRI and when its use is appropriate in cognitive neuroscience; illustrate how task design can influence the results of an fMRI experiment, particularly when that task is borrowed from another imaging modality; explain the practical aspects of performing an fMRI experiment. It is demonstrated that manipulating the task demands in the visual oddball task results in different patterns of blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) activation. The nature of the fMRI BOLD measure means that many brain regions are found to be active in a particular task. Determining the functions of these areas of activation is very much dependent on task design and analysis. The complex nature of many fMRI tasks means that the details of the task and its requirements need careful consideration when interpreting data. The data show that this is particularly important in those tasks relying on a motor response as well as cognitive elements and that covert and overt responses should be considered where possible. Furthermore, the data show that transferring an EEG paradigm to an fMRI experiment needs careful consideration and it cannot be assumed that the same paradigm will work equally well across imaging modalities. It is therefore recommended that the design of an fMRI study is pilot tested behaviorally to establish the effects of interest and then pilot tested in the fMRI environment to ensure appropriate design, implementation and analysis for the effects of interest.

Enhanced Thalamic Functional Connectivity with No fMRI Responses to Affected Forelimb Stimulation in Stroke-Recovered Rats.

PubMed

Shim, Woo H; Suh, Ji-Yeon; Kim, Jeong K; Jeong, Jaeseung; Kim, Young R

2016-01-01

Neurological recovery after stroke has been extensively investigated to provide better understanding of neurobiological mechanism, therapy, and patient management. Recent advances in neuroimaging techniques, particularly functional MRI (fMRI), have widely contributed to unravel the relationship between the altered neural function and stroke-affected brain areas. As results of previous investigations, the plastic reorganization and/or gradual restoration of the hemodynamic fMRI responses to neural stimuli have been suggested as relevant mechanisms underlying the stroke recovery process. However, divergent study results and modality-dependent outcomes have clouded the proper interpretation of variable fMRI signals. Here, we performed both evoked and resting state fMRI (rs-fMRI) to clarify the link between the fMRI phenotypes and post-stroke functional recovery. The experiments were designed to examine the altered neural activity within the contra-lesional hemisphere and other undamaged brain regions using rat models with large unilateral stroke, which despite the severe injury, exhibited nearly full recovery at ∼6 months after stroke. Surprisingly, both blood oxygenation level-dependent and blood volume-weighted (CBVw) fMRI activities elicited by electrical stimulation of the stroke-affected forelimb were completely absent, failing to reveal the neural origin of the behavioral recovery. In contrast, the functional connectivity maps showed highly robust rs-fMRI activity concentrated in the contra-lesional ventromedial nucleus of thalamus (VM). The negative finding in the stimuli-induced fMRI study using the popular rat middle cerebral artery model denotes weak association between the fMRI hemodynamic responses and neurological improvement. The results strongly caution the indiscreet interpretation of stroke-affected fMRI signals and demonstrate rs-fMRI as a complementary tool for efficiently characterizing stroke recovery.

Handling or being the concept: An fMRI study on metonymy representations in coverbal gestures.

PubMed

Joue, Gina; Boven, Linda; Willmes, Klaus; Evola, Vito; Demenescu, Liliana R; Hassemer, Julius; Mittelberg, Irene; Mathiak, Klaus; Schneider, Frank; Habel, Ute

2018-01-31

In "Two heads are better than one," "head" stands for people and focuses the message on the intelligence of people. This is an example of figurative language through metonymy, where substituting a whole entity by one of its parts focuses attention on a specific aspect of the entity. Whereas metaphors, another figurative language device, are substitutions based on similarity, metonymy involves substitutions based on associations. Both are figures of speech but are also expressed in coverbal gestures during multimodal communication. The closest neuropsychological studies of metonymy in gestures have been nonlinguistic tool-use, illustrated by the classic apraxic problem of body-part-as-object (BPO, equivalent to an internal metonymy representation of the tool) vs. pantomimed action (external metonymy representation of the absent object/tool). Combining these research domains with concepts in cognitive linguistic research on gestures, we conducted an fMRI study to investigate metonymy resolution in coverbal gestures. Given the greater difficulty in developmental and apraxia studies, perhaps explained by the more complex semantic inferencing involved for external metonymy than for internal metonymy representations, we hypothesized that external metonymy resolution requires greater processing demands and that the neural resources supporting metonymy resolution would modulate regions involved in semantic processing. We found that there are indeed greater activations for external than for internal metonymy resolution in the temporoparietal junction (TPJ). This area is posterior to the lateral temporal regions recruited by metaphor processing. Effective connectivity analysis confirmed our hypothesis that metonymy resolution modulates areas implicated in semantic processing. We interpret our results in an interdisciplinary view of what metonymy in action can reveal about abstract cognition. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Brain response to taste in overweight children: A pilot feasibility study.

PubMed

Bohon, Cara

2017-01-01

Understanding the neural response to food and food cues during early stages of weight gain in childhood may help us determine the drive processes involved in unhealthy eating behavior and risk for obesity. Healthy weight and overweight children ages 6-8 (N = 18; 10 with BMI between 5th and 85th %ile and 8 with BMI >85th %ile) underwent fMRI scans while anticipating and receiving tastes of chocolate milkshake. Parents completed a Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire. Results reveal greater response to milkshake taste receipt in overweight children in the right insula, operculum, precentral gyrus, and angular gyrus, and bilateral precuneus and posterior cingulate. No group differences were found for brain response to a visual food cue. Exploratory analyses revealed interactions between self-report measures of eating behavior and weight status on brain response to taste. This pilot study provides preliminary evidence of feasibility of studying young children's taste processing and suggests a possible developmental shift in brain response to taste.

Brain response to taste in overweight children: A pilot feasibility study

PubMed Central

Bohon, Cara

2017-01-01

Understanding the neural response to food and food cues during early stages of weight gain in childhood may help us determine the drive processes involved in unhealthy eating behavior and risk for obesity. Healthy weight and overweight children ages 6–8 (N = 18; 10 with BMI between 5th and 85th %ile and 8 with BMI >85th %ile) underwent fMRI scans while anticipating and receiving tastes of chocolate milkshake. Parents completed a Children’s Eating Behaviour Questionnaire. Results reveal greater response to milkshake taste receipt in overweight children in the right insula, operculum, precentral gyrus, and angular gyrus, and bilateral precuneus and posterior cingulate. No group differences were found for brain response to a visual food cue. Exploratory analyses revealed interactions between self-report measures of eating behavior and weight status on brain response to taste. This pilot study provides preliminary evidence of feasibility of studying young children’s taste processing and suggests a possible developmental shift in brain response to taste. PMID:28235080

Girls' challenging social experiences in early adolescence predict neural response to rewards and depressive symptoms.

PubMed

Casement, Melynda D; Guyer, Amanda E; Hipwell, Alison E; McAloon, Rose L; Hoffmann, Amy M; Keenan, Kathryn E; Forbes, Erika E

2014-04-01

Developmental models of psychopathology posit that exposure to social stressors may confer risk for depression in adolescent girls by disrupting neural reward circuitry. The current study tested this hypothesis by examining the relationship between early adolescent social stressors and later neural reward processing and depressive symptoms. Participants were 120 girls from an ongoing longitudinal study of precursors to depression across adolescent development. Low parental warmth, peer victimization, and depressive symptoms were assessed when the girls were 11 and 12 years old, and participants completed a monetary reward guessing fMRI task and assessment of depressive symptoms at age 16. Results indicate that low parental warmth was associated with increased response to potential rewards in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), striatum, and amygdala, whereas peer victimization was associated with decreased response to potential rewards in the mPFC. Furthermore, concurrent depressive symptoms were associated with increased reward anticipation response in mPFC and striatal regions that were also associated with early adolescent psychosocial stressors, with mPFC and striatal response mediating the association between social stressors and depressive symptoms. These findings are consistent with developmental models that emphasize the adverse impact of early psychosocial stressors on neural reward processing and risk for depression in adolescence. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Increased fMRI signal with age in familial Alzheimer’s disease mutation carriers

PubMed Central

Braskie, Meredith N.; Medina, Luis D.; Rodriguez-Agudelo, Yaneth; Geschwind, Daniel H.; Macias-Islas, Miguel Angel; Cummings, Jeffrey L.; Bookheimer, Susan Y.; Ringman, John M.

2010-01-01

Although many Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients have a family history of the disease, it is rarely inherited in a predictable way. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of non-demented adults carrying familial AD mutations provide an opportunity to prospectively identify brain differences associated with early AD-related changes. We compared fMRI activity of 18 non-demented autosomal dominant AD mutation carriers with fMRI activity in 8 of their non-carrier relatives as they performed a novelty encoding task in which they viewed novel and repeated images. Because age of disease onset is relatively consistent within families, we also correlated fMRI activity with subjects’ distance from the median age of diagnosis for their family. Mutation carriers did not show significantly different voxelwise fMRI activity from non-carriers as a group. However, as they approached their family age of disease diagnosis, only mutation carriers showed increased fMRI activity in the fusiform and middle temporal gyri. This suggests that during novelty encoding, increased fMRI activity in the temporal lobe may relate to incipient AD processes. PMID:21129823

Fronto-Parietal Network Reconfiguration Supports the Development of Reasoning Ability.

PubMed

Wendelken, Carter; Ferrer, Emilio; Whitaker, Kirstie J; Bunge, Silvia A

2016-05-01

The goal of this fMRI study was to examine how well developmental improvements in reasoning ability can be explained by changes in functional connectivity between specific nodes in prefrontal and parietal cortices. To this end, we examined connectivity within the lateral fronto-parietal network (LFPN) and its relation to reasoning ability in 132 children and adolescents aged 6-18 years, 56 of whom were scanned twice over the course of 1.5 years. Developmental changes in strength of connections within the LFPN were most prominent in late childhood and early adolescence. Reasoning ability was related to functional connectivity between left rostrolateral prefrontal cortex (RLPFC) and inferior parietal lobule (IPL), but only among 12-18-year olds. For 9-11-year olds, reasoning ability was most strongly related to connectivity between left and right RLPFC; this relationship was mediated by working memory. For 6-8-year olds, significant relationships between connectivity and performance were not observed; in this group, processing speed was the primary mediator of improvement in reasoning ability. We conclude that different connections best support reasoning at different points in development and that RLPFC-IPL connectivity becomes an important predictor of reasoning during adolescence. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Impact of preoperative functional magnetic resonance imaging during awake craniotomy procedures for intraoperative guidance and complication avoidance.

PubMed

Trinh, Victoria T; Fahim, Daniel K; Maldaun, Marcos V C; Shah, Komal; McCutcheon, Ian E; Rao, Ganesh; Lang, Frederick; Weinberg, Jeffrey; Sawaya, Raymond; Suki, Dima; Prabhu, Sujit S

2014-01-01

We wanted to study the role of functional MRI (fMRI) in preventing neurological injury in awake craniotomy patients as this has not been previously studied. To examine the role of fMRI as an intraoperative adjunct during awake craniotomy procedures. Preoperative fMRI was carried out routinely in 214 patients undergoing awake craniotomy with direct cortical stimulation (DCS). In 40% of our cases (n = 85) fMRI was utilized for the intraoperative localization of the eloquent cortex. In the other 129 cases significant noise distortion, poor task performance and nonspecific BOLD activation precluded the surgeon from using the fMRI data. Compared with DCS, fMRI had a sensitivity and specificity, respectively, of 91 and 64% in Broca's area, 93 and 18% in Wernicke's area and 100 and 100% in motor areas. A new intraoperative neurological deficit during subcortical dissection was predictive of a worsened deficit following surgery (p < 0.001). The use of fMRI for intraoperative localization was, however, not significant in preventing worsened neurological deficits, both in the immediate postoperative period (p = 1.00) and at the 3-month follow-up (p = 0.42). The routine use of fMRI was not useful in identifying language sites as performed and, more importantly, practiced tasks failed to prevent neurological deficits following awake craniotomy procedures. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Fusiform gyrus face selectivity relates to individual differences in facial recognition ability.

PubMed

Furl, Nicholas; Garrido, Lúcia; Dolan, Raymond J; Driver, Jon; Duchaine, Bradley

2011-07-01

Regions of the occipital and temporal lobes, including a region in the fusiform gyrus (FG), have been proposed to constitute a "core" visual representation system for faces, in part because they show face selectivity and face repetition suppression. But recent fMRI studies of developmental prosopagnosics (DPs) raise questions about whether these measures relate to face processing skills. Although DPs manifest deficient face processing, most studies to date have not shown unequivocal reductions of functional responses in the proposed core regions. We scanned 15 DPs and 15 non-DP control participants with fMRI while employing factor analysis to derive behavioral components related to face identification or other processes. Repetition suppression specific to facial identities in FG or to expression in FG and STS did not show compelling relationships with face identification ability. However, we identified robust relationships between face selectivity and face identification ability in FG across our sample for several convergent measures, including voxel-wise statistical parametric mapping, peak face selectivity in individually defined "fusiform face areas" (FFAs), and anatomical extents (cluster sizes) of those FFAs. None of these measures showed associations with behavioral expression or object recognition ability. As a group, DPs had reduced face-selective responses in bilateral FFA when compared with non-DPs. Individual DPs were also more likely than non-DPs to lack expected face-selective activity in core regions. These findings associate individual differences in face processing ability with selectivity in core face processing regions. This confirms that face selectivity can provide a valid marker for neural mechanisms that contribute to face identification ability.

Cracking the Language Code: Neural Mechanisms Underlying Speech Parsing

PubMed Central

McNealy, Kristin; Mazziotta, John C.; Dapretto, Mirella

2013-01-01

Word segmentation, detecting word boundaries in continuous speech, is a critical aspect of language learning. Previous research in infants and adults demonstrated that a stream of speech can be readily segmented based solely on the statistical and speech cues afforded by the input. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the neural substrate of word segmentation was examined on-line as participants listened to three streams of concatenated syllables, containing either statistical regularities alone, statistical regularities and speech cues, or no cues. Despite the participants’ inability to explicitly detect differences between the speech streams, neural activity differed significantly across conditions, with left-lateralized signal increases in temporal cortices observed only when participants listened to streams containing statistical regularities, particularly the stream containing speech cues. In a second fMRI study, designed to verify that word segmentation had implicitly taken place, participants listened to trisyllabic combinations that occurred with different frequencies in the streams of speech they just heard (“words,” 45 times; “partwords,” 15 times; “nonwords,” once). Reliably greater activity in left inferior and middle frontal gyri was observed when comparing words with partwords and, to a lesser extent, when comparing partwords with nonwords. Activity in these regions, taken to index the implicit detection of word boundaries, was positively correlated with participants’ rapid auditory processing skills. These findings provide a neural signature of on-line word segmentation in the mature brain and an initial model with which to study developmental changes in the neural architecture involved in processing speech cues during language learning. PMID:16855090

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Methods

PubMed Central

Chen, Jingyuan E.; Glover, Gary H.

2015-01-01

Since its inception in 1992, Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) has become an indispensible tool for studying cognition in both the healthy and dysfunctional brain. FMRI monitors changes in the oxygenation of brain tissue resulting from altered metabolism consequent to a task-based evoked neural response or from spontaneous fluctuations in neural activity in the absence of conscious mentation (the “resting state”). Task-based studies have revealed neural correlates of a large number of important cognitive processes, while fMRI studies performed in the resting state have demonstrated brain-wide networks that result from brain regions with synchronized, apparently spontaneous activity. In this article, we review the methods used to acquire and analyze fMRI signals. PMID:26248581

Hemispheric asymmetries in dorsal language pathway white-matter tracts: A magnetic resonance imaging tractography and functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

PubMed

Silva, Guilherme; Citterio, Alberto

2017-10-01

Introduction Previous studies have shown that the arcuate fasciculus has a leftward asymmetry in right-handers that could be correlated with the language lateralisation defined by functional magnetic resonance imaging. Nonetheless, information about the asymmetry of the other fibres that constitute the dorsal language pathway is scarce. Objectives This study investigated the asymmetry of the white-matter tracts involved in the dorsal language pathway through the diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) technique, in relation to language hemispheric dominance determined by task-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Methods We selected 11 patients (10 right-handed) who had been studied with task-dependent fMRI for language areas and DTI and who had no language impairment or structural abnormalities that could compromise magnetic resonance tractography of the fibres involved in the dorsal language pathway. Laterality indices (LI) for fMRI and for the volumes of each tract were calculated. Results In fMRI, all the right-handers had left hemispheric lateralisation, and the ambidextrous subject presented right hemispheric dominance. The arcuate fasciculus LI was strongly correlated with fMRI LI ( r = 0.739, p = 0.009), presenting the same lateralisation of fMRI in seven subjects (including the right hemispheric dominant). It was not asymmetric in three cases and had opposite lateralisation in one case. The other tracts presented predominance for rightward lateralisation, especially superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) II/III (nine subjects), but their LI did not correlate (directly or inversely) with fMRI LI. Conclusion The fibres that constitute the dorsal language pathway have an asymmetric distribution in the cerebral hemispheres. Only the asymmetry of the arcuate fasciculus is correlated with fMRI language lateralisation.

Electrophysiological correlates of the BOLD signal for EEG-informed fMRI

PubMed Central

Murta, Teresa; Leite, Marco; Carmichael, David W; Figueiredo, Patrícia; Lemieux, Louis

2015-01-01

Electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) are important tools in cognitive and clinical neuroscience. Combined EEG–fMRI has been shown to help to characterise brain networks involved in epileptic activity, as well as in different sensory, motor and cognitive functions. A good understanding of the electrophysiological correlates of the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal is necessary to interpret fMRI maps, particularly when obtained in combination with EEG. We review the current understanding of electrophysiological–haemodynamic correlates, during different types of brain activity. We start by describing the basic mechanisms underlying EEG and BOLD signals and proceed by reviewing EEG-informed fMRI studies using fMRI to map specific EEG phenomena over the entire brain (EEG–fMRI mapping), or exploring a range of EEG-derived quantities to determine which best explain colocalised BOLD fluctuations (local EEG–fMRI coupling). While reviewing studies of different forms of brain activity (epileptic and nonepileptic spontaneous activity; cognitive, sensory and motor functions), a significant attention is given to epilepsy because the investigation of its haemodynamic correlates is the most common application of EEG-informed fMRI. Our review is focused on EEG-informed fMRI, an asymmetric approach of data integration. We give special attention to the invasiveness of electrophysiological measurements and the simultaneity of multimodal acquisitions because these methodological aspects determine the nature of the conclusions that can be drawn from EEG-informed fMRI studies. We emphasise the advantages of, and need for, simultaneous intracranial EEG–fMRI studies in humans, which recently became available and hold great potential to improve our understanding of the electrophysiological correlates of BOLD fluctuations. PMID:25277370

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) with auditory stimulation in songbirds.

PubMed

Van Ruijssevelt, Lisbeth; De Groof, Geert; Van der Kant, Anne; Poirier, Colline; Van Audekerke, Johan; Verhoye, Marleen; Van der Linden, Annemie

2013-06-03

The neurobiology of birdsong, as a model for human speech, is a pronounced area of research in behavioral neuroscience. Whereas electrophysiology and molecular approaches allow the investigation of either different stimuli on few neurons, or one stimulus in large parts of the brain, blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) allows combining both advantages, i.e. compare the neural activation induced by different stimuli in the entire brain at once. fMRI in songbirds is challenging because of the small size of their brains and because their bones and especially their skull comprise numerous air cavities, inducing important susceptibility artifacts. Gradient-echo (GE) BOLD fMRI has been successfully applied to songbirds (1-5) (for a review, see (6)). These studies focused on the primary and secondary auditory brain areas, which are regions free of susceptibility artifacts. However, because processes of interest may occur beyond these regions, whole brain BOLD fMRI is required using an MRI sequence less susceptible to these artifacts. This can be achieved by using spin-echo (SE) BOLD fMRI (7,8) . In this article, we describe how to use this technique in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata), which are small songbirds with a bodyweight of 15-25 g extensively studied in behavioral neurosciences of birdsong. The main topic of fMRI studies on songbirds is song perception and song learning. The auditory nature of the stimuli combined with the weak BOLD sensitivity of SE (compared to GE) based fMRI sequences makes the implementation of this technique very challenging.

The effects of orientation and attention during surround suppression of small image features: A 7 Tesla fMRI study.

PubMed

Schallmo, Michael-Paul; Grant, Andrea N; Burton, Philip C; Olman, Cheryl A

2016-08-01

Although V1 responses are driven primarily by elements within a neuron's receptive field, which subtends about 1° visual angle in parafoveal regions, previous work has shown that localized fMRI responses to visual elements reflect not only local feature encoding but also long-range pattern attributes. However, separating the response to an image feature from the response to the surrounding stimulus and studying the interactions between these two responses demands both spatial precision and signal independence, which may be challenging to attain with fMRI. The present study used 7 Tesla fMRI with 1.2-mm resolution to measure the interactions between small sinusoidal grating patches (targets) at 3° eccentricity and surrounds of various sizes and orientations to test the conditions under which localized, context-dependent fMRI responses could be predicted from either psychophysical or electrophysiological data. Targets were presented at 8%, 16%, and 32% contrast while manipulating (a) spatial extent of parallel (strongly suppressive) or orthogonal (weakly suppressive) surrounds, (b) locus of attention, (c) stimulus onset asynchrony between target and surround, and (d) blocked versus event-related design. In all experiments, the V1 fMRI signal was lower when target stimuli were flanked by parallel versus orthogonal context. Attention amplified fMRI responses to all stimuli but did not show a selective effect on central target responses or a measurable effect on orientation-dependent surround suppression. Suppression of the V1 fMRI response by parallel surrounds was stronger than predicted from psychophysics but showed a better match to previous electrophysiological reports.

An Investigation of the Relationship Between fMRI and ERP Source Localized Measurements of Brain Activity during Face Processing

PubMed Central

Richards, Todd; Webb, Sara Jane; Murias, Michael; Merkle, Kristen; Kleinhans, Natalia M.; Johnson, L. Clark; Poliakov, Andrew; Aylward, Elizabeth; Dawson, Geraldine

2013-01-01

Brain activity patterns during face processing have been extensively explored with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and event-related potentials (ERPs). ERP source localization adds a spatial dimension to the ERP time series recordings, which allows for a more direct comparison and integration with fMRI findings. The goals for this study were (1) to compare the spatial descriptions of neuronal activity during face processing obtained with fMRI and ERP source localization using low-resolution electro-magnetic tomography (LORETA), and (2) to use the combined information from source localization and fMRI to explore how the temporal sequence of brain activity during face processing is summarized in fMRI activation maps. fMRI and high-density ERP data were acquired in separate sessions for 17 healthy adult males for a face and object processing task. LORETA statistical maps for the comparison of viewing faces and viewing houses were coregistered and compared to fMRI statistical maps for the same conditions. The spatial locations of face processing-sensitive activity measured by fMRI and LORETA were found to overlap in a number of areas including the bilateral fusiform gyri, the right superior, middle and inferior temporal gyri, and the bilateral precuneus. Both the fMRI and LORETA solutions additionally demon-strated activity in regions that did not overlap. fMRI and LORETA statistical maps of face processing-sensitive brain activity were found to converge spatially primarily at LORETA solution latencies that were within 18 ms of the N170 latency. The combination of data from these techniques suggested that electrical brain activity at the latency of the N170 is highly represented in fMRI statistical maps. PMID:19322649

Technical Note: Independent component analysis for quality assurance in functional MRI.

PubMed

Astrakas, Loukas G; Kallistis, Nikolaos S; Kalef-Ezra, John A

2016-02-01

Independent component analysis (ICA) is an established method of analyzing human functional MRI (fMRI) data. Here, an ICA-based fMRI quality control (QC) tool was developed and used. ICA-based fMRI QC tool to be used with a commercial phantom was developed. In an attempt to assess the performance of the tool relative to preexisting alternative tools, it was used seven weeks before and eight weeks after repair of a faulty gradient amplifier of a non-state-of-the-art MRI unit. More specifically, its performance was compared with the AAPM 100 acceptance testing and quality assurance protocol and two fMRI QC protocols, proposed by Freidman et al. ["Report on a multicenter fMRI quality assurance protocol," J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 23, 827-839 (2006)] and Stocker et al. ["Automated quality assurance routines for fMRI data applied to a multicenter study," Hum. Brain Mapp. 25, 237-246 (2005)], respectively. The easily developed and applied ICA-based QC protocol provided fMRI QC indices and maps equally sensitive to fMRI instabilities with the indices and maps of other established protocols. The ICA fMRI QC indices were highly correlated with indices of other fMRI QC protocols and in some cases theoretically related to them. Three or four independent components with slow varying time series are detected under normal conditions. ICA applied on phantom measurements is an easy and efficient tool for fMRI QC. Additionally, it can protect against misinterpretations of artifact components as human brain activations. Evaluating fMRI QC indices in the central region of a phantom is not always the optimal choice.

Real-time fMRI: a tool for local brain regulation.

PubMed

Caria, Andrea; Sitaram, Ranganatha; Birbaumer, Niels

2012-10-01

Real-time fMRI permits simultaneous measurement and observation of brain activity during an ongoing task. One of the most challenging applications of real-time fMRI in neuroscientific and clinical research is the possibility of acquiring volitional control of localized brain activity using real-time fMRI-based neurofeedback protocols. Real-time fMRI allows the experimenter to noninvasively manipulate brain activity as an independent variable to observe the effects on behavior. Real-time fMRI neurofeedback studies demonstrated that learned control of the local brain activity leads to specific changes in behavior. Here, the authors describe the implementation and application of real-time fMRI with particular emphasis on the self-regulation of local brain activity and the investigation of brain-function relationships. Real-time fMRI represents a promising new approach to cognitive neuroscience that could complement traditional neuroimaging techniques by providing more causal insights into the functional role of circumscribed brain regions in behavior.

Sources and implications of whole-brain fMRI signals in humans

PubMed Central

Power, Jonathan D; Plitt, Mark; Laumann, Timothy O; Martin, Alex

2016-01-01

Whole-brain fMRI signals are a subject of intense interest: variance in the global fMRI signal (the spatial mean of all signals in the brain) indexes subject arousal, and psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia and autism have been characterized by differences in the global fMRI signal. Further, vigorous debates exist on whether global signals ought to be removed from fMRI data. However, surprisingly little research has focused on the empirical properties of whole-brain fMRI signals. Here we map the spatial and temporal properties of the global signal, individually, in 1000+ fMRI scans. Variance in the global fMRI signal is strongly linked to head motion, to hardware artifacts, and to respiratory patterns and their attendant physiologic changes. Many techniques used to prepare fMRI data for analysis fail to remove these uninteresting kinds of global signal fluctuations. Thus, many studies include, at the time of analysis, prominent global effects of yawns, breathing changes, and head motion, among other signals. Such artifacts will mimic dynamic neural activity and will spuriously alter signal covariance throughout the brain. Methods capable of isolating and removing global artifactual variance while preserving putative “neural” variance are needed; this paper adopts no position on the topic of global signal regression. PMID:27751941

Neural Basis of Self and Other Representation in Autism: An fMRI Study of Self-Face Recognition

PubMed Central

Uddin, Lucina Q.; Davies, Mari S.; Scott, Ashley A.; Zaidel, Eran; Bookheimer, Susan Y.; Iacoboni, Marco; Dapretto, Mirella

2008-01-01

Background Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by decreased interest and engagement in social interactions and by enhanced self-focus. While previous theoretical approaches to understanding autism have emphasized social impairments and altered interpersonal interactions, there is a recent shift towards understanding the nature of the representation of the self in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Still, the neural mechanisms subserving self-representations in ASD are relatively unexplored. Methodology/Principal Findings We used event-related fMRI to investigate brain responsiveness to images of the subjects' own face and to faces of others. Children with ASD and typically developing (TD) children viewed randomly presented digital morphs between their own face and a gender-matched other face, and made “self/other” judgments. Both groups of children activated a right premotor/prefrontal system when identifying images containing a greater percentage of the self face. However, while TD children showed activation of this system during both self- and other-processing, children with ASD only recruited this system while viewing images containing mostly their own face. Conclusions/Significance This functional dissociation between the representation of self versus others points to a potential neural substrate for the characteristic self-focus and decreased social understanding exhibited by these individuals, and suggests that individuals with ASD lack the shared neural representations for self and others that TD children and adults possess and may use to understand others. PMID:18958161

Approach to functional magnetic resonance imaging of language based on models of language organization.

PubMed

McGraw, P; Mathews, V P; Wang, Y; Phillips, M D

2001-05-01

Functional MR imaging (fMRI) has been a useful tool in the evaluation of language both in normal individuals and patient populations. The purpose of this article is to use various models of language as a framework to review fMRI studies. Specifically, fMRI language studies are subdivided into the following categories: word generation or fluency, passive listening, orthography, phonology, semantics, and syntax.

Correlated Disruption of Resting-State fMRI, LFP, and Spike Connectivity between Area 3b and S2 following Spinal Cord Injury in Monkeys.

PubMed

Wu, Ruiqi; Yang, Pai-Feng; Chen, Li Min

2017-11-15

This study aims to understand how functional connectivity (FC) between areas 3b and S2 alters following input deprivation and the neuronal basis of disrupted FC of resting-state fMRI signals. We combined submillimeter fMRI with microelectrode recordings to localize the deafferented digit regions in areas 3b and S2 by mapping tactile stimulus-evoked fMRI activations before and after cervical dorsal column lesion in each male monkey. An average afferent disruption of 97% significantly reduced fMRI, local field potential (LFP), and spike responses to stimuli in both areas. Analysis of resting-state fMRI signal correlation, LFP coherence, and spike cross-correlation revealed significantly reduced functional connectivity between deafferented areas 3b and S2. The degrees of reductions in stimulus responsiveness and FC after deafferentation differed across fMRI, LFP, and spiking signals. The reduction of FC was much weaker than that of stimulus-evoked responses. Whereas the largest stimulus-evoked signal drop (∼80%) was observed in LFP signals, the greatest FC reduction was detected in the spiking activity (∼30%). fMRI signals showed mild reductions in stimulus responsiveness (∼25%) and FC (∼20%). The overall deafferentation-induced changes were quite similar in areas 3b and S2 across signals. Here we demonstrated that FC strength between areas 3b and S2 was much weakened by dorsal column lesion, and stimulus response reduction and FC disruption in fMRI covary with those of LFP and spiking signals in deafferented areas 3b and S2. These findings have important implications for fMRI studies aiming to probe FC alterations in pathological conditions involving deafferentation in humans. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT By directly comparing fMRI, local field potential, and spike signals in both tactile stimulation and resting states before and after severe disruption of dorsal column afferent, we demonstrated that reduction in fMRI responses to stimuli is accompanied by weakened resting-state fMRI functional connectivity (FC) in input-deprived and reorganized digit regions in area 3b of the S1 and S2. Concurrent reductions in local field potential and spike FC validated the use of resting-state fMRI signals for probing neural intrinsic FC alterations in pathological deafferented cortex, and indicated that disrupted FC between mesoscale functionally highly related regions may contribute to the behavioral impairments. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/3711192-12$15.00/0.

Correlated Disruption of Resting-State fMRI, LFP, and Spike Connectivity between Area 3b and S2 following Spinal Cord Injury in Monkeys

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

This study aims to understand how functional connectivity (FC) between areas 3b and S2 alters following input deprivation and the neuronal basis of disrupted FC of resting-state fMRI signals. We combined submillimeter fMRI with microelectrode recordings to localize the deafferented digit regions in areas 3b and S2 by mapping tactile stimulus-evoked fMRI activations before and after cervical dorsal column lesion in each male monkey. An average afferent disruption of 97% significantly reduced fMRI, local field potential (LFP), and spike responses to stimuli in both areas. Analysis of resting-state fMRI signal correlation, LFP coherence, and spike cross-correlation revealed significantly reduced functional connectivity between deafferented areas 3b and S2. The degrees of reductions in stimulus responsiveness and FC after deafferentation differed across fMRI, LFP, and spiking signals. The reduction of FC was much weaker than that of stimulus-evoked responses. Whereas the largest stimulus-evoked signal drop (∼80%) was observed in LFP signals, the greatest FC reduction was detected in the spiking activity (∼30%). fMRI signals showed mild reductions in stimulus responsiveness (∼25%) and FC (∼20%). The overall deafferentation-induced changes were quite similar in areas 3b and S2 across signals. Here we demonstrated that FC strength between areas 3b and S2 was much weakened by dorsal column lesion, and stimulus response reduction and FC disruption in fMRI covary with those of LFP and spiking signals in deafferented areas 3b and S2. These findings have important implications for fMRI studies aiming to probe FC alterations in pathological conditions involving deafferentation in humans. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT By directly comparing fMRI, local field potential, and spike signals in both tactile stimulation and resting states before and after severe disruption of dorsal column afferent, we demonstrated that reduction in fMRI responses to stimuli is accompanied by weakened resting-state fMRI functional connectivity (FC) in input-deprived and reorganized digit regions in area 3b of the S1 and S2. Concurrent reductions in local field potential and spike FC validated the use of resting-state fMRI signals for probing neural intrinsic FC alterations in pathological deafferented cortex, and indicated that disrupted FC between mesoscale functionally highly related regions may contribute to the behavioral impairments. PMID:29038239

Characterizing Response to Elemental Unit of Acoustic Imaging Noise: An fMRI Study

PubMed Central

Luh, Wen-Ming; Talavage, Thomas M.

2010-01-01

Acoustic imaging noise produced during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies can hinder auditory fMRI research analysis by altering the properties of the acquired time-series data. Acoustic imaging noise can be especially confounding when estimating the time course of the hemodynamic response (HDR) in auditory event-related fMRI (fMRI) experiments. This study is motivated by the desire to establish a baseline function that can serve not only as a comparison to other quantities of acoustic imaging noise for determining how detrimental is one's experimental noise, but also as a foundation for a model that compensates for the response to acoustic imaging noise. Therefore, the amplitude and spatial extent of the HDR to the elemental unit of acoustic imaging noise (i.e., a single ping) associated with echoplanar acquisition were characterized and modeled. Results from this fMRI study at 1.5 T indicate that the group-averaged HDR in left and right auditory cortex to acoustic imaging noise (duration of 46 ms) has an estimated peak magnitude of 0.29% (right) to 0.48% (left) signal change from baseline, peaks between 3 and 5 s after stimulus presentation, and returns to baseline and remains within the noise range approximately 8 s after stimulus presentation. PMID:19304477

Fixation-related FMRI analysis in the domain of reading research: using self-paced eye movements as markers for hemodynamic brain responses during visual letter string processing.

PubMed

Richlan, Fabio; Gagl, Benjamin; Hawelka, Stefan; Braun, Mario; Schurz, Matthias; Kronbichler, Martin; Hutzler, Florian

2014-10-01

The present study investigated the feasibility of using self-paced eye movements during reading (measured by an eye tracker) as markers for calculating hemodynamic brain responses measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Specifically, we were interested in whether the fixation-related fMRI analysis approach was sensitive enough to detect activation differences between reading material (words and pseudowords) and nonreading material (line and unfamiliar Hebrew strings). Reliable reading-related activation was identified in left hemisphere superior temporal, middle temporal, and occipito-temporal regions including the visual word form area (VWFA). The results of the present study are encouraging insofar as fixation-related analysis could be used in future fMRI studies to clarify some of the inconsistent findings in the literature regarding the VWFA. Our study is the first step in investigating specific visual word recognition processes during self-paced natural sentence reading via simultaneous eye tracking and fMRI, thus aiming at an ecologically valid measurement of reading processes. We provided the proof of concept and methodological framework for the analysis of fixation-related fMRI activation in the domain of reading research. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging: basic principles and application in the neurosciences.

PubMed

Labbé Atenas, T; Ciampi Díaz, E; Cruz Quiroga, J P; Uribe Arancibia, S; Cárcamo Rodríguez, C

2018-03-12

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is an advanced tool for the study of brain functions in healthy subjects and in neuropsychiatric patients. This tool makes it possible to identify and locate specific phenomena related to neuronal metabolism and activity. Starting with the detection of changes in the blood supply to a region that participates in a function, more complex approaches have been developed to study the dynamics of neuronal networks. Studies examining the brain at rest or involved in different tasks have provided evidence related to the onset, development, and/or response to treatment in various diseases. The diversity of the possible artifacts associated with image registration as well as the complexity of the analytical experimental designs has generated abundant debate about the technique behind fMRI. This article aims to introduce readers to the fundamentals underlying fMRI, to explain how fMRI studies are interpreted, and to discuss fMRI's contributions to the study of the mechanisms underlying diverse diseases of the nervous system. Copyright © 2018 SERAM. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Developmental changes in category-specific brain responses to numbers and letters in a working memory task

PubMed Central

Libertus, Melissa E.; Brannon, Elizabeth M.; Pelphrey, Kevin A.

2009-01-01

Neuroimaging studies have identified a common network of brain regions involving the prefrontal and parietal cortices across a variety of working memory (WM) tasks. However, previous studies have also reported category-specific dissociations of activation within this network. In this study, we investigated the development of category-specific activation in a WM task with digits, letters, and faces. Eight-year-old children and adults performed a 2-back WM task while their brain activity was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Overall, children were significantly slower and less accurate than adults on all three WM conditions (digits, letters, and faces); however, within each age group, behavioral performance across the three conditions was very similar. FMRI results revealed category-specific activation in adults but not children in the intraparietal sulcus for the digit condition. Likewise, during the letter condition, category-specific activation was observed in adults but not children in the left occipital–temporal cortex. In contrast, children and adults showed highly similar brain-activity patterns in the lateral fusiform gyri when solving the 2-back WM task with face stimuli. Our results suggest that 8-year-old children do not yet engage the typical brain regions that have been associated with abstract or semantic processing of numerical symbols and letters when these processes are task-irrelevant and the primary task is demanding. Nevertheless, brain activity in letter-responsive areas predicted children’s spelling performance underscoring the relationship between abstract processing of letters and linguistic abilities. Lastly, behavioral performance on the WM task was predictive of math and language abilities highlighting the connection between WM and other cognitive abilities in development. PMID:19027079

Error-related processing following severe traumatic brain injury: An event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study

PubMed Central

Sozda, Christopher N.; Larson, Michael J.; Kaufman, David A.S.; Schmalfuss, Ilona M.; Perlstein, William M.

2011-01-01

Continuous monitoring of one’s performance is invaluable for guiding behavior towards successful goal attainment by identifying deficits and strategically adjusting responses when performance is inadequate. In the present study, we exploited the advantages of event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine brain activity associated with error-related processing after severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI). fMRI and behavioral data were acquired while 10 sTBI participants and 12 neurologically-healthy controls performed a task-switching cued-Stroop task. fMRI data were analyzed using a random-effects whole-brain voxel-wise general linear model and planned linear contrasts. Behaviorally, sTBI patients showed greater error-rate interference than neurologically-normal controls. fMRI data revealed that, compared to controls, sTBI patients showed greater magnitude error-related activation in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and an increase in the overall spatial extent of error-related activation across cortical and subcortical regions. Implications for future research and potential limitations in conducting fMRI research in neurologically-impaired populations are discussed, as well as some potential benefits of employing multimodal imaging (e.g., fMRI and event-related potentials) of cognitive control processes in TBI. PMID:21756946

Error-related processing following severe traumatic brain injury: an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study.

PubMed

Sozda, Christopher N; Larson, Michael J; Kaufman, David A S; Schmalfuss, Ilona M; Perlstein, William M

2011-10-01

Continuous monitoring of one's performance is invaluable for guiding behavior towards successful goal attainment by identifying deficits and strategically adjusting responses when performance is inadequate. In the present study, we exploited the advantages of event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine brain activity associated with error-related processing after severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI). fMRI and behavioral data were acquired while 10 sTBI participants and 12 neurologically-healthy controls performed a task-switching cued-Stroop task. fMRI data were analyzed using a random-effects whole-brain voxel-wise general linear model and planned linear contrasts. Behaviorally, sTBI patients showed greater error-rate interference than neurologically-normal controls. fMRI data revealed that, compared to controls, sTBI patients showed greater magnitude error-related activation in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and an increase in the overall spatial extent of error-related activation across cortical and subcortical regions. Implications for future research and potential limitations in conducting fMRI research in neurologically-impaired populations are discussed, as well as some potential benefits of employing multimodal imaging (e.g., fMRI and event-related potentials) of cognitive control processes in TBI. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

fMRI mapping of the visual system in the mouse brain with interleaved snapshot GE-EPI.

PubMed

Niranjan, Arun; Christie, Isabel N; Solomon, Samuel G; Wells, Jack A; Lythgoe, Mark F

2016-10-01

The use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in mice is increasingly prevalent, providing a means to non-invasively characterise functional abnormalities associated with genetic models of human diseases. The predominant stimulus used in task-based fMRI in the mouse is electrical stimulation of the paw. Task-based fMRI in mice using visual stimuli remains underexplored, despite visual stimuli being common in human fMRI studies. In this study, we map the mouse brain visual system with BOLD measurements at 9.4T using flashing light stimuli with medetomidine anaesthesia. BOLD responses were observed in the lateral geniculate nucleus, the superior colliculus and the primary visual area of the cortex, and were modulated by the flashing frequency, diffuse vs focussed light and stimulus context. Negative BOLD responses were measured in the visual cortex at 10Hz flashing frequency; but turned positive below 5Hz. In addition, the use of interleaved snapshot GE-EPI improved fMRI image quality without diminishing the temporal contrast-noise-ratio. Taken together, this work demonstrates a novel methodological protocol in which the mouse brain visual system can be non-invasively investigated using BOLD fMRI. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Improved application of independent component analysis to functional magnetic resonance imaging study via linear projection techniques.

PubMed

Long, Zhiying; Chen, Kewei; Wu, Xia; Reiman, Eric; Peng, Danling; Yao, Li

2009-02-01

Spatial Independent component analysis (sICA) has been widely used to analyze functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. The well accepted implicit assumption is the spatially statistical independency of intrinsic sources identified by sICA, making the sICA applications difficult for data in which there exist interdependent sources and confounding factors. This interdependency can arise, for instance, from fMRI studies investigating two tasks in a single session. In this study, we introduced a linear projection approach and considered its utilization as a tool to separate task-related components from two-task fMRI data. The robustness and feasibility of the method are substantiated through simulation on computer data and fMRI real rest data. Both simulated and real two-task fMRI experiments demonstrated that sICA in combination with the projection method succeeded in separating spatially dependent components and had better detection power than pure model-based method when estimating activation induced by each task as well as both tasks.

Test-retest reliability of an fMRI paradigm for studies of cardiovascular reactivity.

PubMed

Sheu, Lei K; Jennings, J Richard; Gianaros, Peter J

2012-07-01

We examined the reliability of measures of fMRI, subjective, and cardiovascular reactions to standardized versions of a Stroop color-word task and a multisource interference task. A sample of 14 men and 12 women (30-49 years old) completed the tasks on two occasions, separated by a median of 88 days. The reliability of fMRI BOLD signal changes in brain areas engaged by the tasks was moderate, and aggregating fMRI BOLD signal changes across the tasks improved test-retest reliability metrics. These metrics included voxel-wise intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and overlap ratio statistics. Task-aggregated ratings of subjective arousal, valence, and control, as well as cardiovascular reactions evoked by the tasks showed ICCs of 0.57 to 0.87 (ps < .001), indicating moderate-to-strong reliability. These findings support using these tasks as a battery for fMRI studies of cardiovascular reactivity. Copyright © 2012 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

NEURAL SUBSTRATES OF CUE-REACTIVITY: ASSOCIATION WITH TREATMENT OUTCOMES AND RELAPSE

PubMed Central

Courtney, Kelly E.; Schacht, Joseph P.; Hutchison, Kent; Roche, Daniel J.O.; Ray, Lara A.

2016-01-01

Given the strong evidence for neurological alterations at the basis of drug dependence, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) represents an important tool in the clinical neuroscience of addiction. fMRI cue-reactivity paradigms represent an ideal platform to probe the involvement of neurobiological pathways subserving the reward/motivation system in addiction and potentially offer a translational mechanism by which interventions and behavioral predictions can be tested. Thus, this review summarizes the research that has applied fMRI cue-reactivity paradigms to the study of adult substance use disorder treatment responses. Studies utilizing fMRI cue-reactivity paradigms for the prediction of relapse, and as a means to investigate psychosocial and pharmacological treatment effects on cue-elicited brain activation are presented within four primary categories of substances: alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, and opioids. Lastly, suggestions for how to leverage fMRI technology to advance addiction science and treatment development are provided. PMID:26435524

Brain activity changes in cognitive networks in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis - insights from a longitudinal FMRI study.

PubMed

Loitfelder, Marisa; Fazekas, Franz; Koschutnig, Karl; Fuchs, Siegrid; Petrovic, Katja; Ropele, Stefan; Pichler, Alexander; Jehna, Margit; Langkammer, Christian; Schmidt, Reinhold; Neuper, Christa; Enzinger, Christian

2014-01-01

Extrapolations from previous cross-sectional fMRI studies suggest cerebral functional changes with progression of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), but longitudinal studies are scarce. We assessed brain activation changes over time in MS patients using a cognitive fMRI paradigm and examined correlations with clinical and cognitive status and brain morphology. 13 MS patients and 15 healthy controls (HC) underwent MRI including fMRI (go/no-go task), neurological and neuropsychological exams at baseline (BL) and follow-up (FU; minimum 12, median 20 months). We assessed estimates of and changes in fMRI activation, total brain and subcortical grey matter volumes, cortical thickness, and T2-lesion load. Bland-Altman (BA) plots served to assess fMRI signal variability. Cognitive and disability levels remained largely stable in the patients. With the fMRI task, both at BL and FU, patients compared to HC showed increased activation in the insular cortex, precuneus, cerebellum, posterior cingulate cortex, and occipital cortex. At BL, patients vs. HC also had lower caudate nucleus, thalamus and putamen volumes. Over time, patients (but not HC) demonstrated fMRI activity increments in the left inferior parietal lobule. These correlated with worse single-digit-modality test (SDMT) performance. BA-plots attested to reproducibility of the fMRI task. In the patients, the right caudate nucleus decreased in volume which again correlated with worsening SDMT performance. Given preserved cognitive performance, the increased activation at BL in the patients may be viewed as largely adaptive. In contrast, the negative correlation with SDMT performance suggests increasing parietal activation over time to be maladaptive. Several areas with purported relevance for cognition showed decreased volumes at BL and right caudate nucleus volume decline correlated with decreasing SDMT performance. This highlights the dynamics of functional changes and the strategic importance of specific brain areas for cognitive processes in MS.

Neurological Basis and Potential Modification of Emotional Intelligence through Affective/Behavioral Training

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-01

Yurgelun-Todd DA, Killgore WD. Fear-related activity in the prefrontal cortex increases with age during adolescence: a preliminary fMRI study . Neurosci...associated with altered brain activation during visual perception of high-calorie foods: An fMRI study . Abstract presented at the 25th Annual Meeting of the...Fereira MD, Nasello AG, Savoia M, et al. Police officers under attack: resilience implications of an fMRI study . J Psychiatr Res 2011; 45:727–734. 22

Extremely preterm children exhibit increased interhemispheric connectivity for language: findings from fMRI-constrained MEG analysis.

PubMed

Barnes-Davis, Maria E; Merhar, Stephanie L; Holland, Scott K; Kadis, Darren S

2018-04-16

Children born extremely preterm are at significant risk for cognitive impairment, including language deficits. The relationship between preterm birth and neurological changes that underlie cognitive deficits is poorly understood. We use a stories-listening task in fMRI and MEG to characterize language network representation and connectivity in children born extremely preterm (n = 15, <28 weeks gestation, ages 4-6 years), and in a group of typically developing control participants (n = 15, term birth, 4-6 years). Participants completed a brief neuropsychological assessment. Conventional fMRI analyses revealed no significant differences in language network representation across groups (p > .05, corrected). The whole-group fMRI activation map was parcellated to define the language network as a set of discrete nodes, and the timecourse of neuronal activity at each position was estimated using linearly constrained minimum variance beamformer in MEG. Virtual timecourses were subjected to connectivity and network-based analyses. We observed significantly increased beta-band functional connectivity in extremely preterm compared to controls (p < .05). Specifically, we observed an increase in connectivity between left and right perisylvian cortex. Subsequent effective connectivity analyses revealed that hyperconnectivity in preterms was due to significantly increased information flux originating from the right hemisphere (p < 0.05). The total strength and density of the language network were not related to language or nonverbal performance, suggesting that the observed hyperconnectivity is a "pure" effect of prematurity. Although our extremely preterm children exhibited typical language network architecture, we observed significantly altered network dynamics, indicating reliance on an alternative neural strategy for the language task. © 2018 The Authors. Developmental Science Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cognitive inhibition of number/length interference in a Piaget-like task in young adults: evidence from ERPs and fMRI.

PubMed

Leroux, Gaëlle; Joliot, Marc; Dubal, Stéphanie; Mazoyer, Bernard; Tzourio-Mazoyer, Nathalie; Houdé, Olivier

2006-06-01

We sought to determine whether the neural traces of a previous cognitive developmental stage could be evidenced in young adults. In order to do so, 12 young adults underwent two functional imaging acquisitions (EEG then fMRI). During each session, two experimental conditions were applied: a Piaget-like task with number/length interference (INT), and a reference task with number/length covariation (COV). To succeed at Piaget's numerical task, which children under the age of 7 years usually fail, the subjects had to inhibit a misleading strategy, namely, the visuospatial length-equals-number bias, a quantification heuristic that is often relevant and that continues to be used through adulthood. Behavioral data confirmed that although there was an automation in the young adult subjects as assessed by the very high number of accurate responses (>97%), the inhibition of the "length equals number strategy" had a cognitive cost, as the reaction times were significantly higher in INT than in COV (with a difference of 230 ms). The event-related potential results acquired during the first session showed electrophysiological markers of the cognitive inhibition of the number/length interference. Indeed, the frontal N2 was greater during INT than during COV, and a P3(late)/P6 was detected only during INT. During the fMRI session, a greater activation of unimodal areas (the right middle and superior occipital cortex) and in the ventral route (the left inferior temporal cortex) was observed in INT than in COV. These results seem to indicate that when fully automated in adults, inhibition processes might take place in unimodal areas. Copyright 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Development of neural systems for processing social exclusion from childhood to adolescence

PubMed Central

Bolling, Danielle Z.; Pitskel, Naomi B.; Deen, Ben; Crowley, Michael J.; Mayes, Linda C.; Pelphrey, Kevin A.

2015-01-01

Adolescence is a period of development in which peer relationships become especially important. A computer-based game (Cyberball) has been used to explore the effects of social exclusion in adolescents and adults. The current functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study used Cyberball to extend prior work to the cross-sectional study of younger children and adolescents (7 to 17 years), identifying age-related changes in the neural correlates of social exclusion across the important transition from middle childhood into adolescence. Additionally, a control task illustrated the specificity of these age-related changes for social exclusion as distinct from expectancy violation more generally. During exclusion, activation in and functional connectivity between ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and ventral anterior cingulate cortex increased with age. These effects were specific to social exclusion and did not exist for expectancy violation. Our results illustrate developmental changes from middle childhood through adolescence in both affective and regulatory brain regions during social exclusion. PMID:22010901

Altered spinal cord activity during sexual stimulation in women with SCI: a pilot fMRI study.

PubMed

Alexander, Marcalee; Kozyrev, Natalie; Figley, Chase R; Richards, J Scott

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to evaluate the spinal activation during sexual response of the thoracic, lumbar and sacral spinal cord. This is a laboratory-based pilot study in human females at a University-based medical center in the United States. In three healthy spinal cord injury (SCI) females, spinal cord activations during sexual audiovisual stimulation (alone), genital self-stimulation (alone) and simultaneous audiovisual and genital self-stimulation (combined) were assessed and then compared with each subjects' remaining sensory and motor function. Spinal fMRI responses of the intermediolateral columns were found during audiovisual stimulation in both subjects with incomplete injuries, but they were not observed in the subject with a complete injury. Moreover, sacral responses to combined stimulation differed greatly between the subjects with complete and incomplete injuries. These results not only provide the first in vivo documentation of spinal fMRI responses associated with sexual arousal in women with SCIs, but also suggest that spinal cord fMRI is capable of distinguishing between injury subtypes. Therefore, although there are certain limitations associated with fMRI during sexual stimulation (for example, movement artifacts, an artificially controlled environment and so), these findings demonstrate the potential utility of incorporating spinal cord fMRI in future research to evaluate the impact of specific patterns of SCI on sexual responses and/or the effects of treatment.

Observing complex action sequences: The role of the fronto-parietal mirror neuron system.

PubMed

Molnar-Szakacs, Istvan; Kaplan, Jonas; Greenfield, Patricia M; Iacoboni, Marco

2006-11-15

A fronto-parietal mirror neuron network in the human brain supports the ability to represent and understand observed actions allowing us to successfully interact with others and our environment. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we wanted to investigate the response of this network in adults during observation of hierarchically organized action sequences of varying complexity that emerge at different developmental stages. We hypothesized that fronto-parietal systems may play a role in coding the hierarchical structure of object-directed actions. The observation of all action sequences recruited a common bilateral network including the fronto-parietal mirror neuron system and occipito-temporal visual motion areas. Activity in mirror neuron areas varied according to the motoric complexity of the observed actions, but not according to the developmental sequence of action structures, possibly due to the fact that our subjects were all adults. These results suggest that the mirror neuron system provides a fairly accurate simulation process of observed actions, mimicking internally the level of motoric complexity. We also discuss the results in terms of the links between mirror neurons, language development and evolution.

Automatic EEG-assisted retrospective motion correction for fMRI (aE-REMCOR).

PubMed

Wong, Chung-Ki; Zotev, Vadim; Misaki, Masaya; Phillips, Raquel; Luo, Qingfei; Bodurka, Jerzy

2016-04-01

Head motions during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) impair fMRI data quality and introduce systematic artifacts that can affect interpretation of fMRI results. Electroencephalography (EEG) recordings performed simultaneously with fMRI provide high-temporal-resolution information about ongoing brain activity as well as head movements. Recently, an EEG-assisted retrospective motion correction (E-REMCOR) method was introduced. E-REMCOR utilizes EEG motion artifacts to correct the effects of head movements in simultaneously acquired fMRI data on a slice-by-slice basis. While E-REMCOR is an efficient motion correction approach, it involves an independent component analysis (ICA) of the EEG data and identification of motion-related ICs. Here we report an automated implementation of E-REMCOR, referred to as aE-REMCOR, which we developed to facilitate the application of E-REMCOR in large-scale EEG-fMRI studies. The aE-REMCOR algorithm, implemented in MATLAB, enables an automated preprocessing of the EEG data, an ICA decomposition, and, importantly, an automatic identification of motion-related ICs. aE-REMCOR has been used to perform retrospective motion correction for 305 fMRI datasets from 16 subjects, who participated in EEG-fMRI experiments conducted on a 3T MRI scanner. Performance of aE-REMCOR has been evaluated based on improvement in temporal signal-to-noise ratio (TSNR) of the fMRI data, as well as correction efficiency defined in terms of spike reduction in fMRI motion parameters. The results show that aE-REMCOR is capable of substantially reducing head motion artifacts in fMRI data. In particular, when there are significant rapid head movements during the scan, a large TSNR improvement and high correction efficiency can be achieved. Depending on a subject's motion, an average TSNR improvement over the brain upon the application of aE-REMCOR can be as high as 27%, with top ten percent of the TSNR improvement values exceeding 55%. The average correction efficiency over the 305 fMRI scans is 18% and the largest achieved efficiency is 71%. The utility of aE-REMCOR on the resting state fMRI connectivity of the default mode network is also examined. The motion-induced position-dependent error in the DMN connectivity analysis is shown to be reduced when aE-REMCOR is utilized. These results demonstrate that aE-REMCOR can be conveniently and efficiently used to improve fMRI motion correction in large clinical EEG-fMRI studies. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Hierarchical Model for Simultaneous Detection and Estimation in Multi-subject fMRI Studies

PubMed Central

Degras, David; Lindquist, Martin A.

2014-01-01

In this paper we introduce a new hierarchical model for the simultaneous detection of brain activation and estimation of the shape of the hemodynamic response in multi-subject fMRI studies. The proposed approach circumvents a major stumbling block in standard multi-subject fMRI data analysis, in that it both allows the shape of the hemodynamic response function to vary across region and subjects, while still providing a straightforward way to estimate population-level activation. An e cient estimation algorithm is presented, as is an inferential framework that not only allows for tests of activation, but also for tests for deviations from some canonical shape. The model is validated through simulations and application to a multi-subject fMRI study of thermal pain. PMID:24793829

Developmental changes in the neural influence of sublexical information on semantic processing.

PubMed

Lee, Shu-Hui; Booth, James R; Chou, Tai-Li

2015-07-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to examine the developmental changes in a group of normally developing children (aged 8-12) and adolescents (aged 13-16) during semantic processing. We manipulated association strength (i.e. a global reading unit) and semantic radical (i.e. a local reading unit) to explore the interaction of lexical and sublexical semantic information in making semantic judgments. In the semantic judgment task, two types of stimuli were used: visually-similar (i.e. shared a semantic radical) versus visually-dissimilar (i.e. did not share a semantic radical) character pairs. Participants were asked to indicate if two Chinese characters, arranged according to association strength, were related in meaning. The results showed greater developmental increases in activation in left angular gyrus (BA 39) in the visually-similar compared to the visually-dissimilar pairs for the strong association. There were also greater age-related increases in angular gyrus for the strong compared to weak association in the visually-similar pairs. Both of these results suggest that shared semantics at the sublexical level facilitates the integration of overlapping features at the lexical level in older children. In addition, there was a larger developmental increase in left posterior middle temporal gyrus (BA 21) for the weak compared to strong association in the visually-dissimilar pairs, suggesting conflicting sublexical information placed greater demands on access to lexical representations in the older children. All together, these results suggest that older children are more sensitive to sublexical information when processing lexical representations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of hypoglycemia on human brain activation measured with fMRI.

PubMed

Anderson, Adam W; Heptulla, Rubina A; Driesen, Naomi; Flanagan, Daniel; Goldberg, Philip A; Jones, Timothy W; Rife, Fran; Sarofin, Hedy; Tamborlane, William; Sherwin, Robert; Gore, John C

2006-07-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure the effects of acute hypoglycemia caused by passive sensory stimulation on brain activation. Visual stimulation was used to generate blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) contrast, which was monitored during hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemic and euglycemic clamp studies. Hypoglycemia (50 +/- 1 mg glucose/dl) decreased the fMRI signal relative to euglycemia in 10 healthy human subjects: the fractional signal change was reduced by 28 +/- 12% (P < .05). These changes were reversed when euglycemia was restored. These data provide a basis of comparison for studies that quantify hypoglycemia-related changes in fMRI activity during cognitive tasks based on visual stimuli and demonstrate that variations in blood glucose levels may modulate BOLD signals in the healthy brain.

Longitudinal Changes of Resting-State Functional Connectivity during Motor Recovery after Stroke

PubMed Central

Park, Chang-hyun; Chang, Won Hyuk; Ohn, Suk Hoon; Kim, Sung Tae; Bang, Oh Young; Pascual-Leone, Alvaro; Kim, Yun-Hee

2013-01-01

Background and Purpose Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies could provide crucial information on the neural mechanisms of motor recovery in stroke patients. Resting-state fMRI is applicable to stroke patients who are not capable of proper performance of the motor task. In this study, we explored neural correlates of motor recovery in stroke patients by investigating longitudinal changes in resting-state functional connectivity of the ipsilesional primary motor cortex (M1). Methods A longitudinal observational study using repeated fMRI experiments was conducted in 12 patients with stroke. Resting-state fMRI data were acquired four times over a period of 6 months. Patients participated in the first session of fMRI shortly after onset, and thereafter in subsequent sessions at 1, 3, and 6 months after onset. Resting-state functional connectivity of the ipsilesional M1 was assessed and compared with that of healthy subjects. Results Compared with healthy subjects, patients demonstrated higher functional connectivity with the ipsilesional frontal and parietal cortices, bilateral thalamus, and cerebellum. Instead, functional connectivity with the contralesional M1 and occipital cortex were decreased in stroke patients. Functional connectivity between the ipsilesional and contralesional M1 showed the most asymmetry at 1 month after onset to the ipsilesional side. Functional connectivity of the ipsilesional M1 with the contralesional thalamus, supplementary motor area, and middle frontal gyrus at onset was positively correlated with motor recovery at 6 months after stroke. Conclusions Resting-state fMRI elicited distinctive but comparable results with previous task-based fMRI, presenting complementary and practical values for use in the study of stroke patients. PMID:21441147

Impaired development of intrinsic connectivity networks in children with medically intractable localization-related epilepsy.

PubMed

Ibrahim, George M; Morgan, Benjamin R; Lee, Wayne; Smith, Mary Lou; Donner, Elizabeth J; Wang, Frank; Beers, Craig A; Federico, Paolo; Taylor, Margot J; Doesburg, Sam M; Rutka, James T; Snead, O Carter

2014-11-01

Typical childhood development is characterized by the emergence of intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) by way of internetwork segregation and intranetwork integration. The impact of childhood epilepsy on the maturation of ICNs is, however, poorly understood. The developmental trajectory of ICNs in 26 children (8-17 years) with localization-related epilepsy and 28 propensity-score matched controls was evaluated using graph theoretical analysis of whole brain connectomes from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. Children with epilepsy demonstrated impaired development of regional hubs in nodes of the salience and default mode networks (DMN). Seed-based connectivity and hierarchical clustering analysis revealed significantly decreased intranetwork connections, and greater internetwork connectivity in children with epilepsy compared to controls. Significant interactions were identified between epilepsy duration and the expected developmental trajectory of ICNs, indicating that prolonged epilepsy may cause progressive alternations in large-scale networks throughout childhood. DMN integration was also associated with better working memory, whereas internetwork segregation was associated with higher full-scale intelligence quotient scores. Furthermore, subgroup analyses revealed the thalamus, hippocampus, and caudate were weaker hubs in children with secondarily generalized seizures, relative to other patient subgroups. Our findings underscore that epilepsy interferes with the developmental trajectory of brain networks underlying cognition, providing evidence supporting the early treatment of affected children. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Motor Cortex Stimulation Reverses Maladaptive Plasticity Following Spinal Cord Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

pp 74–85. Austin: Landes Biosciences. 3. Abstracts o Mechanisms of Pain Relief Following Motor Cortex Stimulation: An fMRI Study. Society for...Neuroscience Meeting. Washington, DC. 2012. o Resting State fMRI in a Rat Model of Spinal Cord Injury Neuropathic Pain: A Longitudinal Study. Society...2601–2610. 16. Stefanacci L, Reber P, Costanza J, Wong E, Buxton R, Zola S, Squire L, Albright T. fMRI of monkey visual cortex. Neuron 1998;20:1051

Dual-TRACER: High resolution fMRI with constrained evolution reconstruction.

PubMed

Li, Xuesong; Ma, Xiaodong; Li, Lyu; Zhang, Zhe; Zhang, Xue; Tong, Yan; Wang, Lihong; Sen Song; Guo, Hua

2018-01-01

fMRI with high spatial resolution is beneficial for studies in psychology and neuroscience, but is limited by various factors such as prolonged imaging time, low signal to noise ratio and scarcity of advanced facilities. Compressed Sensing (CS) based methods for accelerating fMRI data acquisition are promising. Other advanced algorithms like k-t FOCUSS or PICCS have been developed to improve performance. This study aims to investigate a new method, Dual-TRACER, based on Temporal Resolution Acceleration with Constrained Evolution Reconstruction (TRACER), for accelerating fMRI acquisitions using golden angle variable density spiral. Both numerical simulations and in vivo experiments at 3T were conducted to evaluate and characterize this method. Results show that Dual-TRACER can provide functional images with a high spatial resolution (1×1mm 2 ) under an acceleration factor of 20 while maintaining hemodynamic signals well. Compared with other investigated methods, dual-TRACER provides a better signal recovery, higher fMRI sensitivity and more reliable activation detection. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Monkey cortex through fMRI glasses

PubMed Central

Vanduffel, Wim; Zhu, Qi; Orban, Guy A.

2015-01-01

In 1998 several groups reported the feasibility of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiments in monkeys, with the goal to bridge the gap between invasive nonhuman primate studies and human functional imaging. These studies yielded critical insights in the neuronal underpinnings of the BOLD signal. Furthermore, the technology has been successful in guiding electrophysiological recordings and identifying focal perturbation targets. Finally, invaluable information was obtained concerning human brain evolution. We here provide a comprehensive overview of awake monkey fMRI studies mainly confined to the visual system. We review the latest insights about the topographic organization of monkey visual cortex and discuss the spatial relationships between retinotopy and category and feature selective clusters. We briefly discuss the functional layout of parietal and frontal cortex and continue with a summary of some fascinating functional and effective connectivity studies. Finally, we review recent comparative fMRI experiments and speculate about the future of nonhuman primate imaging. PMID:25102559

Monkey cortex through fMRI glasses.

PubMed

Vanduffel, Wim; Zhu, Qi; Orban, Guy A

2014-08-06

In 1998 several groups reported the feasibility of fMRI experiments in monkeys, with the goal to bridge the gap between invasive nonhuman primate studies and human functional imaging. These studies yielded critical insights in the neuronal underpinnings of the BOLD signal. Furthermore, the technology has been successful in guiding electrophysiological recordings and identifying focal perturbation targets. Finally, invaluable information was obtained concerning human brain evolution. We here provide a comprehensive overview of awake monkey fMRI studies mainly confined to the visual system. We review the latest insights about the topographic organization of monkey visual cortex and discuss the spatial relationships between retinotopy and category- and feature-selective clusters. We briefly discuss the functional layout of parietal and frontal cortex and continue with a summary of some fascinating functional and effective connectivity studies. Finally, we review recent comparative fMRI experiments and speculate about the future of nonhuman primate imaging. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Examining the relationship between home literacy environment and neural correlates of phonological processing in beginning readers with and without a familial risk for dyslexia: an fMRI study

PubMed Central

Powers, Sara J.; Wang, Yingying; Beach, Sara D.; Sideridis, Georgios D.; Gaab, Nadine

2016-01-01

Developmental dyslexia is a language-based learning disability characterized by persistent difficulty in learning to read. While an understanding of genetic contributions is emerging, the ways the environment affects brain functioning in children with developmental dyslexia are poorly understood. A relationship between the home literacy environment (HLE) and neural correlates of reading has been identified in typically developing children, yet it remains unclear whether similar effects are observable in children with a genetic predisposition for dyslexia. Understanding environmental contributions is important given that we do not understand why some genetically at-risk children do not develop dyslexia. Here we investigate for the first time the relationship between HLE and the neural correlates of phonological processing in beginning readers with (FHD+, n=29) and without (FHD−, n=21) a family history of developmental dyslexia. We controlled for socio-economic status to isolate the neurobiological mechanism by which HLE affects reading development. Group differences revealed stronger correlation of HLE with brain activation in the left inferior/middle frontal and right fusiform gyri in FHD− compared to FHD+ children, suggesting greater impact of HLE on manipulation of phonological codes and recruitment of orthographic representations in typically developing children. In contrast, activation in the right precentral gyrus showed a significantly stronger correlation with HLE in FHD+ compared to FHD− children, suggesting emerging compensatory networks in genetically at-risk children. Overall, our results suggest that genetic predisposition for dyslexia alters contributions of HLE to early reading skills before formal reading instruction, which has important implications for educational practice and intervention models. PMID:27550556

Examining the relationship between home literacy environment and neural correlates of phonological processing in beginning readers with and without a familial risk for dyslexia: an fMRI study.

PubMed

Powers, Sara J; Wang, Yingying; Beach, Sara D; Sideridis, Georgios D; Gaab, Nadine

2016-10-01

Developmental dyslexia is a language-based learning disability characterized by persistent difficulty in learning to read. While an understanding of genetic contributions is emerging, the ways the environment affects brain functioning in children with developmental dyslexia are poorly understood. A relationship between the home literacy environment (HLE) and neural correlates of reading has been identified in typically developing children, yet it remains unclear whether similar effects are observable in children with a genetic predisposition for dyslexia. Understanding environmental contributions is important given that we do not understand why some genetically at-risk children do not develop dyslexia. Here, we investigate for the first time the relationship between HLE and the neural correlates of phonological processing in beginning readers with (FHD+, n = 29) and without (FHD-, n = 21) a family history of developmental dyslexia. We further controlled for socioeconomic status to isolate the neurobiological mechanism by which HLE affects reading development. Group differences revealed stronger correlation of HLE with brain activation in the left inferior/middle frontal and right fusiform gyri in FHD- compared to FHD+ children, suggesting greater impact of HLE on manipulation of phonological codes and recruitment of orthographic representations in typically developing children. In contrast, activation in the right precentral gyrus showed a significantly stronger correlation with HLE in FHD+ compared to FHD- children, suggesting emerging compensatory networks in genetically at-risk children. Overall, our results suggest that genetic predisposition for dyslexia alters contributions of HLE to early reading skills before formal reading instruction, which has important implications for educational practice and intervention models.

The pathology of social phobia is independent of developmental changes in face processing.

PubMed

Blair, Karina S; Geraci, Marilla; Korelitz, Katherine; Otero, Marcela; Towbin, Ken; Ernst, Monique; Leibenluft, Ellen; Blair, R J R; Pine, Daniel S

2011-11-01

While social phobia in adolescence predicts the illness in adulthood, no study has directly compared the neural responses in social phobia in adults and adolescents. The authors examined neural responses to facial expressions in adults and adolescents with social phobia to determine whether the neural correlates of adult social phobia during face processing also manifest in adolescent social phobia. Blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) responses were compared in 39 medication-free participants with social phobia (25 adults and 14 adolescents) and 39 healthy comparison subjects (23 adults and 16 adolescents) matched on age, IQ, and gender. During fMRI scans, participants saw angry, fearful, and neutral expression stimuli while making a gender judgment. Significant diagnosis-by-emotion interactions were observed within the amygdala and the rostral anterior cingulate cortex, as has previously been hypothesized. In these regions, both the adolescent and adult social phobia patients showed significantly increased BOLD responses relative to their respective age-matched comparison subjects, and there was no evidence of age-related modulation of between-group differences. These enhanced responses occurred specifically when viewing angry (rostral anterior cingulate cortex) and fearful (amygdala and rostral anterior cingulate cortex) expressions but not when viewing neutral expressions. In addition, the severity of social phobia was significantly correlated with the enhanced rostral anterior cingulate cortex response in the adults. The neural correlates of adult social phobia during face processing also manifest in adolescents. Neural correlates that are observed in adult social phobia may represent the persistence of profiles established earlier in life rather than adaptive responses to such earlier perturbations or maturational changes. These cross-sectional observations might encourage longitudinal fMRI studies of adolescent social phobia.

Neural processing of food and emotional stimuli in adolescent and adult anorexia nervosa patients.

PubMed

Horndasch, Stefanie; Roesch, Julie; Forster, Clemens; Dörfler, Arnd; Lindsiepe, Silja; Heinrich, Hartmut; Graap, Holmer; Moll, Gunther H; Kratz, Oliver

2018-01-01

A constant preoccupation with food and restrictive eating are main symptoms of anorexia nervosa (AN). Imaging studies revealed aberrant neural activation patterns in brain regions processing hedonic and reward reactions as well as-potentially aversive-emotions. An imbalance between so called "bottom-up" and "top-down" control areas is discussed. The present study is focusing on neural processing of disease-specific food stimuli and emotional stimuli and its developmental course in adolescent and adult AN patients and could offer new insight into differential mechanisms underlying shorter or more chronic disease. 33 adolescents aged 12-18 years (15 AN patients, 18 control participants) and 32 adult women (16 AN patients, 16 control participants) underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI, 3T high-field scanner) while watching pictures of high and low-calorie food and affective stimuli. Afterwards, they rated subjective valence of each picture. FMRI data analysis was performed using a region of interest based approach. Pictures of high-calorie food items were rated more negatively by AN patients. Differences in activation between patients and controls were found in "bottom up" and "top down" control areas for food stimuli and in several emotion processing regions for affective stimuli which were more pronounced in adolescents than in adults. A differential pattern was seen for food stimuli compared to generally emotion eliciting stimuli. Adolescents with AN show reduced processing of affective stimuli and enhanced activation of regions involved in "bottom up" reward processing and "top down" control as well as the insula with regard to food stimuli with a focus on brain regions which underlie changes during adolescent development. In adults less clear and less specific activation differences were present, pointing towards a high impact that regions undergoing maturation might have on AN symptoms.

Task-specific feature extraction and classification of fMRI volumes using a deep neural network initialized with a deep belief network: Evaluation using sensorimotor tasks

PubMed Central

Jang, Hojin; Plis, Sergey M.; Calhoun, Vince D.; Lee, Jong-Hwan

2016-01-01

Feedforward deep neural networks (DNN), artificial neural networks with multiple hidden layers, have recently demonstrated a record-breaking performance in multiple areas of applications in computer vision and speech processing. Following the success, DNNs have been applied to neuroimaging modalities including functional/structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron-emission tomography data. However, no study has explicitly applied DNNs to 3D whole-brain fMRI volumes and thereby extracted hidden volumetric representations of fMRI that are discriminative for a task performed as the fMRI volume was acquired. Our study applied fully connected feedforward DNN to fMRI volumes collected in four sensorimotor tasks (i.e., left-hand clenching, right-hand clenching, auditory attention, and visual stimulus) undertaken by 12 healthy participants. Using a leave-one-subject-out cross-validation scheme, a restricted Boltzmann machine-based deep belief network was pretrained and used to initialize weights of the DNN. The pretrained DNN was fine-tuned while systematically controlling weight-sparsity levels across hidden layers. Optimal weight-sparsity levels were determined from a minimum validation error rate of fMRI volume classification. Minimum error rates (mean ± standard deviation; %) of 6.9 (± 3.8) were obtained from the three-layer DNN with the sparsest condition of weights across the three hidden layers. These error rates were even lower than the error rates from the single-layer network (9.4 ± 4.6) and the two-layer network (7.4 ± 4.1). The estimated DNN weights showed spatial patterns that are remarkably task-specific, particularly in the higher layers. The output values of the third hidden layer represented distinct patterns/codes of the 3D whole-brain fMRI volume and encoded the information of the tasks as evaluated from representational similarity analysis. Our reported findings show the ability of the DNN to classify a single fMRI volume based on the extraction of hidden representations of fMRI volumes associated with tasks across multiple hidden layers. Our study may be beneficial to the automatic classification/diagnosis of neuropsychiatric and neurological diseases and prediction of disease severity and recovery in (pre-) clinical settings using fMRI volumes without requiring an estimation of activation patterns or ad hoc statistical evaluation. PMID:27079534

Assessment of biofeedback rehabilitation in post-stroke patients combining fMRI and gait analysis: a case study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The ability to walk independently is a primary goal for rehabilitation after stroke. Gait analysis provides a great amount of valuable information, while functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) offers a powerful approach to define networks involved in motor control. The present study reports a new methodology based on both fMRI and gait analysis outcomes in order to investigate the ability of fMRI to reflect the phases of motor learning before/after electromyographic biofeedback treatment: the preliminary fMRI results of a post stroke subject’s brain activation, during passive and active ankle dorsal/plantarflexion, before and after biofeedback (BFB) rehabilitation are reported and their correlation with gait analysis data investigated. Methods A control subject and a post-stroke patient with chronic hemiparesis were studied. Functional magnetic resonance images were acquired during a block-design protocol on both subjects while performing passive and active ankle dorsal/plantarflexion. fMRI and gait analysis were assessed on the patient before and after electromyographic biofeedback rehabilitation treatment during gait activities. Lower limb three-dimensional kinematics, kinetics and surface electromyography were evaluated. Correlation between fMRI and gait analysis categorical variables was assessed: agreement/disagreement was assigned to each variable if the value was in/outside the normative range (gait analysis), or for presence of normal/diffuse/no activation of motor area (fMRI). Results Altered fMRI activity was found on the post-stroke patient before biofeedback rehabilitation with respect to the control one. Meanwhile the patient showed a diffuse, but more limited brain activation after treatment (less voxels). The post-stroke gait data showed a trend towards the normal range: speed, stride length, ankle power, and ankle positive work increased. Preliminary correlation analysis revealed that consistent changes were observed both for the fMRI data, and the gait analysis data after treatment (R > 0.89): this could be related to the possible effects BFB might have on the central as well as on the peripheral nervous system. Conclusions Our findings showed that this methodology allows evaluation of the relationship between alterations in gait and brain activation of a post-stroke patient. Such methodology, if applied on a larger sample subjects, could provide information about the specific motor area involved in a rehabilitation treatment. PMID:24716475

Task-specific feature extraction and classification of fMRI volumes using a deep neural network initialized with a deep belief network: Evaluation using sensorimotor tasks.

PubMed

Jang, Hojin; Plis, Sergey M; Calhoun, Vince D; Lee, Jong-Hwan

2017-01-15

Feedforward deep neural networks (DNNs), artificial neural networks with multiple hidden layers, have recently demonstrated a record-breaking performance in multiple areas of applications in computer vision and speech processing. Following the success, DNNs have been applied to neuroimaging modalities including functional/structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron-emission tomography data. However, no study has explicitly applied DNNs to 3D whole-brain fMRI volumes and thereby extracted hidden volumetric representations of fMRI that are discriminative for a task performed as the fMRI volume was acquired. Our study applied fully connected feedforward DNN to fMRI volumes collected in four sensorimotor tasks (i.e., left-hand clenching, right-hand clenching, auditory attention, and visual stimulus) undertaken by 12 healthy participants. Using a leave-one-subject-out cross-validation scheme, a restricted Boltzmann machine-based deep belief network was pretrained and used to initialize weights of the DNN. The pretrained DNN was fine-tuned while systematically controlling weight-sparsity levels across hidden layers. Optimal weight-sparsity levels were determined from a minimum validation error rate of fMRI volume classification. Minimum error rates (mean±standard deviation; %) of 6.9 (±3.8) were obtained from the three-layer DNN with the sparsest condition of weights across the three hidden layers. These error rates were even lower than the error rates from the single-layer network (9.4±4.6) and the two-layer network (7.4±4.1). The estimated DNN weights showed spatial patterns that are remarkably task-specific, particularly in the higher layers. The output values of the third hidden layer represented distinct patterns/codes of the 3D whole-brain fMRI volume and encoded the information of the tasks as evaluated from representational similarity analysis. Our reported findings show the ability of the DNN to classify a single fMRI volume based on the extraction of hidden representations of fMRI volumes associated with tasks across multiple hidden layers. Our study may be beneficial to the automatic classification/diagnosis of neuropsychiatric and neurological diseases and prediction of disease severity and recovery in (pre-) clinical settings using fMRI volumes without requiring an estimation of activation patterns or ad hoc statistical evaluation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Passive fMRI mapping of language function for pediatric epilepsy surgical planning: validation using Wada, ECS, and FMAER.

PubMed

Suarez, Ralph O; Taimouri, Vahid; Boyer, Katrina; Vega, Clemente; Rotenberg, Alexander; Madsen, Joseph R; Loddenkemper, Tobias; Duffy, Frank H; Prabhu, Sanjay P; Warfield, Simon K

2014-12-01

In this study we validate passive language fMRI protocols designed for clinical application in pediatric epilepsy surgical planning as they do not require overt participation from patients. We introduced a set of quality checks that assess reliability of noninvasive fMRI mappings utilized for clinical purposes. We initially compared two fMRI language mapping paradigms, one active in nature (requiring participation from the patient) and the other passive in nature (requiring no participation from the patient). Group-level analysis in a healthy control cohort demonstrated similar activation of the putative language centers of the brain in the inferior frontal (IFG) and temporoparietal (TPG) regions. Additionally, we showed that passive language fMRI produced more left-lateralized activation in TPG (LI=+0.45) compared to the active task; with similarly robust left-lateralized IFG (LI=+0.24) activations using the passive task. We validated our recommended fMRI mapping protocols in a cohort of 15 pediatric epilepsy patients by direct comparison against the invasive clinical gold-standards. We found that language-specific TPG activation by fMRI agreed to within 9.2mm to subdural localizations by invasive functional mapping in the same patients, and language dominance by fMRI agreed with Wada test results at 80% congruency in TPG and 73% congruency in IFG. Lastly, we tested the recommended passive language fMRI protocols in a cohort of very young patients and confirmed reliable language-specific activation patterns in that challenging cohort. We concluded that language activation maps can be reliably achieved using the passive language fMRI protocols we proposed even in very young (average 7.5 years old) or sedated pediatric epilepsy patients. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

ICN_Atlas: Automated description and quantification of functional MRI activation patterns in the framework of intrinsic connectivity networks.

PubMed

Kozák, Lajos R; van Graan, Louis André; Chaudhary, Umair J; Szabó, Ádám György; Lemieux, Louis

2017-12-01

Generally, the interpretation of functional MRI (fMRI) activation maps continues to rely on assessing their relationship to anatomical structures, mostly in a qualitative and often subjective way. Recently, the existence of persistent and stable brain networks of functional nature has been revealed; in particular these so-called intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) appear to link patterns of resting state and task-related state connectivity. These networks provide an opportunity of functionally-derived description and interpretation of fMRI maps, that may be especially important in cases where the maps are predominantly task-unrelated, such as studies of spontaneous brain activity e.g. in the case of seizure-related fMRI maps in epilepsy patients or sleep states. Here we present a new toolbox (ICN_Atlas) aimed at facilitating the interpretation of fMRI data in the context of ICN. More specifically, the new methodology was designed to describe fMRI maps in function-oriented, objective and quantitative way using a set of 15 metrics conceived to quantify the degree of 'engagement' of ICNs for any given fMRI-derived statistical map of interest. We demonstrate that the proposed framework provides a highly reliable quantification of fMRI activation maps using a publicly available longitudinal (test-retest) resting-state fMRI dataset. The utility of the ICN_Atlas is also illustrated on a parametric task-modulation fMRI dataset, and on a dataset of a patient who had repeated seizures during resting-state fMRI, confirmed on simultaneously recorded EEG. The proposed ICN_Atlas toolbox is freely available for download at http://icnatlas.com and at http://www.nitrc.org for researchers to use in their fMRI investigations. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Developmental frontal lobe imaging in moral judgment: Arthur Benton's enduring influence 60 years later.

PubMed

Eslinger, Paul J; Robinson-Long, Melissa; Realmuto, Jennifer; Moll, Jorge; deOliveira-Souza, Ricardo; Tovar-Moll, Fernanda; Wang, Jianli; Yang, Qing X

2009-02-01

Early prefrontal cortex damage has been associated with developmental deficits in social adaptation, moral behavior, and empathy that alter the maturation of social cognition and social emotions. The seminal case of Ackerly and Benton (1948) continues to provide the most striking clinical example of prefrontal-related neurodevelopmental impairments, with more recent case reports confirming and elaborating these influential observations. This study investigated the prefrontal hypothesis of moral decision making in healthy, typically developing children and adolescents (10-17 years of age) using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Participants judged the actions in age-appropriate moral vignettes as right or wrong, and results were contrasted to a nonsocial/nonmoral baseline condition requiring similar right versus wrong judgments. Results confirmed a predominant cluster of activity in the most rostral-medial (frontal polar) prefrontal region across moral judgment conditions, along with left lateroposterior orbitofrontal/ventrolateral prefrontal, left temporoparietal junction, midline thalamus and globus pallidus, and bilateral inferior occipital clusters. Trials entailing ambiguous moral situations activated considerably more prefrontal and parietal regions than did routine moral situations, suggesting the need for more neurocognitive resources. While age regression analysis identified a few regions of greater or lesser activity with age, the frontal polar activations did not change with age. Findings confirm a significant role for anterior-medial prefrontal cortex in the typical development and maturation of moral decision making, consistent with clinical lesion case descriptions.

Functional connectivity of neural motor networks is disrupted in children with developmental coordination disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

PubMed Central

McLeod, Kevin R.; Langevin, Lisa Marie; Goodyear, Bradley G.; Dewey, Deborah

2014-01-01

Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are prevalent childhood disorders that frequently co-occur. Evidence from neuroimaging research suggests that children with these disorders exhibit disruptions in motor circuitry, which could account for the high rate of co-occurrence. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the functional connections of the motor network in children with DCD and/or ADHD compared to typically developing controls, with the aim of identifying common neurophysiological substrates. Resting-state fMRI was performed on seven children with DCD, 21 with ADHD, 18 with DCD + ADHD and 23 controls. Resting-state connectivity of the primary motor cortex was compared between each group and controls, using age as a co-factor. Relative to controls, children with DCD and/or ADHD exhibited similar reductions in functional connectivity between the primary motor cortex and the bilateral inferior frontal gyri, right supramarginal gyrus, angular gyri, insular cortices, amygdala, putamen, and pallidum. In addition, children with DCD and/or ADHD exhibited different age-related patterns of connectivity, compared to controls. These findings suggest that children with DCD and/or ADHD exhibit disruptions in motor circuitry, which may contribute to problems with motor functioning and attention. Our results support the existence of common neurophysiological substrates underlying both motor and attention problems. PMID:24818082

Altered spontaneous neural activity in the occipital face area reflects behavioral deficits in developmental prosopagnosia.

PubMed

Zhao, Yuanfang; Li, Jingguang; Liu, Xiqin; Song, Yiying; Wang, Ruosi; Yang, Zetian; Liu, Jia

2016-08-01

Individuals with developmental prosopagnosia (DP) exhibit severe difficulties in recognizing faces and to a lesser extent, also exhibit difficulties in recognizing non-face objects. We used fMRI to investigate whether these behavioral deficits could be accounted for by altered spontaneous neural activity. Two aspects of spontaneous neural activity were measured: the intensity of neural activity in a voxel indexed by the fractional amplitude of spontaneous low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF), and the connectivity of a voxel to neighboring voxels indexed by regional homogeneity (ReHo). Compared with normal adults, both the fALFF and ReHo values within the right occipital face area (rOFA) were significantly reduced in DP subjects. Follow-up studies on the normal adults revealed that these two measures indicated further functional division of labor within the rOFA. The fALFF in the rOFA was positively correlated with behavioral performance in recognition of non-face objects, whereas ReHo in the rOFA was positively correlated with processing of faces. When considered together, the altered fALFF and ReHo within the same region (rOFA) may account for the comorbid deficits in both face and object recognition in DPs, whereas the functional division of labor in these two measures helps to explain the relative independency of deficits in face recognition and object recognition in DP. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Consistency and similarity of MEG- and fMRI-signal time courses during movie viewing.

PubMed

Lankinen, Kaisu; Saari, Jukka; Hlushchuk, Yevhen; Tikka, Pia; Parkkonen, Lauri; Hari, Riitta; Koskinen, Miika

2018-06-01

Movie viewing allows human perception and cognition to be studied in complex, real-life-like situations in a brain-imaging laboratory. Previous studies with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and with magneto- and electroencephalography (MEG and EEG) have demonstrated consistent temporal dynamics of brain activity across movie viewers. However, little is known about the similarities and differences of fMRI and MEG or EEG dynamics during such naturalistic situations. We thus compared MEG and fMRI responses to the same 15-min black-and-white movie in the same eight subjects who watched the movie twice during both MEG and fMRI recordings. We analyzed intra- and intersubject voxel-wise correlations within each imaging modality as well as the correlation of the MEG envelopes and fMRI signals. The fMRI signals showed voxel-wise within- and between-subjects correlations up to r = 0.66 and r = 0.37, respectively, whereas these correlations were clearly weaker for the envelopes of band-pass filtered (7 frequency bands below 100 Hz) MEG signals (within-subjects correlation r < 0.14 and between-subjects r < 0.05). Direct MEG-fMRI voxel-wise correlations were unreliable. Notably, applying a spatial-filtering approach to the MEG data uncovered consistent canonical variates that showed considerably stronger (up to r = 0.25) between-subjects correlations than the univariate voxel-wise analysis. Furthermore, the envelopes of the time courses of these variates up to about 10 Hz showed association with fMRI signals in a general linear model. Similarities between envelopes of MEG canonical variates and fMRI voxel time-courses were seen mostly in occipital, but also in temporal and frontal brain regions, whereas intra- and intersubject correlations for MEG and fMRI separately were strongest only in the occipital areas. In contrast to the conventional univariate analysis, the spatial-filtering approach was able to uncover associations between the MEG envelopes and fMRI time courses, shedding light on the similarities of hemodynamic and electromagnetic brain activities during movie viewing. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multimodal Classification of Schizophrenia Patients with MEG and fMRI Data Using Static and Dynamic Connectivity Measures

PubMed Central

Cetin, Mustafa S.; Houck, Jon M.; Rashid, Barnaly; Agacoglu, Oktay; Stephen, Julia M.; Sui, Jing; Canive, Jose; Mayer, Andy; Aine, Cheryl; Bustillo, Juan R.; Calhoun, Vince D.

2016-01-01

Mental disorders like schizophrenia are currently diagnosed by physicians/psychiatrists through clinical assessment and their evaluation of patient's self-reported experiences as the illness emerges. There is great interest in identifying biological markers of prognosis at the onset of illness, rather than relying on the evolution of symptoms across time. Functional network connectivity, which indicates a subject's overall level of “synchronicity” of activity between brain regions, demonstrates promise in providing individual subject predictive power. Many previous studies reported functional connectivity changes during resting-state using only functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Nevertheless, exclusive reliance on fMRI to generate such networks may limit the inference of the underlying dysfunctional connectivity, which is hypothesized to be a factor in patient symptoms, as fMRI measures connectivity via hemodynamics. Therefore, combination of connectivity assessments using fMRI and magnetoencephalography (MEG), which more directly measures neuronal activity, may provide improved classification of schizophrenia than either modality alone. Moreover, recent evidence indicates that metrics of dynamic connectivity may also be critical for understanding pathology in schizophrenia. In this work, we propose a new framework for extraction of important disease related features and classification of patients with schizophrenia based on using both fMRI and MEG to investigate functional network components in the resting state. Results of this study show that the integration of fMRI and MEG provides important information that captures fundamental characteristics of functional network connectivity in schizophrenia and is helpful for prediction of schizophrenia patient group membership. Combined fMRI/MEG methods, using static functional network connectivity analyses, improved classification accuracy relative to use of fMRI or MEG methods alone (by 15 and 12.45%, respectively), while combined fMRI/MEG methods using dynamic functional network connectivity analyses improved classification up to 5.12% relative to use of fMRI alone and up to 17.21% relative to use of MEG alone. PMID:27807403

fMRI reliability: influences of task and experimental design.

PubMed

Bennett, Craig M; Miller, Michael B

2013-12-01

As scientists, it is imperative that we understand not only the power of our research tools to yield results, but also their ability to obtain similar results over time. This study is an investigation into how common decisions made during the design and analysis of a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study can influence the reliability of the statistical results. To that end, we gathered back-to-back test-retest fMRI data during an experiment involving multiple cognitive tasks (episodic recognition and two-back working memory) and multiple fMRI experimental designs (block, event-related genetic sequence, and event-related m-sequence). Using these data, we were able to investigate the relative influences of task, design, statistical contrast (task vs. rest, target vs. nontarget), and statistical thresholding (unthresholded, thresholded) on fMRI reliability, as measured by the intraclass correlation (ICC) coefficient. We also utilized data from a second study to investigate test-retest reliability after an extended, six-month interval. We found that all of the factors above were statistically significant, but that they had varying levels of influence on the observed ICC values. We also found that these factors could interact, increasing or decreasing the relative reliability of certain Task × Design combinations. The results suggest that fMRI reliability is a complex construct whose value may be increased or decreased by specific combinations of factors.

Test-Retest Reliability of fMRI Brain Activity during Memory Encoding

PubMed Central

Brandt, David J.; Sommer, Jens; Krach, Sören; Bedenbender, Johannes; Kircher, Tilo; Paulus, Frieder M.; Jansen, Andreas

2013-01-01

The mechanisms underlying hemispheric specialization of memory are not completely understood. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can be used to develop and test models of hemispheric specialization. In particular for memory tasks however, the interpretation of fMRI results is often hampered by the low reliability of the data. In the present study we therefore analyzed the test-retest reliability of fMRI brain activation related to an implicit memory encoding task, with a particular focus on brain activity of the medial temporal lobe (MTL). Fifteen healthy subjects were scanned with fMRI on two sessions (average retest interval 35 days) using a commonly applied novelty encoding paradigm contrasting known and unknown stimuli. To assess brain lateralization, we used three different stimuli classes that differed in their verbalizability (words, scenes, fractals). Test-retest reliability of fMRI brain activation was assessed by an intraclass-correlation coefficient (ICC), describing the stability of inter-individual differences in the brain activation magnitude over time. We found as expected a left-lateralized brain activation network for the words paradigm, a bilateral network for the scenes paradigm, and predominantly right-hemispheric brain activation for the fractals paradigm. Although these networks were consistently activated in both sessions on the group level, across-subject reliabilities were only poor to fair (ICCs ≤ 0.45). Overall, the highest ICC values were obtained for the scenes paradigm, but only in strongly activated brain regions. In particular the reliability of brain activity of the MTL was poor for all paradigms. In conclusion, for novelty encoding paradigms the interpretation of fMRI results on a single subject level is hampered by its low reliability. More studies are needed to optimize the retest reliability of fMRI activation for memory tasks. PMID:24367338

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy: Insights from Combined Recording Studies

PubMed Central

Scarapicchia, Vanessa; Brown, Cassandra; Mayo, Chantel; Gawryluk, Jodie R.

2017-01-01

Although blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a widely available, non-invasive technique that offers excellent spatial resolution, it remains limited by practical constraints imposed by the scanner environment. More recently, functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) has emerged as an alternative hemodynamic-based approach that possesses a number of strengths where fMRI is limited, most notably in portability and higher tolerance for motion. To date, fNIRS has shown promise in its ability to shed light on the functioning of the human brain in populations and contexts previously inaccessible to fMRI. Notable contributions include infant neuroimaging studies and studies examining full-body behaviors, such as exercise. However, much like fMRI, fNIRS has technical constraints that have limited its application to clinical settings, including a lower spatial resolution and limited depth of recording. Thus, by combining fMRI and fNIRS in such a way that the two methods complement each other, a multimodal imaging approach may allow for more complex research paradigms than is feasible with either technique alone. In light of these issues, the purpose of the current review is to: (1) provide an overview of fMRI and fNIRS and their associated strengths and limitations; (2) review existing combined fMRI-fNIRS recording studies; and (3) discuss how their combined use in future research practices may aid in advancing modern investigations of human brain function. PMID:28867998

EEG-Informed fMRI: A Review of Data Analysis Methods

PubMed Central

Abreu, Rodolfo; Leal, Alberto; Figueiredo, Patrícia

2018-01-01

The simultaneous acquisition of electroencephalography (EEG) with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a very promising non-invasive technique for the study of human brain function. Despite continuous improvements, it remains a challenging technique, and a standard methodology for data analysis is yet to be established. Here we review the methodologies that are currently available to address the challenges at each step of the data analysis pipeline. We start by surveying methods for pre-processing both EEG and fMRI data. On the EEG side, we focus on the correction for several MR-induced artifacts, particularly the gradient and pulse artifacts, as well as other sources of EEG artifacts. On the fMRI side, we consider image artifacts induced by the presence of EEG hardware inside the MR scanner, and the contamination of the fMRI signal by physiological noise of non-neuronal origin, including a review of several approaches to model and remove it. We then provide an overview of the approaches specifically employed for the integration of EEG and fMRI when using EEG to predict the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) fMRI signal, the so-called EEG-informed fMRI integration strategy, the most commonly used strategy in EEG-fMRI research. Finally, we systematically review methods used for the extraction of EEG features reflecting neuronal phenomena of interest. PMID:29467634

The power of using functional fMRI on small rodents to study brain pharmacology and disease

PubMed Central

Jonckers, Elisabeth; Shah, Disha; Hamaide, Julie; Verhoye, Marleen; Van der Linden, Annemie

2015-01-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is an excellent tool to study the effect of pharmacological modulations on brain function in a non-invasive and longitudinal manner. We introduce several blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) fMRI techniques, including resting state (rsfMRI), stimulus-evoked (st-fMRI), and pharmacological MRI (phMRI). Respectively, these techniques permit the assessment of functional connectivity during rest as well as brain activation triggered by sensory stimulation and/or a pharmacological challenge. The first part of this review describes the physiological basis of BOLD fMRI and the hemodynamic response on which the MRI contrast is based. Specific emphasis goes to possible effects of anesthesia and the animal’s physiological conditions on neural activity and the hemodynamic response. The second part of this review describes applications of the aforementioned techniques in pharmacologically induced, as well as in traumatic and transgenic disease models and illustrates how multiple fMRI methods can be applied successfully to evaluate different aspects of a specific disorder. For example, fMRI techniques can be used to pinpoint the neural substrate of a disease beyond previously defined hypothesis-driven regions-of-interest. In addition, fMRI techniques allow one to dissect how specific modifications (e.g., treatment, lesion etc.) modulate the functioning of specific brain areas (st-fMRI, phMRI) and how functional connectivity (rsfMRI) between several brain regions is affected, both in acute and extended time frames. Furthermore, fMRI techniques can be used to assess/explore the efficacy of novel treatments in depth, both in fundamental research as well as in preclinical settings. In conclusion, by describing several exemplary studies, we aim to highlight the advantages of functional MRI in exploring the acute and long-term effects of pharmacological substances and/or pathology on brain functioning along with several methodological considerations. PMID:26539115

Within-subject neural reactivity to reward and threat is inverted in young adolescents.

PubMed

Thomason, M E; Marusak, H A

2017-07-01

As children mature, they become increasingly independent and less reliant on caregiver support. Changes in brain systems are likely to stimulate and guide this process. One mechanistic hypothesis suggests that changes in neural systems that process reward and threat support the increase in exploratory behavior observed in the transition to adolescence. This study examines the basic tenets of this hypothesis by performing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during well-established reward and threat processing tasks in 40 children and adolescents, aged 9-15 years. fMRI responses in the striatum and amygdala are fit to a model predicting that striatal reward and amygdala threat-responses will be unrelated in younger participants (aged 9-12 years), while older participants (aged 13-15 years) will differentially engage these structures. Our data are consistent with this model. Activity in the striatum and amygdala are comparable in younger children, but in older children, they are inversely related; those more responsive to reward show a reduced threat-response. Analyses testing age as a continuous variable yield consistent results. In addition, the proportion of threat to reward-response relates to self-reported approach behavior in older but not younger youth, exposing behavioral relevance in the relative level of activity in these structures. Results are consistent with the notion that both individual and developmental differences drive reward-seeking behavior in adolescence. While these response patterns may serve adaptive functions in the shift to independence, skew in these systems may relate to increased rates of emotional psychopathology and risk-taking observed in adolescence.

Functional MR imaging assessment of a non-responsive brain injured patient.

PubMed

Moritz, C H; Rowley, H A; Haughton, V M; Swartz, K R; Jones, J; Badie, B

2001-10-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was requested to assist in the evaluation of a comatose 38-year-old woman who had sustained multiple cerebral contusions from a motor vehicle accident. Previous electrophysiologic studies suggested absence of thalamocortical processing in response to median nerve stimulation. Whole-brain fMRI was performed utilizing visual, somatosensory, and auditory stimulation paradigms. Results demonstrated intact task-correlated sensory and cognitive blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) hemodynamic response to stimuli. Electrodiagnostic studies were repeated and evoked potentials indicated supratentorial recovery in the cerebrum. At 3-months post trauma the patient had recovered many cognitive & sensorimotor functions, accurately reflecting the prognostic fMRI evaluation. These results indicate that fMRI examinations may provide a useful evaluation for brain function in non-responsive brain trauma patients.

FMRI Is a Valid Noninvasive Alternative to Wada Testing

PubMed Central

Binder, Jeffrey R.

2010-01-01

Partial removal of the anterior temporal lobe (ATL) is a highly effective surgical treatment for intractable temporal lobe epilepsy, yet roughly half of patients who undergo left ATL resection show decline in language or verbal memory function postoperatively. Two recent studies demonstrate that preoperative fMRI can predict postoperative naming and verbal memory changes in such patients. Most importantly, fMRI significantly improves the accuracy of prediction relative to other noninvasive measures used alone. Addition of language and memory lateralization data from the intracarotid amobarbital (Wada) test did not improve prediction accuracy in these studies. Thus, fMRI provides patients and practitioners with a safe, non-invasive, and well-validated tool for making better-informed decisions regarding elective surgery based on a quantitative assessment of cognitive risk. PMID:20850386

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Preoperative Planning in Brain Tumour Surgery.

PubMed

Lau, Jonathan C; Kosteniuk, Suzanne E; Bihari, Frank; Megyesi, Joseph F

2017-01-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is being increasingly used for the preoperative evaluation of patients with brain tumours. The study is a retrospective chart review investigating the use of clinical fMRI from 2002 through 2013 in the preoperative evaluation of brain tumour patients. Baseline demographic and clinical data were collected. The specific fMRI protocols used for each patient were recorded. Sixty patients were identified over the 12-year period. The tumour types most commonly investigated were high-grade glioma (World Health Organization grade III or IV), low-grade glioma (World Health Organization grade II), and meningioma. Most common presenting symptoms were seizures (69.6%), language deficits (23.2%), and headache (19.6%). There was a predominance of left hemispheric lesions investigated with fMRI (76.8% vs 23.2% for right). The most commonly involved lobes were frontal (64.3%), temporal (33.9%), parietal (21.4%), and insular (7.1%). The most common fMRI paradigms were language (83.9%), motor (75.0%), sensory (16.1%), and memory (10.7%). The majority of patients ultimately underwent a craniotomy (75.0%), whereas smaller groups underwent stereotactic biopsy (8.9%) and nonsurgical management (16.1%). Time from request for fMRI to actual fMRI acquisition was 3.1±2.3 weeks. Time from fMRI acquisition to intervention was 4.9±5.5 weeks. We have characterized patient demographics in a retrospective single-surgeon cohort undergoing preoperative clinical fMRI at a Canadian centre. Our experience suggests an acceptable wait time from scan request to scan completion/analysis and from scan to intervention.

You can count on the motor cortex: Finger counting habits modulate motor cortex activation evoked by numbers

PubMed Central

Tschentscher, Nadja; Hauk, Olaf; Fischer, Martin H.; Pulvermüller, Friedemann

2012-01-01

The embodied cognition framework suggests that neural systems for perception and action are engaged during higher cognitive processes. In an event-related fMRI study, we tested this claim for the abstract domain of numerical symbol processing: is the human cortical motor system part of the representation of numbers, and is organization of numerical knowledge influenced by individual finger counting habits? Developmental studies suggest a link between numerals and finger counting habits due to the acquisition of numerical skills through finger counting in childhood. In the present study, digits 1 to 9 and the corresponding number words were presented visually to adults with different finger counting habits, i.e. left- and right-starters who reported that they usually start counting small numbers with their left and right hand, respectively. Despite the absence of overt hand movements, the hemisphere contralateral to the hand used for counting small numbers was activated when small numbers were presented. The correspondence between finger counting habits and hemispheric motor activation is consistent with an intrinsic functional link between finger counting and number processing. PMID:22133748

Evaluation of a signal intensity mask in the interpretation of functional MR imaging activation maps.

PubMed

Strigel, Roberta M; Moritz, Chad H; Haughton, Victor M; Badie, Behnam; Field, Aaron; Wood, David; Hartman, Michael; Rowley, Howard A

2005-03-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of susceptibility artifacts on functional MR imaging (fMRI) studies and their effect on fMRI readings. We hypothesized that the availability of the signal intensity maps (SIMs) changes the interpretation of fMRI studies in which susceptibility artifacts affected eloquent brain regions. We reviewed 152 consecutive clinical fMRI studies performed with a SIM. The SIM consisted of the initial echo-planar images (EPI) in each section thresholded to eliminate signal intensity from outside the brain and then overlaid on anatomic images. The cause of the artifact was then determined by examining the images. Cases with a susceptibility artifact in eloquent brain were included in a blinded study read by four readers, first without and then with the SIM. For each reader, the number of times the interpretation changed on viewing the SIM was counted. Of 152 patients, 44% had signal intensity loss involving cerebral cortex and 18% involving an eloquent brain region. Causes of the artifacts were: surgical site artifact, blood products, dental devices, calcium, basal ganglia calcifications, ICP monitors, embolization materials, and air. When provided with the SIM, readers changed interpretations in 8-38% of patient cases, depending on reader experience and size and location of susceptibility artifact. Patients referred for clinical fMRI have a high incidence of susceptibility artifacts, whose presence and size can be determined by inspection of the SIM but not anatomic images. The availability of the SIM may affect interpretation of the fMRI.

Development of an apparatus and methodology for conducting functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with pharmacological stimuli in conscious rhesus monkeys.

PubMed

Murnane, Kevin Sean; Howell, Leonard Lee

2010-08-15

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a technique with significant potential to advance our understanding of multiple brain systems. However, when human subjects undergo fMRI studies they are typically conscious whereas pre-clinical fMRI studies typically utilize anesthesia, which complicates comparisons across studies. Therefore, we have developed an apparatus suitable for imaging conscious rhesus monkeys. In order to minimize subject stress and spatial motion, each subject was acclimated to the necessary procedures over several months. The effectiveness of this process was then evaluated, in fully trained subjects, by quantifying objective physiological measures. These physiological metrics were stable both within and across sessions and did not differ from when these same subjects were immobilized using standard primate handling procedures. Subject motion and blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) fMRI measurements were then evaluated by scanning subjects under three different conditions: the absence of stimulation, presentation of a visual stimulus, or administration of intravenous (i.v.) cocaine (0.3mg/kg). Spatial motion differed neither by condition nor along the three principal axes. In addition, maximum translational and rotational motion never exceeded one half of the voxel size (0.75 mm) or 1.5 degrees, respectively. Furthermore, the localization of changes in blood oxygenation closely matched those reported in previous studies using similar stimuli. These findings document the feasibility of fMRI data collection in conscious rhesus monkeys using these procedures and allow for the further study of the neural effects of psychoactive drugs. (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Implications of neurovascular uncoupling in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of brain tumors.

PubMed

Pak, Rebecca W; Hadjiabadi, Darian H; Senarathna, Janaka; Agarwal, Shruti; Thakor, Nitish V; Pillai, Jay J; Pathak, Arvind P

2017-11-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) serves as a critical tool for presurgical mapping of eloquent cortex and changes in neurological function in patients diagnosed with brain tumors. However, the blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) contrast mechanism underlying fMRI assumes that neurovascular coupling remains intact during brain tumor progression, and that measured changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) are correlated with neuronal function. Recent preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated that even low-grade brain tumors can exhibit neurovascular uncoupling (NVU), which can confound interpretation of fMRI data. Therefore, to avoid neurosurgical complications, it is crucial to understand the biophysical basis of NVU and its impact on fMRI. Here we review the physiology of the neurovascular unit, how it is remodeled, and functionally altered by brain cancer cells. We first discuss the latest findings about the components of the neurovascular unit. Next, we synthesize results from preclinical and clinical studies to illustrate how brain tumor induced NVU affects fMRI data interpretation. We examine advances in functional imaging methods that permit the clinical evaluation of brain tumors with NVU. Finally, we discuss how the suppression of anomalous tumor blood vessel formation with antiangiogenic therapies can "normalize" the brain tumor vasculature, and potentially restore neurovascular coupling.

Fully automated processing of fMRI data in SPM: from MRI scanner to PACS.

PubMed

Maldjian, Joseph A; Baer, Aaron H; Kraft, Robert A; Laurienti, Paul J; Burdette, Jonathan H

2009-01-01

Here we describe the Wake Forest University Pipeline, a fully automated method for the processing of fMRI data using SPM. The method includes fully automated data transfer and archiving from the point of acquisition, real-time batch script generation, distributed grid processing, interface to SPM in MATLAB, error recovery and data provenance, DICOM conversion and PACS insertion. It has been used for automated processing of fMRI experiments, as well as for the clinical implementation of fMRI and spin-tag perfusion imaging. The pipeline requires no manual intervention, and can be extended to any studies requiring offline processing.

Complementary aspects of diffusion imaging and fMRI; I: structure and function.

PubMed

Mulkern, Robert V; Davis, Peter E; Haker, Steven J; Estepar, Raul San Jose; Panych, Lawrence P; Maier, Stephan E; Rivkin, Michael J

2006-05-01

Studying the intersection of brain structure and function is an important aspect of modern neuroscience. The development of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) over the last 25 years has provided new and powerful tools for the study of brain structure and function. Two tools in particular, diffusion imaging and functional MRI (fMRI), are playing increasingly important roles in elucidating the complementary aspects of brain structure and function. In this work, we review basic technical features of diffusion imaging and fMRI for studying the integrity of white matter structural components and for determining the location and extent of cortical activation in gray matter, respectively. We then review a growing body of literature in which the complementary aspects of diffusion imaging and fMRI, applied as separate examinations but analyzed in tandem, have been exploited to enhance our knowledge of brain structure and function.

Tracking Cognitive Change over 24 Weeks with Longitudinal Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Alzheimer's Disease

PubMed Central

McLaren, Donald G.; Sreenivasan, Aishwarya; Diamond, Eli L.; Mitchell, Meghan B.; Van Dijk, Koene R.A.; DeLuca, Amy N.; O’Brien, Jacqueline L.; Rentz, Dorene M.; Sperling, Reisa A.; Atri, Alireza

2012-01-01

Background Previous studies have revealed that functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal in specific brain regions correlates with cross-sectional performance on standardized clinical trial measures in Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, the relationship between longitudinal change in fMRI-BOLD signal and neuropsychological performance remains unknown. Objective: To identify changes in regional fMRI-BOLD activity that tracks change in neuropsychological performance in mild AD dementia over 6 months. Methods Twenty-four subjects (mean age 71.6) with mild AD dementia (mean Mini Mental State Examination 21.7, Global Clinical Dementia Rating 1.0) on stable donepezil dosing participated in two task-related fMRI sessions consisting of a face-name paired associative encoding memory paradigm 24 weeks apart during a randomized placebo-controlled pharmaco-fMRI drug study. Regression analysis was used to identify regions where the change in fMRI activity for Novel > Repeated stimulus contrast was associated with the change scores on postscan memory tests and the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT). Results Correlations between changes in postscan memory accuracy and changes in fMRI activity were observed in regions including the angular gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus and cerebellum. Correlations between changes in FCSRT-free recall and changes in fMRI were observed in regions including the inferior parietal lobule, precuneus, hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus. Conclusion Changes in encoding-related fMRI activity in regions implicated in mnemonic networks correlated with changes in psychometric measures of episodic memory retrieval performed outside the scanner. These exploratory results support the potential of fMRI activity to track cognitive change and detect signals of short-term pharmacologic effect in early-phase AD studies. PMID:22456451

Tracking cognitive change over 24 weeks with longitudinal functional magnetic resonance imaging in Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

McLaren, Donald G; Sreenivasan, Aishwarya; Diamond, Eli L; Mitchell, Meghan B; Van Dijk, Koene R A; Deluca, Amy N; O'Brien, Jacqueline L; Rentz, Dorene M; Sperling, Reisa A; Atri, Alireza

2012-01-01

Previous studies have revealed that functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal in specific brain regions correlates with cross-sectional performance on standardized clinical trial measures in Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, the relationship between longitudinal change in fMRI-BOLD signal and neuropsychological performance remains unknown. To identify changes in regional fMRI-BOLD activity that tracks change in neuropsychological performance in mild AD dementia over 6 months. Twenty-four subjects (mean age 71.6) with mild AD dementia (mean Mini Mental State Examination 21.7, Global Clinical Dementia Rating 1.0) on stable donepezil dosing participated in two task-related fMRI sessions consisting of a face-name paired associative encoding memory paradigm 24 weeks apart during a randomized placebo-controlled pharmaco-fMRI drug study. Regression analysis was used to identify regions where the change in fMRI activity for Novel > Repeated stimulus contrast was associated with the change scores on postscan memory tests and the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT). Correlations between changes in postscan memory accuracy and changes in fMRI activity were observed in regions including the angular gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus and cerebellum. Correlations between changes in FCSRT-free recall and changes in fMRI were observed in regions including the inferior parietal lobule, precuneus, hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus. Changes in encoding-related fMRI activity in regions implicated in mnemonic networks correlated with changes in psychometric measures of episodic memory retrieval performed outside the scanner. These exploratory results support the potential of fMRI activity to track cognitive change and detect signals of short-term pharmacologic effect in early-phase AD studies. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Mapping (and modeling) physiological movements during EEG-fMRI recordings: the added value of the video acquired simultaneously.

PubMed

Ruggieri, Andrea; Vaudano, Anna Elisabetta; Benuzzi, Francesca; Serafini, Marco; Gessaroli, Giuliana; Farinelli, Valentina; Nichelli, Paolo Frigio; Meletti, Stefano

2015-01-15

During resting-state EEG-fMRI studies in epilepsy, patients' spontaneous head-face movements occur frequently. We tested the usefulness of synchronous video recording to identify and model the fMRI changes associated with non-epileptic movements to improve sensitivity and specificity of fMRI maps related to interictal epileptiform discharges (IED). Categorization of different facial/cranial movements during EEG-fMRI was obtained for 38 patients [with benign epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes (BECTS, n=16); with idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE, n=17); focal symptomatic/cryptogenic epilepsy (n=5)]. We compared at single subject- and at group-level the IED-related fMRI maps obtained with and without additional regressors related to spontaneous movements. As secondary aim, we considered facial movements as events of interest to test the usefulness of video information to obtain fMRI maps of the following face movements: swallowing, mouth-tongue movements, and blinking. Video information substantially improved the identification and classification of the artifacts with respect to the EEG observation alone (mean gain of 28 events per exam). Inclusion of physiological activities as additional regressors in the GLM model demonstrated an increased Z-score and number of voxels of the global maxima and/or new BOLD clusters in around three quarters of the patients. Video-related fMRI maps for swallowing, mouth-tongue movements, and blinking were comparable to the ones obtained in previous task-based fMRI studies. Video acquisition during EEG-fMRI is a useful source of information. Modeling physiological movements in EEG-fMRI studies for epilepsy will lead to more informative IED-related fMRI maps in different epileptic conditions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biology and therapy of fibromyalgia. Functional magnetic resonance imaging findings in fibromyalgia

PubMed Central

Williams, David A; Gracely, Richard H

2006-01-01

Techniques in neuroimaging such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have helped to provide insights into the role of supraspinal mechanisms in pain perception. This review focuses on studies that have applied fMRI in an attempt to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in the processing of pain associated with fibromyalgia. This article provides an overview of the nociceptive system as it functions normally, reviews functional brain imaging methods, and integrates the existing literature utilizing fMRI to study central pain mechanisms in fibromyalgia. PMID:17254318

Toward systems neuroscience in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease: a meta-analysis of 75 fMRI studies.

PubMed

Li, Hui-Jie; Hou, Xiao-Hui; Liu, Han-Hui; Yue, Chun-Lin; He, Yong; Zuo, Xi-Nian

2015-03-01

Most of the previous task functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies found abnormalities in distributed brain regions in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD), and few studies investigated the brain network dysfunction from the system level. In this meta-analysis, we aimed to examine brain network dysfunction in MCI and AD. We systematically searched task-based fMRI studies in MCI and AD published between January 1990 and January 2014. Activation likelihood estimation meta-analyses were conducted to compare the significant group differences in brain activation, the significant voxels were overlaid onto seven referenced neuronal cortical networks derived from the resting-state fMRI data of 1,000 healthy participants. Thirty-nine task-based fMRI studies (697 MCI patients and 628 healthy controls) were included in MCI-related meta-analysis while 36 task-based fMRI studies (421 AD patients and 512 healthy controls) were included in AD-related meta-analysis. The meta-analytic results revealed that MCI and AD showed abnormal regional brain activation as well as large-scale brain networks. MCI patients showed hypoactivation in default, frontoparietal, and visual networks relative to healthy controls, whereas AD-related hypoactivation mainly located in visual, default, and ventral attention networks relative to healthy controls. Both MCI-related and AD-related hyperactivation fell in frontoparietal, ventral attention, default, and somatomotor networks relative to healthy controls. MCI and AD presented different pathological while shared similar compensatory large-scale networks in fulfilling the cognitive tasks. These system-level findings are helpful to link the fundamental declines of cognitive tasks to brain networks in MCI and AD. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Safety and EEG data quality of concurrent high-density EEG and high-speed fMRI at 3 Tesla.

PubMed

Foged, Mette Thrane; Lindberg, Ulrich; Vakamudi, Kishore; Larsson, Henrik B W; Pinborg, Lars H; Kjær, Troels W; Fabricius, Martin; Svarer, Claus; Ozenne, Brice; Thomsen, Carsten; Beniczky, Sándor; Paulson, Olaf B; Posse, Stefan

2017-01-01

Concurrent EEG and fMRI is increasingly used to characterize the spatial-temporal dynamics of brain activity. However, most studies to date have been limited to conventional echo-planar imaging (EPI). There is considerable interest in integrating recently developed high-speed fMRI methods with high-density EEG to increase temporal resolution and sensitivity for task-based and resting state fMRI, and for detecting interictal spikes in epilepsy. In the present study using concurrent high-density EEG and recently developed high-speed fMRI methods, we investigate safety of radiofrequency (RF) related heating, the effect of EEG on cortical signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in fMRI, and assess EEG data quality. The study compared EPI, multi-echo EPI, multi-band EPI and multi-slab echo-volumar imaging pulse sequences, using clinical 3 Tesla MR scanners from two different vendors that were equipped with 64- and 256-channel MR-compatible EEG systems, respectively, and receive only array head coils. Data were collected in 11 healthy controls (3 males, age range 18-70 years) and 13 patients with epilepsy (8 males, age range 21-67 years). Three of the healthy controls were scanned with the 256-channel EEG system, the other subjects were scanned with the 64-channel EEG system. Scalp surface temperature, SNR in occipital cortex and head movement were measured with and without the EEG cap. The degree of artifacts and the ability to identify background activity was assessed by visual analysis by a trained expert in the 64 channel EEG data (7 healthy controls, 13 patients). RF induced heating at the surface of the EEG electrodes during a 30-minute scan period with stable temperature prior to scanning did not exceed 1.0° C with either EEG system and any of the pulse sequences used in this study. There was no significant decrease in cortical SNR due to the presence of the EEG cap (p > 0.05). No significant differences in the visually analyzed EEG data quality were found between EEG recorded during high-speed fMRI and during conventional EPI (p = 0.78). Residual ballistocardiographic artifacts resulted in 58% of EEG data being rated as poor quality. This study demonstrates that high-density EEG can be safely implemented in conjunction with high-speed fMRI and that high-speed fMRI does not adversely affect EEG data quality. However, the deterioration of the EEG quality due to residual ballistocardiographic artifacts remains a significant constraint for routine clinical applications of concurrent EEG-fMRI.

Maintenance and Representation of Mind Wandering during Resting-State fMRI.

PubMed

Chou, Ying-Hui; Sundman, Mark; Whitson, Heather E; Gaur, Pooja; Chu, Mei-Lan; Weingarten, Carol P; Madden, David J; Wang, Lihong; Kirste, Imke; Joliot, Marc; Diaz, Michele T; Li, Yi-Ju; Song, Allen W; Chen, Nan-Kuei

2017-01-12

Major advances in resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques in the last two decades have provided a tool to better understand the functional organization of the brain both in health and illness. Despite such developments, characterizing regulation and cerebral representation of mind wandering, which occurs unavoidably during resting-state fMRI scans and may induce variability of the acquired data, remains a work in progress. Here, we demonstrate that a decrease or decoupling in functional connectivity involving the caudate nucleus, insula, medial prefrontal cortex and other domain-specific regions was associated with more sustained mind wandering in particular thought domains during resting-state fMRI. Importantly, our findings suggest that temporal and between-subject variations in functional connectivity of above-mentioned regions might be linked with the continuity of mind wandering. Our study not only provides a preliminary framework for characterizing the maintenance and cerebral representation of different types of mind wandering, but also highlights the importance of taking mind wandering into consideration when studying brain organization with resting-state fMRI in the future.

Figure-ground representation and its decay in primary visual cortex.

PubMed

Strother, Lars; Lavell, Cheryl; Vilis, Tutis

2012-04-01

We used fMRI to study figure-ground representation and its decay in primary visual cortex (V1). Human observers viewed a motion-defined figure that gradually became camouflaged by a cluttered background after it stopped moving. V1 showed positive fMRI responses corresponding to the moving figure and negative fMRI responses corresponding to the static background. This positive-negative delineation of V1 "figure" and "background" fMRI responses defined a retinotopically organized figure-ground representation that persisted after the figure stopped moving but eventually decayed. The temporal dynamics of V1 "figure" and "background" fMRI responses differed substantially. Positive "figure" responses continued to increase for several seconds after the figure stopped moving and remained elevated after the figure had disappeared. We propose that the sustained positive V1 "figure" fMRI responses reflected both persistent figure-ground representation and sustained attention to the location of the figure after its disappearance, as did subjects' reports of persistence. The decreasing "background" fMRI responses were relatively shorter-lived and less biased by spatial attention. Our results show that the transition from a vivid figure-ground percept to its disappearance corresponds to the concurrent decay of figure enhancement and background suppression in V1, both of which play a role in form-based perceptual memory.

A case study of magnetic resonance imaging of cerebrovascular reactivity: a powerful imaging marker for mild traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Chan, Suk-tak; Evans, Karleyton C; Rosen, Bruce R; Song, Tian-yue; Kwong, Kenneth K

2015-01-01

To use breath-hold functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to localize the brain regions with impaired cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) in a female patient diagnosed with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The extent of impaired CVR was evaluated 2 months after concussion. Follow-up scan was performed 1 year post-mTBI using the same breath-hold fMRI technique. Case report. fMRI blood oxygenation dependent level (BOLD) signals were measured under breath-hold challenge in a female mTBI patient 2 months after concussion followed by a second fMRI with breath-hold challenge 1 year later. CVR was expressed as the percentage change of BOLD signals per unit time of breath-hold. In comparison with CVR measurement of normal control subjects, statistical maps of CVR revealed substantial neurovascular deficits and hemispheric asymmetry within grey and white matter in the initial breath-hold fMRI scan. Follow-up breath-hold fMRI performed 1 year post-mTBI demonstrated normalization of CVR accompanied with symptomatic recovery. CVR may serve as an imaging biomarker to detect subtle deficits in both grey and white matter for individual diagnosis of mTBI. The findings encourage further investigation of hypercapnic fMRI as a diagnostic tool for mTBI.

Brain Functional Connectivity in MS: An EEG-NIRS Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

electrical (EEG) and blood volume and blood oxygen-based (NIRS and fMRI ) signals, and to use the results to help optimize blood oxygen level...dependent (BOLD) fMRI analyses of brain activity. Participants will be patients with MS (n=25) and healthy demographically matched controls (n=25) who will...undergo standardized evaluations and imaging using combined EEG-NIRS- fMRI . EEG-NIRS data will be used to construct maps of neurovascular coupling

Neural Markers and Rehabilitation of Executive Functioning in Veterans with TBI and PTSD

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

functioning. Functional magnetic resonance imaging ( fMRI ) will be used to evaluate changes in cortical function in frontostriate and frontoparietal circuits...EEG and fMRI will be conducted and then transport Veterans back to our laboratory. We will assure transportation is running efficiently and without...delays before study commencement.  Transportation to the EEG and fMRI was arranged through the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine at month 9

Resting-state fMRI data reflects default network activity rather than null data: A defense of commonly employed methods to correct for multiple comparisons.

PubMed

Slotnick, Scott D

2017-07-01

Analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data typically involves over one hundred thousand independent statistical tests; therefore, it is necessary to correct for multiple comparisons to control familywise error. In a recent paper, Eklund, Nichols, and Knutsson used resting-state fMRI data to evaluate commonly employed methods to correct for multiple comparisons and reported unacceptable rates of familywise error. Eklund et al.'s analysis was based on the assumption that resting-state fMRI data reflect null data; however, their 'null data' actually reflected default network activity that inflated familywise error. As such, Eklund et al.'s results provide no basis to question the validity of the thousands of published fMRI studies that have corrected for multiple comparisons or the commonly employed methods to correct for multiple comparisons.

Large-Scale, High-Resolution Neurophysiological Maps Underlying fMRI of Macaque Temporal Lobe

PubMed Central

Papanastassiou, Alex M.; DiCarlo, James J.

2013-01-01

Maps obtained by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) are thought to reflect the underlying spatial layout of neural activity. However, previous studies have not been able to directly compare fMRI maps to high-resolution neurophysiological maps, particularly in higher level visual areas. Here, we used a novel stereo microfocal x-ray system to localize thousands of neural recordings across monkey inferior temporal cortex (IT), construct large-scale maps of neuronal object selectivity at subvoxel resolution, and compare those neurophysiology maps with fMRI maps from the same subjects. While neurophysiology maps contained reliable structure at the sub-millimeter scale, fMRI maps of object selectivity contained information at larger scales (>2.5 mm) and were only partly correlated with raw neurophysiology maps collected in the same subjects. However, spatial smoothing of neurophysiology maps more than doubled that correlation, while a variety of alternative transforms led to no significant improvement. Furthermore, raw spiking signals, once spatially smoothed, were as predictive of fMRI maps as local field potential signals. Thus, fMRI of the inferior temporal lobe reflects a spatially low-passed version of neurophysiology signals. These findings strongly validate the widespread use of fMRI for detecting large (>2.5 mm) neuronal domains of object selectivity but show that a complete understanding of even the most pure domains (e.g., faces vs nonface objects) requires investigation at fine scales that can currently only be obtained with invasive neurophysiological methods. PMID:24048850

Estimating neural response functions from fMRI

PubMed Central

Kumar, Sukhbinder; Penny, William

2014-01-01

This paper proposes a methodology for estimating Neural Response Functions (NRFs) from fMRI data. These NRFs describe non-linear relationships between experimental stimuli and neuronal population responses. The method is based on a two-stage model comprising an NRF and a Hemodynamic Response Function (HRF) that are simultaneously fitted to fMRI data using a Bayesian optimization algorithm. This algorithm also produces a model evidence score, providing a formal model comparison method for evaluating alternative NRFs. The HRF is characterized using previously established “Balloon” and BOLD signal models. We illustrate the method with two example applications based on fMRI studies of the auditory system. In the first, we estimate the time constants of repetition suppression and facilitation, and in the second we estimate the parameters of population receptive fields in a tonotopic mapping study. PMID:24847246

FIACH: A biophysical model for automatic retrospective noise control in fMRI.

PubMed

Tierney, Tim M; Weiss-Croft, Louise J; Centeno, Maria; Shamshiri, Elhum A; Perani, Suejen; Baldeweg, Torsten; Clark, Christopher A; Carmichael, David W

2016-01-01

Different noise sources in fMRI acquisition can lead to spurious false positives and reduced sensitivity. We have developed a biophysically-based model (named FIACH: Functional Image Artefact Correction Heuristic) which extends current retrospective noise control methods in fMRI. FIACH can be applied to both General Linear Model (GLM) and resting state functional connectivity MRI (rs-fcMRI) studies. FIACH is a two-step procedure involving the identification and correction of non-physiological large amplitude temporal signal changes and spatial regions of high temporal instability. We have demonstrated its efficacy in a sample of 42 healthy children while performing language tasks that include overt speech with known activations. We demonstrate large improvements in sensitivity when FIACH is compared with current methods of retrospective correction. FIACH reduces the confounding effects of noise and increases the study's power by explaining significant variance that is not contained within the commonly used motion parameters. The method is particularly useful in detecting activations in inferior temporal regions which have proven problematic for fMRI. We have shown greater reproducibility and robustness of fMRI responses using FIACH in the context of task induced motion. In a clinical setting this will translate to increasing the reliability and sensitivity of fMRI used for the identification of language lateralisation and eloquent cortex. FIACH can benefit studies of cognitive development in young children, patient populations and older adults. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Paradoxical correlation between signal in functional magnetic resonance imaging and deoxygenated haemoglobin content in capillaries: a new theoretical explanation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Toru; Kato, Toshinori

2002-04-01

Signal increases in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) are believed to be a result of decreased paramagnetic deoxygenated haemoglobin (deoxyHb) content in the neural activation area. However, discrepancies in this canonical blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) theory have been pointed out in studies using optical techniques, which directly measure haemoglobin changes. To explain the discrepancies, we developed a new theory bridging magnetic resonance (MR) signal and haemoglobin changes. We focused on capillary influences, which have been neglected in most previous fMRI studies and performed a combined fMRI and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) study using a language task. Paradoxically, both the MR signal and deoxyHb content increased in Broca's area. On the other hand, fMRI activation in the auditory area near large veins correlated with a mirror-image decrease in deoxyHb and increase in oxygenated haemoglobin (oxyHb), in agreement with canonical BOLD theory. All fMRI signal changes correlated consistently with changes in oxyHb, the diamagnetism of which is insensitive to MR. We concluded that the discrepancy with the canonical BOLD theory is caused by the fact that the BOLD theory ignores the effect of the capillaries. Our theory explains the paradoxical phenomena of the oxyHb and deoxyHb contributions to the MR signal and gives a new insight into the precise haemodynamics of activation by analysing fMRI and NIRS data.

A SVM-based quantitative fMRI method for resting-state functional network detection.

PubMed

Song, Xiaomu; Chen, Nan-kuei

2014-09-01

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) aims to measure baseline neuronal connectivity independent of specific functional tasks and to capture changes in the connectivity due to neurological diseases. Most existing network detection methods rely on a fixed threshold to identify functionally connected voxels under the resting state. Due to fMRI non-stationarity, the threshold cannot adapt to variation of data characteristics across sessions and subjects, and generates unreliable mapping results. In this study, a new method is presented for resting-state fMRI data analysis. Specifically, the resting-state network mapping is formulated as an outlier detection process that is implemented using one-class support vector machine (SVM). The results are refined by using a spatial-feature domain prototype selection method and two-class SVM reclassification. The final decision on each voxel is made by comparing its probabilities of functionally connected and unconnected instead of a threshold. Multiple features for resting-state analysis were extracted and examined using an SVM-based feature selection method, and the most representative features were identified. The proposed method was evaluated using synthetic and experimental fMRI data. A comparison study was also performed with independent component analysis (ICA) and correlation analysis. The experimental results show that the proposed method can provide comparable or better network detection performance than ICA and correlation analysis. The method is potentially applicable to various resting-state quantitative fMRI studies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Combining fMRI and behavioral measures to examine the process of human learning.

PubMed

Karuza, Elisabeth A; Emberson, Lauren L; Aslin, Richard N

2014-03-01

Prior to the advent of fMRI, the primary means of examining the mechanisms underlying learning were restricted to studying human behavior and non-human neural systems. However, recent advances in neuroimaging technology have enabled the concurrent study of human behavior and neural activity. We propose that the integration of behavioral response with brain activity provides a powerful method of investigating the process through which internal representations are formed or changed. Nevertheless, a review of the literature reveals that many fMRI studies of learning either (1) focus on outcome rather than process or (2) are built on the untested assumption that learning unfolds uniformly over time. We discuss here various challenges faced by the field and highlight studies that have begun to address them. In doing so, we aim to encourage more research that examines the process of learning by considering the interrelation of behavioral measures and fMRI recording during learning. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Combining fMRI and Behavioral Measures to Examine the Process of Human Learning

PubMed Central

Karuza, Elisabeth A.; Emberson, Lauren L.; Aslin, Richard N.

2013-01-01

Prior to the advent of fMRI, the primary means of examining the mechanisms underlying learning were restricted to studying human behavior and non-human neural systems. However, recent advances in neuroimaging technology have enabled the concurrent study of human behavior and neural activity. We propose that the integration of behavioral response with brain activity provides a powerful method of investigating the process through which internal representations are formed or changed. Nevertheless, a review of the literature reveals that many fMRI studies of learning either (1) focus on outcome rather than process or (2) are built on the untested assumption that learning unfolds uniformly over time. We discuss here various challenges faced by the field and highlight studies that have begun to address them. In doing so, we aim to encourage more research that examines the process of learning by considering the interrelation of behavioral measures and fMRI recording during learning. PMID:24076012

Manipulation of length and lexicality localizes the functional neuroanatomy of phonological processing in adult readers.

PubMed

Church, Jessica A; Balota, David A; Petersen, Steven E; Schlaggar, Bradley L

2011-06-01

In a previous study of single word reading, regions in the left supramarginal gyrus and left angular gyrus showed positive BOLD activity in children but significantly less activity in adults for high-frequency words [Church, J. A., Coalson, R. S., Lugar, H. M., Petersen, S. E., & Schlaggar, B. L. A developmental fMRI study of reading and repetition reveals changes in phonological and visual mechanisms over age. Cerebral Cortex, 18, 2054-2065, 2008]. This developmental decrease may reflect decreased reliance on phonological processing for familiar stimuli in adults. Therefore, in the present study, variables thought to influence phonological demand (string length and lexicality) were manipulated. Length and lexicality effects in the brain were explored using both ROI and whole-brain approaches. In the ROI analysis, the supramarginal and angular regions from the previous study were applied to this study. The supramarginal region showed a significant positive effect of length, consistent with a role in phonological processing, whereas the angular region showed only negative deflections from baseline with a strong effect of lexicality and other weaker effects. At the whole-brain level, varying effects of length and lexicality and their interactions were observed in 85 regions throughout the brain. The application of hierarchical clustering analysis to the BOLD time course data derived from these regions revealed seven clusters, with potentially revealing anatomical locations. Of note, a left angular gyrus region was the sole constituent of one cluster. Taken together, these findings in adult readers (1) provide support for a widespread set of brain regions affected by lexical variables, (2) corroborate a role for phonological processing in the left supramarginal gyrus, and (3) do not support a strong role for phonological processing in the left angular gyrus.

Hypercapnic evaluation of vascular reactivity in healthy aging and acute stroke via functional MRI.

PubMed

Raut, Ryan V; Nair, Veena A; Sattin, Justin A; Prabhakaran, Vivek

2016-01-01

Functional MRI (fMRI) is well-established for the study of brain function in healthy populations, although its clinical application has proven more challenging. Specifically, cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR), which allows the assessment of the vascular response that serves as the basis for fMRI, has been shown to be reduced in healthy aging as well as in a range of diseases, including chronic stroke. However, the timing of when this occurs relative to the stroke event is unclear. We used a breath-hold fMRI task to evaluate CVR across gray matter in a group of acute stroke patients (< 10 days from stroke; N = 22) to address this question. These estimates were compared with those from both age-matched (N = 22) and younger (N = 22) healthy controls. As expected, young controls had the greatest mean CVR, as indicated by magnitude and extent of fMRI activation; however, stroke patients did not differ from age-matched controls. Moreover, the ipsilesional and contralesional hemispheres of stroke patients did not differ with respect to any of these measures. These findings suggest that fMRI remains a valid tool within the first few days of a stroke, particularly for group fMRI studies in which findings are compared with healthy subjects of similar age. However, given the relatively high variability in CVR observed in our stroke sample, caution is warranted when interpreting fMRI data from individual patients or a small cohort. We conclude that a breath-hold task can be a useful addition to functional imaging protocols for stroke patients.

Investigating the enhancement of template-free activation detection of event-related fMRI data using wavelet shrinkage and figures of merit.

PubMed

Ngan, Shing-Chung; Hu, Xiaoping; Khong, Pek-Lan

2011-03-01

We propose a method for preprocessing event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data that can lead to enhancement of template-free activation detection. The method is based on using a figure of merit to guide the wavelet shrinkage of a given fMRI data set. Several previous studies have demonstrated that in the root-mean-square error setting, wavelet shrinkage can improve the signal-to-noise ratio of fMRI time courses. However, preprocessing fMRI data in the root-mean-square error setting does not necessarily lead to enhancement of template-free activation detection. Motivated by this observation, in this paper, we move to the detection setting and investigate the possibility of using wavelet shrinkage to enhance template-free activation detection of fMRI data. The main ingredients of our method are (i) forward wavelet transform of the voxel time courses, (ii) shrinking the resulting wavelet coefficients as directed by an appropriate figure of merit, (iii) inverse wavelet transform of the shrunk data, and (iv) submitting these preprocessed time courses to a given activation detection algorithm. Two figures of merit are developed in the paper, and two other figures of merit adapted from the literature are described. Receiver-operating characteristic analyses with simulated fMRI data showed quantitative evidence that data preprocessing as guided by the figures of merit developed in the paper can yield improved detectability of the template-free measures. We also demonstrate the application of our methodology on an experimental fMRI data set. The proposed method is useful for enhancing template-free activation detection in event-related fMRI data. It is of significant interest to extend the present framework to produce comprehensive, adaptive and fully automated preprocessing of fMRI data optimally suited for subsequent data analysis steps. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Broadband Electrophysiological Dynamics Contribute to Global Resting-State fMRI Signal.

PubMed

Wen, Haiguang; Liu, Zhongming

2016-06-01

Spontaneous activity observed with resting-state fMRI is used widely to uncover the brain's intrinsic functional networks in health and disease. Although many networks appear modular and specific, global and nonspecific fMRI fluctuations also exist and both pose a challenge and present an opportunity for characterizing and understanding brain networks. Here, we used a multimodal approach to investigate the neural correlates to the global fMRI signal in the resting state. Like fMRI, resting-state power fluctuations of broadband and arrhythmic, or scale-free, macaque electrocorticography and human magnetoencephalography activity were correlated globally. The power fluctuations of scale-free human electroencephalography (EEG) were coupled with the global component of simultaneously acquired resting-state fMRI, with the global hemodynamic change lagging the broadband spectral change of EEG by ∼5 s. The levels of global and nonspecific fluctuation and synchronization in scale-free population activity also varied across and depended on arousal states. Together, these results suggest that the neural origin of global resting-state fMRI activity is the broadband power fluctuation in scale-free population activity observable with macroscopic electrical or magnetic recordings. Moreover, the global fluctuation in neurophysiological and hemodynamic activity is likely modulated through diffuse neuromodulation pathways that govern arousal states and vigilance levels. This study provides new insights into the neural origin of resting-state fMRI. Results demonstrate that the broadband power fluctuation of scale-free electrophysiology is globally synchronized and directly coupled with the global component of spontaneous fMRI signals, in contrast to modularly synchronized fluctuations in oscillatory neural activity. These findings lead to a new hypothesis that scale-free and oscillatory neural processes account for global and modular patterns of functional connectivity observed with resting-state fMRI, respectively. Copyright © 2016 the authors 0270-6474/16/366030-11$15.00/0.

Brain functional BOLD perturbation modelling for forward fMRI and inverse mapping

PubMed Central

Robinson, Jennifer; Calhoun, Vince

2018-01-01

Purpose To computationally separate dynamic brain functional BOLD responses from static background in a brain functional activity for forward fMRI signal analysis and inverse mapping. Methods A brain functional activity is represented in terms of magnetic source by a perturbation model: χ = χ0 +δχ, with δχ for BOLD magnetic perturbations and χ0 for background. A brain fMRI experiment produces a timeseries of complex-valued images (T2* images), whereby we extract the BOLD phase signals (denoted by δP) by a complex division. By solving an inverse problem, we reconstruct the BOLD δχ dataset from the δP dataset, and the brain χ distribution from a (unwrapped) T2* phase image. Given a 4D dataset of task BOLD fMRI, we implement brain functional mapping by temporal correlation analysis. Results Through a high-field (7T) and high-resolution (0.5mm in plane) task fMRI experiment, we demonstrated in detail the BOLD perturbation model for fMRI phase signal separation (P + δP) and reconstructing intrinsic brain magnetic source (χ and δχ). We also provided to a low-field (3T) and low-resolution (2mm) task fMRI experiment in support of single-subject fMRI study. Our experiments show that the δχ-depicted functional map reveals bidirectional BOLD χ perturbations during the task performance. Conclusions The BOLD perturbation model allows us to separate fMRI phase signal (by complex division) and to perform inverse mapping for pure BOLD δχ reconstruction for intrinsic functional χ mapping. The full brain χ reconstruction (from unwrapped fMRI phase) provides a new brain tissue image that allows to scrutinize the brain tissue idiosyncrasy for the pure BOLD δχ response through an automatic function/structure co-localization. PMID:29351339

How restful is it with all that noise? Comparison of Interleaved silent steady state (ISSS) and conventional imaging in resting-state fMRI.

PubMed

Andoh, J; Ferreira, M; Leppert, I R; Matsushita, R; Pike, B; Zatorre, R J

2017-02-15

Resting-state fMRI studies have become very important in cognitive neuroscience because they are able to identify BOLD fluctuations in brain circuits involved in motor, cognitive, or perceptual processes without the use of an explicit task. Such approaches have been fruitful when applied to various disordered populations, or to children or the elderly. However, insufficient attention has been paid to the consequences of the loud acoustic scanner noise associated with conventional fMRI acquisition, which could be an important confounding factor affecting auditory and/or cognitive networks in resting-state fMRI. Several approaches have been developed to mitigate the effects of acoustic noise on fMRI signals, including sparse sampling protocols and interleaved silent steady state (ISSS) acquisition methods, the latter being used only for task-based fMRI. Here, we developed an ISSS protocol for resting-state fMRI (rs-ISSS) consisting of rapid acquisition of a set of echo planar imaging volumes following each silent period, during which the steady state longitudinal magnetization was maintained with a train of relatively silent slice-selective excitation pulses. We evaluated the test-retest reliability of intensity and spatial extent of connectivity networks of fMRI BOLD signal across three different days for rs-ISSS and compared it with a standard resting-state fMRI (rs-STD). We also compared the strength and distribution of connectivity networks between rs-ISSS and rs-STD. We found that both rs-ISSS and rs-STD showed high reproducibility of fMRI signal across days. In addition, rs-ISSS showed a more robust pattern of functional connectivity within the somatosensory and motor networks, as well as an auditory network compared with rs-STD. An increased connectivity between the default mode network and the language network and with the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) network was also found for rs-ISSS compared with rs-STD. Finally, region of interest analysis showed higher interhemispheric connectivity in Heschl's gyri in rs-ISSS compared with rs-STD, with lower variability across days. The present findings suggest that rs-ISSS may be advantageous for detecting network connectivity in a less noisy environment, and that resting-state studies carried out with standard scanning protocols should consider the potential effects of loud noise on the measured networks. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A hierarchical model for probabilistic independent component analysis of multi-subject fMRI studies

PubMed Central

Tang, Li

2014-01-01

Summary An important goal in fMRI studies is to decompose the observed series of brain images to identify and characterize underlying brain functional networks. Independent component analysis (ICA) has been shown to be a powerful computational tool for this purpose. Classic ICA has been successfully applied to single-subject fMRI data. The extension of ICA to group inferences in neuroimaging studies, however, is challenging due to the unavailability of a pre-specified group design matrix. Existing group ICA methods generally concatenate observed fMRI data across subjects on the temporal domain and then decompose multi-subject data in a similar manner to single-subject ICA. The major limitation of existing methods is that they ignore between-subject variability in spatial distributions of brain functional networks in group ICA. In this paper, we propose a new hierarchical probabilistic group ICA method to formally model subject-specific effects in both temporal and spatial domains when decomposing multi-subject fMRI data. The proposed method provides model-based estimation of brain functional networks at both the population and subject level. An important advantage of the hierarchical model is that it provides a formal statistical framework to investigate similarities and differences in brain functional networks across subjects, e.g., subjects with mental disorders or neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s as compared to normal subjects. We develop an EM algorithm for model estimation where both the E-step and M-step have explicit forms. We compare the performance of the proposed hierarchical model with that of two popular group ICA methods via simulation studies. We illustrate our method with application to an fMRI study of Zen meditation. PMID:24033125

Puzzlingly High Correlations in fMRI Studies of Emotion, Personality, and Social Cognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vul, Edward; Harris, Christine; Winkielman, Piotr; Pashler, Harold

2009-01-01

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) studies of emotion, personality, and social cognition have drawn much attention in recent years, with high-profile studies frequently reporting extremely high (e.g., > 8) correlations between behavioral and self-report measures of personality or emotion and measures of brain activation. We show…

Using fMRI to Study Conceptual Change: Why and How?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masson, Steve; Potvin, Patrice; Riopel, Martin; Foisy, Lorie-Marlene Brault; Lafortune, Stephanie

2012-01-01

Although the use of brain imaging techniques, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is increasingly common in educational research, only a few studies regarding science learning have so far taken advantage of this technology. This paper aims to facilitate the design and implementation of brain imaging studies relating to science…

Brain functional connectivity network studies of acupuncture: a systematic review on resting-state fMRI.

PubMed

Cai, Rong-Lin; Shen, Guo-Ming; Wang, Hao; Guan, Yuan-Yuan

2018-01-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a novel method for studying the changes of brain networks due to acupuncture treatment. In recent years, more and more studies have focused on the brain functional connectivity network of acupuncture stimulation. To offer an overview of the different influences of acupuncture on the brain functional connectivity network from studies using resting-state fMRI. The authors performed a systematic search according to PRISMA guidelines. The database PubMed was searched from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2016 with restriction to human studies in English language. Electronic searches were conducted in PubMed using the keywords "acupuncture" and "neuroimaging" or "resting-state fMRI" or "functional connectivity". Selection of included articles, data extraction and methodological quality assessments were respectively conducted by two review authors. Forty-four resting-state fMRI studies were included in this systematic review according to inclusion criteria. Thirteen studies applied manual acupuncture vs. sham, four studies applied electro-acupuncture vs. sham, two studies also compared transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation vs. sham, and nine applied sham acupoint as control. Nineteen studies with a total number of 574 healthy subjects selected to perform fMRI only considered healthy adult volunteers. The brain functional connectivity of the patients had varying degrees of change. Compared with sham acupuncture, verum acupuncture could increase default mode network and sensorimotor network connectivity with pain-, affective- and memory-related brain areas. It has significantly greater connectivity of genuine acupuncture between the periaqueductal gray, anterior cingulate cortex, left posterior cingulate cortex, right anterior insula, limbic/paralimbic and precuneus compared with sham acupuncture. Some research had also shown that acupuncture could adjust the limbic-paralimbic-neocortical network, brainstem, cerebellum, subcortical and hippocampus brain areas. It can be presumed that the functional connectivity network is closely related to the mechanism of acupuncture, and central integration plays a critical role in the acupuncture mechanism. Copyright © 2017 Shanghai Changhai Hospital. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the Social Motivation Hypothesis of Autism: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Clements, Caitlin C; Zoltowski, Alisa R; Yankowitz, Lisa D; Yerys, Benjamin E; Schultz, Robert T; Herrington, John D

2018-06-13

The social motivation hypothesis posits that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) find social stimuli less rewarding than do people with neurotypical activity. However, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of reward processing have yielded mixed results. To examine whether individuals with ASD process rewarding stimuli differently than typically developing individuals (controls), whether differences are limited to social rewards, and whether contradictory findings in the literature might be due to sample characteristics. Articles were identified in PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO from database inception until June 1, 2017. Functional MRI data from these articles were provided by most authors. Publications were included that provided brain activation contrasts between a sample with ASD and controls on a reward task, determined by multiple reviewer consensus. When fMRI data were not provided by authors, multiple reviewers extracted peak coordinates and effect sizes from articles to recreate statistical maps using seed-based d mapping software. Random-effects meta-analyses of responses to social, nonsocial, and restricted interest stimuli, as well as all of these domains together, were performed. Secondary analyses included meta-analyses of wanting and liking, meta-regression with age, and correlations with ASD severity. All procedures were conducted in accordance with Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. Brain activation differences between groups with ASD and typically developing controls while processing rewards. All analyses except the domain-general meta-analysis were planned before data collection. The meta-analysis included 13 studies (30 total fMRI contrasts) from 259 individuals with ASD and 246 controls. Autism spectrum disorder was associated with aberrant processing of both social and nonsocial rewards in striatal regions and increased activation in response to restricted interests (social reward, caudate cluster: d = -0.25 [95% CI, -0.41 to -0.08]; nonsocial reward, caudate and anterior cingulate cluster: d = -0.22 [95% CI, -0.42 to -0.02]; restricted interests, caudate and nucleus accumbens cluster: d = 0.42 [95% CI, 0.07 to 0.78]). Individuals with ASD show atypical processing of social and nonsocial rewards. Findings support a broader interpretation of the social motivation hypothesis of ASD whereby general atypical reward processing encompasses social reward, nonsocial reward, and perhaps restricted interests. This meta-analysis also suggests that prior mixed results could be driven by sample age differences, warranting further study of the developmental trajectory for reward processing in ASD.

Integrated Eye Tracking and Neural Monitoring for Enhanced Assessment of Mild TBI

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-01

but these delays are nearing resolution and we anticipate the initiation of the neuroimaging portion of the study early in Year 3. The fMRI task...resonance imagining ( fMRI ) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to characterize the extent of functional cortical recruitment and white matter injury...respectively. The inclusion of fMRI and DTI will provide an objective basis for cross-validating the EEG and eye tracking system. Both the EEG and eye

The Effects of Day-to-Day Variability of Physiological Data on Operator Functional State Classification

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

fMRI data (e.g. Kamitami & Tong, 2005). This approach has been remarkably successful in classifying mental workload in complex tasks (Berka, et al...1991). These previous studies relied upon spectral comparison rather than classification. In previous research examining the stability of fMRI ...chose to focus on electrophysiology, as the collection conditions may be more carefully controlled across days than fMRI and it is more amenable to

Comparison of semantic and episodic memory BOLD fMRI activation in predicting cognitive decline in older adults.

PubMed

Hantke, Nathan; Nielson, Kristy A; Woodard, John L; Breting, Leslie M Guidotti; Butts, Alissa; Seidenberg, Michael; Carson Smith, J; Durgerian, Sally; Lancaster, Melissa; Matthews, Monica; Sugarman, Michael A; Rao, Stephen M

2013-01-01

Previous studies suggest that task-activated functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can predict future cognitive decline among healthy older adults. The present fMRI study examined the relative sensitivity of semantic memory (SM) versus episodic memory (EM) activation tasks for predicting cognitive decline. Seventy-eight cognitively intact elders underwent neuropsychological testing at entry and after an 18-month interval, with participants classified as cognitively "Stable" or "Declining" based on ≥ 1.0 SD decline in performance. Baseline fMRI scanning involved SM (famous name discrimination) and EM (name recognition) tasks. SM and EM fMRI activation, along with Apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 status, served as predictors of cognitive outcome using a logistic regression analysis. Twenty-seven (34.6%) participants were classified as Declining and 51 (65.4%) as Stable. APOE ε4 status alone significantly predicted cognitive decline (R(2) = .106; C index = .642). Addition of SM activation significantly improved prediction accuracy (R(2) = .285; C index = .787), whereas the addition of EM did not (R(2) = .212; C index = .711). In combination with APOE status, SM task activation predicts future cognitive decline better than EM activation. These results have implications for use of fMRI in prevention clinical trials involving the identification of persons at-risk for age-associated memory loss and Alzheimer's disease.

Determination of hemispheric language dominance in the surgical epilepsy patient: diagnostic properties of functional magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Spritzer, Scott D; Hoerth, Matthew T; Zimmerman, Richard S; Shmookler, Aaron; Hoffman-Snyder, Charlene R; Wellik, Kay E; Demaerschalk, Bart M; Wingerchuk, Dean M

2012-09-01

Presurgical evaluation for refractory epilepsy typically includes assessment of cognitive and language functions. The reference standard for determination of hemispheric language dominance has been the intracarotid amobarbital test (IAT) but functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is increasingly used. To critically assess current evidence regarding the diagnostic properties of fMRI in comparison with the IAT for determination of hemispheric language dominance. The objective was addressed through the development of a structured critically appraised topic. This included a clinical scenario, structured question, literature search strategy, critical appraisal, results, evidence summary, commentary, and bottom-line conclusions. Participants included consultant and resident neurologists, a medical librarian, clinical epidemiologists, and content experts in the fields of epilepsy and neurosurgery. A systematic review and meta-analysis that compared the sensitivity and specificity of fMRI to IAT-determined language lateralization was selected for critical appraisal. The review included data from 23 articles (n=442); study methodology varied widely. fMRI was 83.5% sensitive and 88.1% specific for detection of hemispheric language dominance. There are insufficient data to support routine use of fMRI for the purpose of determining hemispheric language dominance in patients with intractable epilepsy. Larger, well-designed studies of fMRI for language and other cognitive outcomes as part of the presurgical and postsurgical evaluation of epilepsy patients are necessary.

Sparse representation of whole-brain fMRI signals for identification of functional networks.

PubMed

Lv, Jinglei; Jiang, Xi; Li, Xiang; Zhu, Dajiang; Chen, Hanbo; Zhang, Tuo; Zhang, Shu; Hu, Xintao; Han, Junwei; Huang, Heng; Zhang, Jing; Guo, Lei; Liu, Tianming

2015-02-01

There have been several recent studies that used sparse representation for fMRI signal analysis and activation detection based on the assumption that each voxel's fMRI signal is linearly composed of sparse components. Previous studies have employed sparse coding to model functional networks in various modalities and scales. These prior contributions inspired the exploration of whether/how sparse representation can be used to identify functional networks in a voxel-wise way and on the whole brain scale. This paper presents a novel, alternative methodology of identifying multiple functional networks via sparse representation of whole-brain task-based fMRI signals. Our basic idea is that all fMRI signals within the whole brain of one subject are aggregated into a big data matrix, which is then factorized into an over-complete dictionary basis matrix and a reference weight matrix via an effective online dictionary learning algorithm. Our extensive experimental results have shown that this novel methodology can uncover multiple functional networks that can be well characterized and interpreted in spatial, temporal and frequency domains based on current brain science knowledge. Importantly, these well-characterized functional network components are quite reproducible in different brains. In general, our methods offer a novel, effective and unified solution to multiple fMRI data analysis tasks including activation detection, de-activation detection, and functional network identification. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Language Lateralization in Children Aged 10 to 11 Years: A Combined fMRI and Dichotic Listening Study

PubMed Central

Norrelgen, Fritjof; Lilja, Anders; Ingvar, Martin; Gisselgård, Jens; Fransson, Peter

2012-01-01

Objective The aims of this study were to develop and assess a method to map language networks in children with two auditory fMRI protocols in combination with a dichotic listening task (DL). The method is intended for pediatric patients prior to epilepsy surgery. To evaluate the potential clinical usefulness of the method we first wanted to assess data from a group of healthy children. Methods In a first step language test materials were developed, intended for subsequent implementation in fMRI protocols. An evaluation of this material was done in 30 children with typical development, 10 from the 1st, 4th and the 7th grade, respectively. The language test material was then adapted and implemented in two fMRI protocols intended to target frontal and posterior language networks. In a second step language lateralization was assessed in 17 typical 10–11 year olds with fMRI and DL. To reach a conclusion about language lateralization, firstly, quantitative analyses of the index data from the two fMRI tasks and the index data from the DL task were done separately. In a second step a set of criteria were applied to these results to reach a conclusion about language lateralization. The steps of these analyses are described in detail. Results The behavioral assessment of the language test material showed that it was well suited for typical children. The results of the language lateralization assessments, based on fMRI data and DL data, showed that for 15 of the 17 subjects (88%) a conclusion could be reached about hemispheric language dominance. In 2 cases (12%) DL provided critical data. Conclusions The employment of DL combined with language mapping using fMRI for assessing hemispheric language dominance is novel and it was deemed valuable since it provided additional information compared to the results gained from each method individually. PMID:23284796

Reliability of Task-Based fMRI for Preoperative Planning: A Test-Retest Study in Brain Tumor Patients and Healthy Controls

PubMed Central

Morrison, Melanie A.; Churchill, Nathan W.; Cusimano, Michael D.; Schweizer, Tom A.; Das, Sunit; Graham, Simon J.

2016-01-01

Background Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) continues to develop as a clinical tool for patients with brain cancer, offering data that may directly influence surgical decisions. Unfortunately, routine integration of preoperative fMRI has been limited by concerns about reliability. Many pertinent studies have been undertaken involving healthy controls, but work involving brain tumor patients has been limited. To develop fMRI fully as a clinical tool, it will be critical to examine these reliability issues among patients with brain tumors. The present work is the first to extensively characterize differences in activation map quality between brain tumor patients and healthy controls, including the effects of tumor grade and the chosen behavioral testing paradigm on reliability outcomes. Method Test-retest data were collected for a group of low-grade (n = 6) and high-grade glioma (n = 6) patients, and for matched healthy controls (n = 12), who performed motor and language tasks during a single fMRI session. Reliability was characterized by the spatial overlap and displacement of brain activity clusters, BOLD signal stability, and the laterality index. Significance testing was performed to assess differences in reliability between the patients and controls, and low-grade and high-grade patients; as well as between different fMRI testing paradigms. Results There were few significant differences in fMRI reliability measures between patients and controls. Reliability was significantly lower when comparing high-grade tumor patients to controls, or to low-grade tumor patients. The motor task produced more reliable activation patterns than the language tasks, as did the rhyming task in comparison to the phonemic fluency task. Conclusion In low-grade glioma patients, fMRI data are as reliable as healthy control subjects. For high-grade glioma patients, further investigation is required to determine the underlying causes of reduced reliability. To maximize reliability outcomes, testing paradigms should be carefully selected to generate robust activation patterns. PMID:26894279

Arcuate fasciculus laterality by diffusion tensor imaging correlates with language laterality by functional MRI in preadolescent children.

PubMed

Sreedharan, Ruma Madhu; Menon, Amitha C; James, Jija S; Kesavadas, Chandrasekharan; Thomas, Sanjeev V

2015-03-01

Language lateralization is unique to humans. Functional MRI (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) enable the study of language areas and white matter fibers involved in language, respectively. The objective of this study was to correlate arcuate fasciculus (AF) laterality by diffusion tensor imaging with that by fMRI in preadolescent children which has not yet been reported. Ten children between 8 and 12 years were subjected to fMRI and DTI imaging using Siemens 1.5 T MRI. Two language fMRI paradigms--visual verb generation and word pair task--were used. Analysis was done using SPM8 software. In DTI, the fiber volume of the arcuate fasciculus (AFV) and fractional anisotropy (FA) was measured. The fMRI Laterality Index (fMRI-LI) and DTI Laterality Index (DTI-LI) were calculated and their correlation assessed using the Pearson Correlation Index. Of ten children, mean age 10.6 years, eight showed left lateralization while bilateral language lateralization was seen in two. AFV by DTI was more on the left side in seven of the eight children who had left lateralization by fMRI. DTI could not trace the AF in one child. Of the two with bilateral language lateralization on fMRI, one showed larger AFV on the right side while the other did not show any asymmetry. There was a significant correlation (p < 0.02) between fMRI-LI and DTI-LI. Group mean of AFV by DTI was higher on the left side (2659.89 ± 654.75 mm(3)) as compared to the right (1824.11 ± 582.81 mm(3)) (p < 0.01). Like fMRI, DTI also reveals language laterality in children with a high degree of correlation between the two imaging modalities.

As Working Memory Grows: A Developmental Account of Neural Bases of Working Memory Capacity in 5- to 8-Year Old Children and Adults.

PubMed

Kharitonova, Maria; Winter, Warren; Sheridan, Margaret A

2015-09-01

Working memory develops slowly: Even by age 8, children are able to maintain only half the number of items that adults can remember. Neural substrates that support performance on working memory tasks also have a slow developmental trajectory and typically activate to a lesser extent in children, relative to adults. Little is known about why younger participants elicit less neural activation. This may be due to maturational differences, differences in behavioral performance, or both. Here we investigate the neural correlates of working memory capacity in children (ages 5-8) and adults using a visual working memory task with parametrically increasing loads (from one to four items) using fMRI. This task allowed us to estimate working memory capacity limit for each group. We found that both age groups increased the activation of frontoparietal networks with increasing working memory loads, until working memory capacity was reached. Because children's working memory capacity limit was half of that for adults, the plateau occurred at lower loads for children. Had a parametric increase in load not been used, this would have given an impression of less activation overall and less load-dependent activation for children relative to adults. Our findings suggest that young children and adults recruit similar frontoparietal networks at working memory loads that do not exceed capacity and highlight the need to consider behavioral performance differences when interpreting developmental differences in neural activation.

Neurodevelopmental changes of reading the mind in the eyes

PubMed Central

Op de Macks, Zdeňa A.; Güroğlu, Berna; Rombouts, Serge A. R. B.; Van der Molen, Maurits W.; Crone, Eveline A.

2012-01-01

The eyes provide important information for decoding the mental states of others. In this fMRI study we examined how reading the mind in the eyes develops across adolescence and we tested the developmental trajectories of brain regions involved in this basic perceptual mind-reading ability. Participants from three age groups (early adolescents, mid adolescents and young adults) participated in the study and performed an adapted version of the ‘Reading the Mind in the Eyes task’, in which photographs of the eye region of faces were presented. Behavioral results show that the ability to decode the feelings and thoughts of others from the eyes develops before early adolescence. For all ages, brain activity was found in the posterior superior temporal sulcus during reading the mind in the eyes relative to a control condition requiring age and gender judgments using the same eyes stimuli. Only early adolescents showed additional involvement of the medial prefrontal cortex, the inferior frontal gyrus and the temporal pole. The results are discussed in the light of recent findings on the development of the social brain network. PMID:21515640

Working Memory in 8 Kleine-Levin Syndrome Patients: An fMRI Study

PubMed Central

Engstrom, Maria; Vigren, Patrick; Karlsson, Thomas; Landtblom, Anne-Marie

2009-01-01

Study Objectives: The objectives of this study were to investigate possible neuropathology behind the Kleine-Levin Syndrome (KLS), a severe form of hypersomnia with onset during adolescence. Design: Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) applying a verbal working memory task was used in conjunction with a paper-and-pencil version of the task. Participants: Eight patients with KLS and 12 healthy volunteers participated in the study. Results: The results revealed a pattern of increased thalamic activity and reduced frontal activity (involving the anterior cingulate and adjacent prefrontal cortex) while performing a reading span task. Discussion: This finding may explain the clinical symptoms observed in KLS, in that the thalamus is known to be involved in the control of sleep. Given the increasing access to fMRI, this investigation may aid clinicians in the diagnosis of patients suffering from severe forms of hypersomnia. Citation: Engström M; Vigren P; Karlsson T; Landtblom AM. Working memory in 8 kleine-levin syndrome patients: an fmri study. SLEEP 2009;32(5):681–688. PMID:19480235

Who gets afraid in the MRI-scanner? Neurogenetics of state-anxiety changes during an fMRI experiment.

PubMed

Mutschler, Isabella; Wieckhorst, Birgit; Meyer, Andrea H; Schweizer, Tina; Klarhöfer, Markus; Wilhelm, Frank H; Seifritz, Erich; Ball, Tonio

2014-11-07

Experiments using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) play a fundamental role in affective neuroscience. When placed in an MR scanner, some volunteers feel safe and relaxed in this situation, while others experience uneasiness and fear. Little is known about the basis and consequences of such inter-individually different responses to the general experimental fMRI setting. In this study emotional stimuli were presented during fMRI and subjects' state-anxiety was assessed at the onset and end of the experiment while they were within the scanner. We show that Val/Val but neither Met/Met nor Val/Met carriers of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val(158)Met polymorphism-a prime candidate for anxiety vulnerability-became significantly more anxious during the fMRI experiment (N=97 females: 24 Val/Val, 51 Val/Met, and 22 Met/Met). Met carriers demonstrated brain responses with increased stability over time in the right parietal cortex and significantly better cognitive performances likely mediated by lower levels of anxiety. Val/Val, Val/Met and Met/Met did not significantly differ in state-anxiety at the beginning of the experiment. The exposure of a control group (N=56 females) to the same experiment outside the scanner did not cause a significant increase in state-anxiety, suggesting that the increase we observe in the fMRI experiment may be specific to the fMRI setting. Our findings reveal that genetics may play an important role in shaping inter-individual different emotional, cognitive and neuronal responses during fMRI experiments. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling fMRI signals can provide insights into neural processing in the cerebral cortex

PubMed Central

Sharifian, Fariba; Heikkinen, Hanna; Vigário, Ricardo

2015-01-01

Every stimulus or task activates multiple areas in the mammalian cortex. These distributed activations can be measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which has the best spatial resolution among the noninvasive brain imaging methods. Unfortunately, the relationship between the fMRI activations and distributed cortical processing has remained unclear, both because the coupling between neural and fMRI activations has remained poorly understood and because fMRI voxels are too large to directly sense the local neural events. To get an idea of the local processing given the macroscopic data, we need models to simulate the neural activity and to provide output that can be compared with fMRI data. Such models can describe neural mechanisms as mathematical functions between input and output in a specific system, with little correspondence to physiological mechanisms. Alternatively, models can be biomimetic, including biological details with straightforward correspondence to experimental data. After careful balancing between complexity, computational efficiency, and realism, a biomimetic simulation should be able to provide insight into how biological structures or functions contribute to actual data processing as well as to promote theory-driven neuroscience experiments. This review analyzes the requirements for validating system-level computational models with fMRI. In particular, we study mesoscopic biomimetic models, which include a limited set of details from real-life networks and enable system-level simulations of neural mass action. In addition, we discuss how recent developments in neurophysiology and biophysics may significantly advance the modelling of fMRI signals. PMID:25972586

Modeling fMRI signals can provide insights into neural processing in the cerebral cortex.

PubMed

Vanni, Simo; Sharifian, Fariba; Heikkinen, Hanna; Vigário, Ricardo

2015-08-01

Every stimulus or task activates multiple areas in the mammalian cortex. These distributed activations can be measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which has the best spatial resolution among the noninvasive brain imaging methods. Unfortunately, the relationship between the fMRI activations and distributed cortical processing has remained unclear, both because the coupling between neural and fMRI activations has remained poorly understood and because fMRI voxels are too large to directly sense the local neural events. To get an idea of the local processing given the macroscopic data, we need models to simulate the neural activity and to provide output that can be compared with fMRI data. Such models can describe neural mechanisms as mathematical functions between input and output in a specific system, with little correspondence to physiological mechanisms. Alternatively, models can be biomimetic, including biological details with straightforward correspondence to experimental data. After careful balancing between complexity, computational efficiency, and realism, a biomimetic simulation should be able to provide insight into how biological structures or functions contribute to actual data processing as well as to promote theory-driven neuroscience experiments. This review analyzes the requirements for validating system-level computational models with fMRI. In particular, we study mesoscopic biomimetic models, which include a limited set of details from real-life networks and enable system-level simulations of neural mass action. In addition, we discuss how recent developments in neurophysiology and biophysics may significantly advance the modelling of fMRI signals. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

Studying the neural bases of prism adaptation using fMRI: A technical and design challenge.

PubMed

Bultitude, Janet H; Farnè, Alessandro; Salemme, Romeo; Ibarrola, Danielle; Urquizar, Christian; O'Shea, Jacinta; Luauté, Jacques

2017-12-01

Prism adaptation induces rapid recalibration of visuomotor coordination. The neural mechanisms of prism adaptation have come under scrutiny since the observations that the technique can alleviate hemispatial neglect following stroke, and can alter spatial cognition in healthy controls. Relative to non-imaging behavioral studies, fMRI investigations of prism adaptation face several challenges arising from the confined physical environment of the scanner and the supine position of the participants. Any researcher who wishes to administer prism adaptation in an fMRI environment must adjust their procedures enough to enable the experiment to be performed, but not so much that the behavioral task departs too much from true prism adaptation. Furthermore, the specific temporal dynamics of behavioral components of prism adaptation present additional challenges for measuring their neural correlates. We developed a system for measuring the key features of prism adaptation behavior within an fMRI environment. To validate our configuration, we present behavioral (pointing) and head movement data from 11 right-hemisphere lesioned patients and 17 older controls who underwent sham and real prism adaptation in an MRI scanner. Most participants could adapt to prismatic displacement with minimal head movements, and the procedure was well tolerated. We propose recommendations for fMRI studies of prism adaptation based on the design-specific constraints and our results.

Resting states are resting traits--an FMRI study of sex differences and menstrual cycle effects in resting state cognitive control networks.

PubMed

Hjelmervik, Helene; Hausmann, Markus; Osnes, Berge; Westerhausen, René; Specht, Karsten

2014-01-01

To what degree resting state fMRI is stable or susceptible to internal mind states of the individual is currently an issue of debate. To address this issue, the present study focuses on sex differences and investigates whether resting state fMRI is stable in men and women or changes within relative short-term periods (i.e., across the menstrual cycle). Due to the fact that we recently reported menstrual cycle effects on cognitive control based on data collected during the same sessions, the current study is particularly interested in fronto-parietal resting state networks. Resting state fMRI was measured in sixteen women during three different cycle phases (menstrual, follicular, and luteal). Fifteen men underwent three sessions in corresponding time intervals. We used independent component analysis to identify four fronto-parietal networks. The results showed sex differences in two of these networks with women exhibiting higher functional connectivity in general, including the prefrontal cortex. Menstrual cycle effects on resting states were non-existent. It is concluded that sex differences in resting state fMRI might reflect sexual dimorphisms in the brain rather than transitory activating effects of sex hormones on the functional connectivity in the resting brain.

Resting States Are Resting Traits – An fMRI Study of Sex Differences and Menstrual Cycle Effects in Resting State Cognitive Control Networks

PubMed Central

Hjelmervik, Helene; Hausmann, Markus; Osnes, Berge; Westerhausen, René; Specht, Karsten

2014-01-01

To what degree resting state fMRI is stable or susceptible to internal mind states of the individual is currently an issue of debate. To address this issue, the present study focuses on sex differences and investigates whether resting state fMRI is stable in men and women or changes within relative short-term periods (i.e., across the menstrual cycle). Due to the fact that we recently reported menstrual cycle effects on cognitive control based on data collected during the same sessions, the current study is particularly interested in fronto-parietal resting state networks. Resting state fMRI was measured in sixteen women during three different cycle phases (menstrual, follicular, and luteal). Fifteen men underwent three sessions in corresponding time intervals. We used independent component analysis to identify four fronto-parietal networks. The results showed sex differences in two of these networks with women exhibiting higher functional connectivity in general, including the prefrontal cortex. Menstrual cycle effects on resting states were non-existent. It is concluded that sex differences in resting state fMRI might reflect sexual dimorphisms in the brain rather than transitory activating effects of sex hormones on the functional connectivity in the resting brain. PMID:25057823

Early functional MRI activation predicts motor outcome after ischemic stroke: a longitudinal, multimodal study.

PubMed

Du, Juan; Yang, Fang; Zhang, Zhiqiang; Hu, Jingze; Xu, Qiang; Hu, Jianping; Zeng, Fanyong; Lu, Guangming; Liu, Xinfeng

2018-05-15

An accurate prediction of long term outcome after stroke is urgently required to provide early individualized neurorehabilitation. This study aimed to examine the added value of early neuroimaging measures and identify the best approaches for predicting motor outcome after stroke. This prospective study involved 34 first-ever ischemic stroke patients (time since stroke: 1-14 days) with upper limb impairment. All patients underwent baseline multimodal assessments that included clinical (age, motor impairment), neurophysiological (motor-evoked potentials, MEP) and neuroimaging (diffusion tensor imaging and motor task-based fMRI) measures, and also underwent reassessment 3 months after stroke. Bivariate analysis and multivariate linear regression models were used to predict the motor scores (Fugl-Meyer assessment, FMA) at 3 months post-stroke. With bivariate analysis, better motor outcome significantly correlated with (1) less initial motor impairment and disability, (2) less corticospinal tract injury, (3) the initial presence of MEPs, (4) stronger baseline motor fMRI activations. In multivariate analysis, incorporating neuroimaging data improved the predictive accuracy relative to only clinical and neurophysiological assessments. Baseline fMRI activation in SMA was an independent predictor of motor outcome after stroke. A multimodal model incorporating fMRI and clinical measures best predicted the motor outcome following stroke. fMRI measures obtained early after stroke provided independent prediction of long-term motor outcome.

Functional Neuroimaging of Spike-Wave Seizures

PubMed Central

Motelow, Joshua E.; Blumenfeld, Hal

2013-01-01

Generalized spike-wave seizures are typically brief events associated with dynamic changes in brain physiology, metabolism, and behavior. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) provides a relatively high spatio-temporal resolution method for imaging cortical-subcortical network activity during spike-wave seizures. Patients with spike-wave seizures often have episodes of staring and unresponsiveness which interfere with normal behavior. Results from human fMRI studies suggest that spike-wave seizures disrupt specific networks in the thalamus and fronto-parietal association cortex which are critical for normal attentive consciousness. However, the neuronal activity underlying imaging changes seen during fMRI is not well understood, particularly in abnormal conditions such as seizures. Animal models have begun to provide important fundamental insights into the neuronal basis for fMRI changes during spike-wave activity. Work from these models including both fMRI and direct neuronal recordings suggest that, like in humans, specific cortical-subcortical networks are involved in spike-wave, while other regions are spared. Regions showing fMRI increases demonstrate correlated increases in neuronal activity in animal models. The mechanisms of fMRI decreases in spike-wave will require further investigation. A better understanding of the specific brain regions involved in generating spike-wave seizures may help guide efforts to develop targeted therapies aimed at preventing or reversing abnormal excitability in these brain regions, ultimately leading to a cure for this disorder. PMID:18839093

Integrated Eye Tracking and Neural Monitoring for Enhanced Assessment of Mild TBI

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-01

and we anticipate the initiation of the neuroimaging portion of the study early in Year 3. The fMRI task has been completed and is in beta testing...neurocognitive test battery, and self-report measures of cognitive efficacy. We will also include functional magnetic resonance imagining ( fMRI ) and... fMRI and DTI will provide an objective basis for cross-validating the EEG and eye tracking system. Both the EEG and eye tracking data will be

A longitudinal model for functional connectivity networks using resting-state fMRI.

PubMed

Hart, Brian; Cribben, Ivor; Fiecas, Mark

2018-06-04

Many neuroimaging studies collect functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data in a longitudinal manner. However, the current fMRI literature lacks a general framework for analyzing functional connectivity (FC) networks in fMRI data obtained from a longitudinal study. In this work, we build a novel longitudinal FC model using a variance components approach. First, for all subjects' visits, we account for the autocorrelation inherent in the fMRI time series data using a non-parametric technique. Second, we use a generalized least squares approach to estimate 1) the within-subject variance component shared across the population, 2) the baseline FC strength, and 3) the FC's longitudinal trend. Our novel method for longitudinal FC networks seeks to account for the within-subject dependence across multiple visits, the variability due to the subjects being sampled from a population, and the autocorrelation present in fMRI time series data, while restricting the number of parameters in order to make the method computationally feasible and stable. We develop a permutation testing procedure to draw valid inference on group differences in the baseline FC network and change in FC over longitudinal time between a set of patients and a comparable set of controls. To examine performance, we run a series of simulations and apply the model to longitudinal fMRI data collected from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database. Overall, we found no difference in the global FC network between Alzheimer's disease patients and healthy controls, but did find differing local aging patterns in the FC between the left hippocampus and the posterior cingulate cortex. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using temporal ICA to selectively remove global noise while preserving global signal in functional MRI data.

PubMed

Glasser, Matthew F; Coalson, Timothy S; Bijsterbosch, Janine D; Harrison, Samuel J; Harms, Michael P; Anticevic, Alan; Van Essen, David C; Smith, Stephen M

2018-06-02

Temporal fluctuations in functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) have been profitably used to study brain activity and connectivity for over two decades. Unfortunately, fMRI data also contain structured temporal "noise" from a variety of sources, including subject motion, subject physiology, and the MRI equipment. Recently, methods have been developed to automatically and selectively remove spatially specific structured noise from fMRI data using spatial Independent Components Analysis (ICA) and machine learning classifiers. Spatial ICA is particularly effective at removing spatially specific structured noise from high temporal and spatial resolution fMRI data of the type acquired by the Human Connectome Project and similar studies. However, spatial ICA is mathematically, by design, unable to separate spatially widespread "global" structured noise from fMRI data (e.g., blood flow modulations from subject respiration). No methods currently exist to selectively and completely remove global structured noise while retaining the global signal from neural activity. This has left the field in a quandary-to do or not to do global signal regression-given that both choices have substantial downsides. Here we show that temporal ICA can selectively segregate and remove global structured noise while retaining global neural signal in both task-based and resting state fMRI data. We compare the results before and after temporal ICA cleanup to those from global signal regression and show that temporal ICA cleanup removes the global positive biases caused by global physiological noise without inducing the network-specific negative biases of global signal regression. We believe that temporal ICA cleanup provides a "best of both worlds" solution to the global signal and global noise dilemma and that temporal ICA itself unlocks interesting neurobiological insights from fMRI data. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prediction of individual clinical scores in patients with Parkinson's disease using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Hou, YanBing; Luo, ChunYan; Yang, Jing; Ou, RuWei; Song, Wei; Wei, QianQian; Cao, Bei; Zhao, Bi; Wu, Ying; Shang, Hui-Fang; Gong, QiYong

2016-07-15

Neuroimaging holds the promise that it may one day aid the clinical assessment. However, the vast majority of studies using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have reported average differences between Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and healthy controls, which do not permit inferences at the level of individuals. This study was to develop a model for the prediction of PD illness severity ratings from individual fMRI brain scan. The resting-state fMRI scans were obtained from 84 patients with PD and the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-III (UPDRS-III) scores were obtained before scanning. The RVR method was used to predict clinical scores (UPDRS-III) from fMRI scans. The application of RVR to whole-brain resting-state fMRI data allowed prediction of UPDRS-III scores with statistically significant accuracy (correlation=0.35, P-value=0.001; mean sum of squares=222.17, P-value=0.002). This prediction was informed strongly by negative weight areas including prefrontal lobe and medial occipital lobe, and positive weight areas including medial parietal lobe. It was suggested that fMRI scans contained sufficient information about neurobiological change in patients with PD to permit accurate prediction about illness severity, on an individual subject basis. Our results provided preliminary evidence, as proof-of-concept, to support that fMRI might be possible to be a clinically useful quantitative assessment aid in PD at individual level. This may enable clinicians to target those uncooperative patients and machines to replace human for a more efficient use of health care resources. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Presurgical functional magnetic resonance imaging in patients with brain tumors.

PubMed

Ravn, Søren; Holmberg, Mats; Sørensen, Preben; Frokjaer, Jens B; Carl, Jesper

2016-01-01

Clinical functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is still an upcoming diagnostic tool because it is time-consuming to perform the post-scan calculations and interpretations. A standardized and easily used method for the clinical assessment of fMRI scans could decrease the workload and make fMRI more attractive for clinical use. To evaluate a standardized clinical approach for distance measurement between benign brain tumors and eloquent cortex in terms of the ability to predict pre- and postoperative neurological deficits after intraoperative neuronavigation-assisted surgery. A retrospective study of 34 patients. The fMRI data were reanalyzed using a standardized distance measurement procedure combining data from both fMRI and three-dimensional T1 MRI scans. The pre- and postoperative neurological status of each patient was obtained from hospital records. Data analysis was performed using logistic regression analysis to determine whether the distance measured between the tumor margin and fMRI activity could serve as a predictor for neurological deficits. An odds ratio of 0.89 mm(-1) (P = 0.03) was found between the risk of preoperative neurological motor deficits and the tumor-fMRI distance. An odds ratio of 0.82 mm(-1) (P = 0.04) was found between the risk of additional postoperative neurological motor deficits and the tumor-fMRI distance. The tumor was radically removed in 10 cases; five patients experienced additional postoperative motor deficits (tumor-fMRI distance <18 mm) and five did not (tumor-fMRI distance >18 mm) (P = 0.008). This study indicates that the distance measured between the tumor margin and fMRI activation could serve as a valuable predictor of neurological motor deficits. © The Foundation Acta Radiologica 2014.

Performance of Blind Source Separation Algorithms for FMRI Analysis using a Group ICA Method

PubMed Central

Correa, Nicolle; Adali, Tülay; Calhoun, Vince D.

2007-01-01

Independent component analysis (ICA) is a popular blind source separation (BSS) technique that has proven to be promising for the analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. A number of ICA approaches have been used for fMRI data analysis, and even more ICA algorithms exist, however the impact of using different algorithms on the results is largely unexplored. In this paper, we study the performance of four major classes of algorithms for spatial ICA, namely information maximization, maximization of non-gaussianity, joint diagonalization of cross-cumulant matrices, and second-order correlation based methods when they are applied to fMRI data from subjects performing a visuo-motor task. We use a group ICA method to study the variability among different ICA algorithms and propose several analysis techniques to evaluate their performance. We compare how different ICA algorithms estimate activations in expected neuronal areas. The results demonstrate that the ICA algorithms using higher-order statistical information prove to be quite consistent for fMRI data analysis. Infomax, FastICA, and JADE all yield reliable results; each having their strengths in specific areas. EVD, an algorithm using second-order statistics, does not perform reliably for fMRI data. Additionally, for the iterative ICA algorithms, it is important to investigate the variability of the estimates from different runs. We test the consistency of the iterative algorithms, Infomax and FastICA, by running the algorithm a number of times with different initializations and note that they yield consistent results over these multiple runs. Our results greatly improve our confidence in the consistency of ICA for fMRI data analysis. PMID:17540281

Performance of blind source separation algorithms for fMRI analysis using a group ICA method.

PubMed

Correa, Nicolle; Adali, Tülay; Calhoun, Vince D

2007-06-01

Independent component analysis (ICA) is a popular blind source separation technique that has proven to be promising for the analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. A number of ICA approaches have been used for fMRI data analysis, and even more ICA algorithms exist; however, the impact of using different algorithms on the results is largely unexplored. In this paper, we study the performance of four major classes of algorithms for spatial ICA, namely, information maximization, maximization of non-Gaussianity, joint diagonalization of cross-cumulant matrices and second-order correlation-based methods, when they are applied to fMRI data from subjects performing a visuo-motor task. We use a group ICA method to study variability among different ICA algorithms, and we propose several analysis techniques to evaluate their performance. We compare how different ICA algorithms estimate activations in expected neuronal areas. The results demonstrate that the ICA algorithms using higher-order statistical information prove to be quite consistent for fMRI data analysis. Infomax, FastICA and joint approximate diagonalization of eigenmatrices (JADE) all yield reliable results, with each having its strengths in specific areas. Eigenvalue decomposition (EVD), an algorithm using second-order statistics, does not perform reliably for fMRI data. Additionally, for iterative ICA algorithms, it is important to investigate the variability of estimates from different runs. We test the consistency of the iterative algorithms Infomax and FastICA by running the algorithm a number of times with different initializations, and we note that they yield consistent results over these multiple runs. Our results greatly improve our confidence in the consistency of ICA for fMRI data analysis.

Magnetic susceptibility induced echo time shifts: Is there a bias in age-related fMRI studies?

PubMed Central

Ngo, Giang-Chau; Wong, Chelsea N.; Guo, Steve; Paine, Thomas; Kramer, Arthur F.; Sutton, Bradley P.

2016-01-01

Purpose To evaluate the potential for bias in functional MRI (fMRI) aging studies resulting from age-related differences in magnetic field distributions which can impact echo time and functional contrast. Materials and Methods Magnetic field maps were taken on 31 younger adults (age: 22 ± 2.9 years) and 46 older adults (age: 66 ± 4.5 years) on a 3 T scanner. Using the spatial gradients of the magnetic field map for each participant, an echo planar imaging (EPI) trajectory was simulated. The effective echo time, time at which the k-space trajectory is the closest to the center of k-space, was calculated. This was used to examine both within-subject and across-age-group differences in the effective echo time maps. The Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD) percent signal change resulting from those echo time shifts was also calculated to determine their impact on fMRI aging studies. Result For a single subject, the effective echo time varied as much as ± 5 ms across the brain. An unpaired t-test between the effective echo time across age group resulted in significant differences in several regions of the brain (p<0.01). The difference in echo time was only approximately 1 ms, however which is not expected to have an important impact on BOLD fMRI percent signal change (< 4%). Conclusion Susceptibility-induced magnetic field gradients induce local echo time shifts in gradient echo fMRI images, which can cause variable BOLD sensitivity across the brain. However, the age-related differences in BOLD signal are expected to be small for an fMRI study at 3 T. PMID:27299727

A new paradigm (Westphal-Paradigm) to study the neural correlates of panic disorder with agoraphobia.

PubMed

Wittmann, A; Schlagenhauf, F; John, T; Guhn, A; Rehbein, H; Siegmund, A; Stoy, M; Held, D; Schulz, I; Fehm, L; Fydrich, T; Heinz, A; Bruhn, H; Ströhle, A

2011-04-01

Agoraphobia (with and without panic disorder) is a highly prevalent and disabling anxiety disorder. Its neural complexity can be characterized by specific cues in fMRI studies. Therefore, we developed a fMRI paradigm with agoraphobia-specific stimuli. Pictures of potential agoraphobic situations were generated. Twenty-six patients, suffering from panic disorder and agoraphobia, and 22 healthy controls rated the pictures with respect to arousal, valence, and agoraphobia-related anxiety. The 96 pictures, which discriminated best between groups were chosen, split into two parallel sets and supplemented with matched neutral pictures from the International Affective Picture System. Reliability, criterion, and construct validity of the picture set were determined in a second sample (44 patients, 28 controls). The resulting event-related "Westphal-Paradigm" with cued and uncued pictures was tested in a fMRI pilot study with 16 patients. Internal consistency of the sets was very high; parallelism was given. Positive correlations of picture ratings with Mobility Inventory and Hamilton anxiety scores support construct validity. FMRI data revealed activations in areas associated with the fear circuit including amygdala, insula, and hippocampal areas. Psychometric properties of the Westphal-Paradigm meet necessary quality requirements for further scientific use. The paradigm reliably produces behavioral and fMRI patterns in response to agoraphobia-specific stimuli. To our knowledge, it is the first fMRI paradigm with these properties. This paradigm can be used to further characterize the functional neuroanatomy of panic disorder and agoraphobia and might be useful to contribute data to the differentiation of panic disorder and agoraphobia as related, but conceptually different clinical disorders.

Re-Evaluating Dissociations between Implicit and Explicit Category Learning: An Event-Related fMRI Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gureckis, Todd M.; James, Thomas W.; Nosofsky, Robert M.

2011-01-01

Recent fMRI studies have found that distinct neural systems may mediate perceptual category learning under implicit and explicit learning conditions. In these previous studies, however, different stimulus-encoding processes may have been associated with implicit versus explicit learning. The present design was aimed at decoupling the influence of…

Are Errors Differentiable from Deceptive Responses when Feigning Memory Impairment? An fMRI Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Tatia M. C.; Au, Ricky K. C.; Liu, Ho-Ling; Ting, K. H.; Huang, Chih-Mao; Chan, Chetwyn C. H.

2009-01-01

Previous neuroimaging studies have suggested that the neural activity associated with truthful recall, with false memory, and with feigned memory impairment are different from one another. Here, we report a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study that addressed an important but yet unanswered question: Is the neural activity associated…

When encoding yields remembering: insights from event-related neuroimaging.

PubMed Central

Wagner, A D; Koutstaal, W; Schacter, D L

1999-01-01

To understand human memory, it is important to determine why some experiences are remembered whereas others are forgotten. Until recently, insights into the neural bases of human memory encoding, the processes by which information is transformed into an enduring memory trace, have primarily been derived from neuropsychological studies of humans with select brain lesions. The advent of functional neuroimaging methods, such as positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), has provided a new opportunity to gain additional understanding of how the brain supports memory formation. Importantly, the recent development of event-related fMRI methods now allows for examination of trial-by-trial differences in neural activity during encoding and of the consequences of these differences for later remembering. In this review, we consider the contributions of PET and fMRI studies to the understanding of memory encoding, placing a particular emphasis on recent event-related fMRI studies of the Dm effect: that is, differences in neural activity during encoding that are related to differences in subsequent memory. We then turn our attention to the rich literature on the Dm effect that has emerged from studies using event-related potentials (ERPs). It is hoped that the integration of findings from ERP studies, which offer higher temporal resolution, with those from event-related fMRI studies, which offer higher spatial resolution, will shed new light on when and why encoding yields subsequent remembering. PMID:10466153

The development of the intrinsic functional connectivity of default network subsystems from age 3 to 5.

PubMed

Xiao, Yaqiong; Zhai, Hongchang; Friederici, Angela D; Jia, Fucang

2016-03-01

In recent years, research on human functional brain imaging using resting-state fMRI techniques has been increasingly prevalent. The term "default mode" was proposed to describe a baseline or default state of the brain during rest. Recent studies suggested that the default mode network (DMN) is comprised of two functionally distinct subsystems: a dorsal-medial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC) subsystem involved in self-oriented cognition (i.e., theory of mind) and a medial temporal lobe (MTL) subsystem engaged in memory and scene construction; both subsystems interact with the anterior medial prefrontal cortex (aMPFC) and posterior cingulate (PCC) as the core regions of DMN. The present study explored the development of DMN core regions and these two subsystems in both hemispheres from 3- to 5-year-old children. The analysis of the intrinsic activity showed strong developmental changes in both subsystems, and significant changes were specifically found in MTL subsystem, but not in DMPFC subsystem, implying distinct developmental trajectories for DMN subsystems. We found stronger interactions between the DMPFC and MTL subsystems in 5-year-olds, particularly in the left subsystems that support the development of environmental adaptation and relatively complex mental activities. These results also indicate that there is stronger right hemispheric lateralization at age 3, which then changes as bilateral development gradually increases through to age 5, suggesting in turn the hemispheric dominance in DMN subsystems changing with age. The present results provide primary evidence for the development of DMN subsystems in early life, which might be closely related to the development of social cognition in childhood.

Cerebral correlates of heart rate variations during a spontaneous panic attack in the fMRI scanner.

PubMed

Spiegelhalder, Kai; Hornyak, Magdolna; Kyle, Simon David; Paul, Dominik; Blechert, Jens; Seifritz, Erich; Hennig, Jürgen; Tebartz van Elst, Ludger; Riemann, Dieter; Feige, Bernd

2009-12-01

We report the first published case study of a suddenly occurring panic attack in a patient with no prior history of panic disorder during combined functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI, 1.5 Tesla) and electrocardiogram (ECG) recording. The single case was a 46-year-old woman who developed a panic attack near the planned end of the fMRI acquisition session, which therefore had to be aborted. Correlational analysis of heart rate fluctuations and fMRI data revealed a significant negative association in the left middle temporal gyrus. Additionally, regions-of-interest (ROI) analyses indicated significant positive associations in the left amygdala, and trends towards significance in the right amygdala and left insula.

Event-Related fMRI Studies of Episodic Encoding and Retrieval: Meta-Analyses Using Activation Likelihood Estimation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spaniol, Julia; Davidson, Patrick S. R.; Kim, Alice S. N.; Han, Hua; Moscovitch, Morris; Grady, Cheryl L.

2009-01-01

The recent surge in event-related fMRI studies of episodic memory has generated a wealth of information about the neural correlates of encoding and retrieval processes. However, interpretation of individual studies is hampered by methodological differences, and by the fact that sample sizes are typically small. We submitted results from studies of…

Living With Anxiety Disorders, Worried Sick | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

MedlinePlus

... behaviors. Using an imaging technique called functional MRI (fMRI), scientists are scanning the brain in action as ... Bishop of the University of California, Berkeley, uses fMRI to study people at high risk for anxiety ...

Implementations of clinical functional magnetic resonance imaging using character-based paradigms for the prediction of Chinese language dominance.

PubMed

Liu, Ho-Ling; Wu, Chien-Te; Chen, Jian-Chuan; Hsu, Yuan-Yu; Wai, Yau-Yau; Wan, Yung-Liang

2003-01-01

Recently, functional MRI (fMRI) using word generation (WG) tasks has been shown to be effective for mapping the Chinese language-related brain areas. In clinical applications, however, patients' performance cannot be easily monitored during WG tasks. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of a word choice (WC) paradigm in the clinical setting and compared the results with those from WG tasks. Intrasubject comparisons of fMRI with both WG and WC paradigms were performed on six normal human subjects and two tumor patients. Subject responses in the WC paradigm, based on semantic judgments, were recorded. Activation strength, extent, and laterality were evaluated and compared. Our results showed that fMRI with the WC paradigm evoked weaker neuronal activation than that with the WG paradigm in Chinese language-related brain areas. It was sufficient to reveal language laterality for clinical use, however. In addition, it resulted in less nonlanguage-specific brain activation. Results from the patient data demonstrated strong evidence for the necessity of incorporating response monitoring during fMRI studies, which suggested that fMRI with the WC paradigm is more appropriate to be implemented for the prediction of Chinese language dominance in clinical environments.

Causal mapping of emotion networks in the human brain: Framework and initial findings.

PubMed

Dubois, Julien; Oya, Hiroyuki; Tyszka, J Michael; Howard, Matthew; Eberhardt, Frederick; Adolphs, Ralph

2017-11-13

Emotions involve many cortical and subcortical regions, prominently including the amygdala. It remains unknown how these multiple network components interact, and it remains unknown how they cause the behavioral, autonomic, and experiential effects of emotions. Here we describe a framework for combining a novel technique, concurrent electrical stimulation with fMRI (es-fMRI), together with a novel analysis, inferring causal structure from fMRI data (causal discovery). We outline a research program for investigating human emotion with these new tools, and provide initial findings from two large resting-state datasets as well as case studies in neurosurgical patients with electrical stimulation of the amygdala. The overarching goal is to use causal discovery methods on fMRI data to infer causal graphical models of how brain regions interact, and then to further constrain these models with direct stimulation of specific brain regions and concurrent fMRI. We conclude by discussing limitations and future extensions. The approach could yield anatomical hypotheses about brain connectivity, motivate rational strategies for treating mood disorders with deep brain stimulation, and could be extended to animal studies that use combined optogenetic fMRI. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Safety and EEG data quality of concurrent high-density EEG and high-speed fMRI at 3 Tesla

PubMed Central

Foged, Mette Thrane; Lindberg, Ulrich; Vakamudi, Kishore; Larsson, Henrik B. W.; Pinborg, Lars H.; Kjær, Troels W.; Fabricius, Martin; Svarer, Claus; Ozenne, Brice; Thomsen, Carsten; Beniczky, Sándor; Posse, Stefan

2017-01-01

Purpose Concurrent EEG and fMRI is increasingly used to characterize the spatial-temporal dynamics of brain activity. However, most studies to date have been limited to conventional echo-planar imaging (EPI). There is considerable interest in integrating recently developed high-speed fMRI methods with high-density EEG to increase temporal resolution and sensitivity for task-based and resting state fMRI, and for detecting interictal spikes in epilepsy. In the present study using concurrent high-density EEG and recently developed high-speed fMRI methods, we investigate safety of radiofrequency (RF) related heating, the effect of EEG on cortical signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in fMRI, and assess EEG data quality. Materials and methods The study compared EPI, multi-echo EPI, multi-band EPI and multi-slab echo-volumar imaging pulse sequences, using clinical 3 Tesla MR scanners from two different vendors that were equipped with 64- and 256-channel MR-compatible EEG systems, respectively, and receive only array head coils. Data were collected in 11 healthy controls (3 males, age range 18–70 years) and 13 patients with epilepsy (8 males, age range 21–67 years). Three of the healthy controls were scanned with the 256-channel EEG system, the other subjects were scanned with the 64-channel EEG system. Scalp surface temperature, SNR in occipital cortex and head movement were measured with and without the EEG cap. The degree of artifacts and the ability to identify background activity was assessed by visual analysis by a trained expert in the 64 channel EEG data (7 healthy controls, 13 patients). Results RF induced heating at the surface of the EEG electrodes during a 30-minute scan period with stable temperature prior to scanning did not exceed 1.0° C with either EEG system and any of the pulse sequences used in this study. There was no significant decrease in cortical SNR due to the presence of the EEG cap (p > 0.05). No significant differences in the visually analyzed EEG data quality were found between EEG recorded during high-speed fMRI and during conventional EPI (p = 0.78). Residual ballistocardiographic artifacts resulted in 58% of EEG data being rated as poor quality. Conclusion This study demonstrates that high-density EEG can be safely implemented in conjunction with high-speed fMRI and that high-speed fMRI does not adversely affect EEG data quality. However, the deterioration of the EEG quality due to residual ballistocardiographic artifacts remains a significant constraint for routine clinical applications of concurrent EEG-fMRI. PMID:28552957

fMRI for mapping language networks in neurosurgical cases

PubMed Central

Gupta, Santosh S

2014-01-01

Evaluating language has been a long-standing application in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies, both in research and clinical circumstances, and still provides challenges. Localization of eloquent areas is important in neurosurgical cases, so that there is least possible damage to these areas during surgery, maintaining their function postoperatively, therefore providing good quality of life to the patient. Preoperative fMRI study is a non-invasive tool to localize the eloquent areas, including language, with other traditional methods generally used being invasive and at times perilous. In this article, we describe methods and various paradigms to study the language areas, in clinical neurosurgical cases, along with illustrations of cases from our institute. PMID:24851003

The influence of FMRI lie detection evidence on juror decision-making.

PubMed

McCabe, David P; Castel, Alan D; Rhodes, Matthew G

2011-01-01

In the current study, we report on an experiment examining whether functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) lie detection evidence would influence potential jurors' assessment of guilt in a criminal trial. Potential jurors (N = 330) read a vignette summarizing a trial, with some versions of the vignette including lie detection evidence indicating that the defendant was lying about having committed the crime. Lie detector evidence was based on evidence from the polygraph, fMRI (functional brain imaging), or thermal facial imaging. Results showed that fMRI lie detection evidence led to more guilty verdicts than lie detection evidence based on polygraph evidence, thermal facial imaging, or a control condition that did not include lie detection evidence. However, when the validity of the fMRI lie detection evidence was called into question on cross-examination, guilty verdicts were reduced to the level of the control condition. These results provide important information about the influence of lie detection evidence in legal settings. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

How challenges in auditory fMRI led to general advancements for the field.

PubMed

Talavage, Thomas M; Hall, Deborah A

2012-08-15

In the early years of fMRI research, the auditory neuroscience community sought to expand its knowledge of the underlying physiology of hearing, while also seeking to come to grips with the inherent acoustic disadvantages of working in the fMRI environment. Early collaborative efforts between prominent auditory research laboratories and prominent fMRI centers led to development of a number of key technical advances that have subsequently been widely used to elucidate principles of auditory neurophysiology. Perhaps the key imaging advance was the simultaneous and parallel development of strategies to use pulse sequences in which the volume acquisitions were "clustered," providing gaps in which stimuli could be presented without direct masking. Such sequences have become widespread in fMRI studies using auditory stimuli and also in a range of translational research domains. This review presents the parallel stories of the people and the auditory neurophysiology research that led to these sequences. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A hybrid method for classifying cognitive states from fMRI data.

PubMed

Parida, S; Dehuri, S; Cho, S-B; Cacha, L A; Poznanski, R R

2015-09-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) makes it possible to detect brain activities in order to elucidate cognitive-states. The complex nature of fMRI data requires under-standing of the analyses applied to produce possible avenues for developing models of cognitive state classification and improving brain activity prediction. While many models of classification task of fMRI data analysis have been developed, in this paper, we present a novel hybrid technique through combining the best attributes of genetic algorithms (GAs) and ensemble decision tree technique that consistently outperforms all other methods which are being used for cognitive-state classification. Specifically, this paper illustrates the combined effort of decision-trees ensemble and GAs for feature selection through an extensive simulation study and discusses the classification performance with respect to fMRI data. We have shown that our proposed method exhibits significant reduction of the number of features with clear edge classification accuracy over ensemble of decision-trees.

Variability comparison of simultaneous brain near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and functional MRI (fMRI) during visual stimulation

PubMed Central

Minati, Ludovico; Visani, Elisa; Dowell, Nick G; Medford, Nick; Critchley, Hugo D

2011-01-01

Brain near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is emerging as a potential alternative to functional MRI (fMRI). To date, no study has explicitly compared the two techniques in terms of measurement variability, a key parameter dictating attainable statistical power. Here, NIRS and fMRI were simultaneously recorded during event-related visual stimulation. Inter-subject coefficients of variation (CVs) for peak response amplitude were considerably larger for NIRS than fMRI, but inter-subject CVs for response latency and intra-subject CVs for response amplitude were overall comparable. Our results may represent an optimistic estimate of the CVs of NIRS measurements, as optode positioning was guided by structural MRI, which is normally unavailable. We conclude that fMRI may be preferable to NIRS for group comparisons, but NIRS is equally powerful when comparing conditions within participants. The discrepancy between inter- and intra-subject CVs is likely related to variability in head anatomy and tissue properties which may be better accounted for by emerging NIRS technology. PMID:21780948

Inner experience in the scanner: can high fidelity apprehensions of inner experience be integrated with fMRI?

PubMed Central

Kühn, Simone; Fernyhough, Charles; Alderson-Day, Benjamin; Hurlburt, Russell T.

2014-01-01

To provide full accounts of human experience and behavior, research in cognitive neuroscience must be linked to inner experience, but introspective reports of inner experience have often been found to be unreliable. The present case study aimed at providing proof of principle that introspection using one method, descriptive experience sampling (DES), can be reliably integrated with fMRI. A participant was trained in the DES method, followed by nine sessions of sampling within an MRI scanner. During moments where the DES interview revealed ongoing inner speaking, fMRI data reliably showed activation in classic speech processing areas including left inferior frontal gyrus. Further, the fMRI data validated the participant’s DES observations of the experiential distinction between inner speaking and innerly hearing her own voice. These results highlight the precision and validity of the DES method as a technique of exploring inner experience and the utility of combining such methods with fMRI. PMID:25538649

White versus gray matter: fMRI hemodynamic responses show similar characteristics, but differ in peak amplitude

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background There is growing evidence for the idea of fMRI activation in white matter. In the current study, we compared hemodynamic response functions (HRF) in white matter and gray matter using 4 T fMRI. White matter fMRI activation was elicited in the isthmus of the corpus callosum at both the group and individual levels (using an established interhemispheric transfer task). Callosal HRFs were compared to HRFs from cingulate and parietal activation. Results Examination of the raw HRF revealed similar overall response characteristics. Finite impulse response modeling confirmed that the WM HRF characteristics were comparable to those of the GM HRF, but had significantly decreased peak response amplitudes. Conclusions Overall, the results matched a priori expectations of smaller HRF responses in white matter due to the relative drop in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral blood volume (CBV). Importantly, the findings demonstrate that despite lower CBF and CBV, white matter fMRI activation remained within detectable ranges at 4 T. PMID:22852798

Attention and Semantic Processing during Speech: An fMRI Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rama, Pia; Relander-Syrjanen, Kristiina; Carlson, Synnove; Salonen, Oili; Kujala, Teija

2012-01-01

This fMRI study was conducted to investigate whether language semantics is processed even when attention is not explicitly directed to word meanings. In the "unattended" condition, the subjects performed a visual detection task while hearing semantically related and unrelated word pairs. In the "phoneme" condition, the subjects made phoneme…

Hemispheric lateralization of verbal and spatial working memory during adolescence

PubMed Central

Nagel, Bonnie J.; Herting, Megan M.; Maxwell, Emily C.; Bruno, Richard; Fair, Damien

2013-01-01

Adult functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) literature suggests that a left-right hemispheric dissociation may exist between verbal and spatial working memory (WM), respectively. However, investigation of this type has been obscured by incomparable verbal and spatial WM tasks and/or visual inspection at arbitrary thresholds as means to assess lateralization. Furthermore, it is unclear whether this hemispheric lateralization is present during adolescence, a time in which WM skills are improving, and whether there is a developmental association with laterality of brain functioning. This study used comparable verbal and spatial WM n-back tasks during fMRI and a bootstrap analysis approach to calculate lateralization indices (LI) across several thresholds to examine the potential of a left-right WM hemispheric dissociation in healthy adolescents. We found significant left hemispheric lateralization for verbal WM, most notably in the frontal and parietal lobes, as well as right hemisphere lateralization for spatial WM, seen in frontal and temporal cortices. Although no significant relationships were observed between LI and age or LI and performance, significant age-related patterns of brain activity were demonstrated during both verbal and spatial WM. Specifically, increased adolescent age was associated with less activity in the default mode brain network during verbal WM. In contrast, increased adolescent age was associated with greater activity in task-positive posterior parietal cortex during spatial working memory. Our findings highlight the importance of utilizing non-biased statistical methods and comparable tasks for determining patterns of functional lateralization. Our findings also suggest that, while a left-right hemispheric dissociation of verbal and spatial WM is apparent by early adolescence, age-related changes in functional activation during WM are also present. PMID:23511846

Lying about facial recognition: an fMRI study.

PubMed

Bhatt, S; Mbwana, J; Adeyemo, A; Sawyer, A; Hailu, A; Vanmeter, J

2009-03-01

Novel deception detection techniques have been in creation for centuries. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a neuroscience technology that non-invasively measures brain activity associated with behavior and cognition. A number of investigators have explored the utilization and efficiency of fMRI in deception detection. In this study, 18 subjects were instructed during an fMRI "line-up" task to either conceal (lie) or reveal (truth) the identities of individuals seen in study sets in order to determine the neural correlates of intentionally misidentifying previously known faces (lying about recognition). A repeated measures ANOVA (lie vs. truth and familiar vs. unfamiliar) and two paired t-tests (familiar vs. unfamiliar and familiar lie vs. familiar truth) revealed areas of activation associated with deception in the right MGF, red nucleus, IFG, SMG, SFG (with ACC), DLPFC, and bilateral precuneus. The areas activated in the present study may be involved in the suppression of truth, working and visuospatial memories, and imagery when providing misleading (deceptive) responses to facial identification prompts in the form of a "line-up".

Topiramate and its effect on fMRI of language in patients with right or left temporal lobe epilepsy.

PubMed

Szaflarski, Jerzy P; Allendorfer, Jane B

2012-05-01

Topiramate (TPM) is well recognized for its negative effects on cognition, language performance and lateralization results on the intracarotid amobarbital procedure (IAP). But, the effects of TPM on functional MRI (fMRI) of language and the fMRI signals are less clear. Functional MRI is increasingly used for presurgical evaluation of epilepsy patients in place of IAP for language lateralization. Thus, the goal of this study was to assess the effects of TPM on fMRI signals. In this study, we included 8 patients with right temporal lobe epilepsy (RTLE) and 8 with left temporal lobe epilepsy (LTLE) taking TPM (+TPM). Matched to them for age, handedness and side of seizure onset were 8 patients with RTLE and 8 with LTLE not taking TPM (-TPM). Matched for age and handedness to the patients with TLE were 32 healthy controls. The fMRI paradigm involved semantic decision/tone decision task (in-scanner behavioral data were collected). All epilepsy patients received a standard neuropsychological language battery. One sample t-tests were performed within each group to assess task-specific activations. Functional MRI data random-effects analysis was performed to determine significant group activation differences and to assess the effect of TPM dose on task activation. Direct group comparisons of fMRI, language and demographic data between patients with R/L TLE +TPM vs. -TPM and the analysis of the effects of TPM on blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signal were performed. Groups were matched for age, handedness and, within the R/L TLE groups, for the age of epilepsy onset/duration and the number of AEDs/TPM dose. The in-scanner language performance of patients was worse when compared to healthy controls - all p<0.044. While all groups showed fMRI activation typical for this task, regression analyses comparing L/R TLE +TPM vs. -TPM showed significant fMRI signal differences between groups (increases in left cingulate gyrus and decreases in left superior temporal gyrus in the patients with LTLE +TPM; increases in the right BA 10 and left visual cortex and decreases in the left BA 47 in +TPM RTLE). Further, TPM dose showed positive relationship with activation in the basal ganglia and negative associations with activation in anterior cingulate and posterior visual cortex. Thus, TPM appears to have a different effect on fMRI language distribution in patients with R/L TLE and a dose-dependent effect on fMRI signals. These findings may, in part, explain the negative effects of TPM on cognition and language performance and support the notion that TPM may affect the results of language fMRI lateralization/localization. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Studying brain organization via spontaneous fMRI signal

PubMed Central

Power, Jonathan D; Schlaggar, Bradley L; Petersen, Steven E

2014-01-01

In recent years, some substantial advances in understanding human (and non-human) brain organization have emerged from a relatively unusual approach: the observation of spontaneous activity, and correlated patterns in spontaneous activity, in the “resting” brain. Most commonly, spontaneous neural activity is measured indirectly via fMRI signal in subjects who are lying quietly in the scanner, the so-called “resting state”. This Primer introduces the fMRI-based study of spontaneous brain activity, some of the methodological issues active in the field, and some ways in which resting state fMRI has been used to delineate aspects of area-level and supra-areal brain organization. PMID:25459408

Comparing diffuse optical tomography and functional magnetic resonance imaging signals during a cognitive task: pilot study

PubMed Central

Hernández-Martin, Estefania; Marcano, Francisco; Casanova, Oscar; Modroño, Cristian; Plata-Bello, Julio; González-Mora, Jose Luis

2017-01-01

Abstract. Diffuse optical tomography (DOT) measures concentration changes in both oxy- and deoxyhemoglobin providing three-dimensional images of local brain activations. A pilot study, which compares both DOT and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) volumes through t-maps given by canonical statistical parametric mapping (SPM) processing for both data modalities, is presented. The DOT series were processed using a method that is based on a Bayesian filter application on raw DOT data to remove physiological changes and minimum description length application index to select a number of singular values, which reduce the data dimensionality during image reconstruction and adaptation of DOT volume series to normalized standard space. Therefore, statistical analysis is performed with canonical SPM software in the same way as fMRI analysis is done, accepting DOT volumes as if they were fMRI volumes. The results show the reproducibility and ruggedness of the method to process DOT series on group analysis using cognitive paradigms on the prefrontal cortex. Difficulties such as the fact that scalp–brain distances vary between subjects or cerebral activations are difficult to reproduce due to strategies used by the subjects to solve arithmetic problems are considered. T-images given by fMRI and DOT volume series analyzed in SPM show that at the functional level, both DOT and fMRI measures detect the same areas, although DOT provides complementary information to fMRI signals about cerebral activity. PMID:28386575

Spatiotemporal characteristics and vascular sources of neural-specific and -nonspecific fMRI signals at submillimeter columnar resolution

PubMed Central

Moon, Chan Hong; Fukuda, Mitsuhiro; Kim, Seong-Gi

2012-01-01

The neural specificity of hemodynamic-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signals are dependent on both the vascular regulation and the sensitivity of the applied fMRI technique to different types and sizes of blood vessels. In order to examine the specificity of MRI-detectable hemodynamic responses, submillimeter blood oxygenation-level dependent (BOLD) and cerebral blood volume (CBV) fMRI studies were performed in a well-established cat orientation column model at 9.4 Tesla. Neural-nonspecific and -specific signals were separated by comparing the fMRI responses of orthogonal orientation stimuli. The BOLD response was dominantly neural-nonspecific, mostly originating from pial and intracortical emerging veins, and thus was highly correlated with baseline blood volume. Uneven baseline CBV may displace or distort small functional domains in high-resolution BOLD maps. The CBV response in the parenchyma exhibited dual spatiotemporal characteristics, a fast and early neural-nonspecific response (with 4.3-s time constant) and a slightly slower and delayed neural-specific response (with 9.4-s time constant). The nonspecific CBV signal originates from early-responding arteries and arterioles, while the specific CBV response, which is not correlated with baseline blood volume, arises from late-responding microvessels including small pre-capillary arterioles and capillaries. Our data indicate that although the neural specificity of CBV fMRI signals is dependent on stimulation duration, high-resolution functional maps can be obtained from steady-state CBV studies. PMID:22960251

Electrodermal Recording and fMRI to Inform Sensorimotor Recovery in Stroke Patients

PubMed Central

MacIntosh, Bradley J.; McIlroy, William E.; Mraz, Richard; Staines, W. Richard; Black, Sandra E.; Graham, Simon J.

2016-01-01

Background Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) appears to be useful for investigating motor recovery after stroke. Some of the potential confounders of brain activation studies, however, could be mitigated through complementary physiological monitoring. Objective To investigate a sensorimotor fMRI battery that included simultaneous measurement of electrodermal activity in subjects with hemiparetic stroke to provide a measure related to the sense of effort during motor performance. Methods Bilateral hand and ankle tasks were performed by 6 patients with stroke (2 subacute, 4 chronic) during imaging with blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) fMRI using an event-related design. BOLD percent changes, peak activation, and laterality index values were calculated in the sensorimotor cortex. Electrodermal recordings were made concurrently and used as a regressor. Results Sensorimotor BOLD time series and percent change values provided evidence of an intact motor network in each of these well-recovered patients. During tasks involving the hemiparetic limb, electrodermal activity changes were variable in amplitude, and electrodermal activity time-series data showed significant correlations with fMRI in 3 of 6 patients. No such correlations were observed for control tasks involving the unaffected lower limb. Conclusions Electrodermal activity activation maps implicated the contralesional over the ipsilesional hemisphere, supporting the notion that stroke patients may require higher order motor processing to perform simple tasks. Electrodermal activity recordings may be useful as a physiological marker of differences in effort required during movements of a subject’s hemiparetic compared with the unaffected limb during fMRI studies. PMID:18784267

Brain atrophy can introduce age-related differences in BOLD response.

PubMed

Liu, Xueqing; Gerraty, Raphael T; Grinband, Jack; Parker, David; Razlighi, Qolamreza R

2017-04-11

Use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in studies of aging is often hampered by uncertainty about age-related differences in the amplitude and timing of the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) response (i.e., hemodynamic impulse response function (HRF)). Such uncertainty introduces a significant challenge in the interpretation of the fMRI results. Even though this issue has been extensively investigated in the field of neuroimaging, there is currently no consensus about the existence and potential sources of age-related hemodynamic alterations. Using an event-related fMRI experiment with two robust and well-studied stimuli (visual and auditory), we detected a significant age-related difference in the amplitude of response to auditory stimulus. Accounting for brain atrophy by circumventing spatial normalization and processing the data in subjects' native space eliminated these observed differences. In addition, we simulated fMRI data using age differences in brain morphology while controlling HRF shape. Analyzing these simulated fMRI data using standard image processing resulted in differences in HRF amplitude, which were eliminated when the data were analyzed in subjects' native space. Our results indicate that age-related atrophy introduces inaccuracy in co-registration to standard space, which subsequently appears as attenuation in BOLD response amplitude. Our finding could explain some of the existing contradictory reports regarding age-related differences in the fMRI BOLD responses. Hum Brain Mapp, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Tensorial extensions of independent component analysis for multisubject FMRI analysis.

PubMed

Beckmann, C F; Smith, S M

2005-03-01

We discuss model-free analysis of multisubject or multisession FMRI data by extending the single-session probabilistic independent component analysis model (PICA; Beckmann and Smith, 2004. IEEE Trans. on Medical Imaging, 23 (2) 137-152) to higher dimensions. This results in a three-way decomposition that represents the different signals and artefacts present in the data in terms of their temporal, spatial, and subject-dependent variations. The technique is derived from and compared with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC; Harshman and Lundy, 1984. In Research methods for multimode data analysis, chapter 5, pages 122-215. Praeger, New York). Using simulated data as well as data from multisession and multisubject FMRI studies we demonstrate that the tensor PICA approach is able to efficiently and accurately extract signals of interest in the spatial, temporal, and subject/session domain. The final decompositions improve upon PARAFAC results in terms of greater accuracy, reduced interference between the different estimated sources (reduced cross-talk), robustness (against deviations of the data from modeling assumptions and against overfitting), and computational speed. On real FMRI 'activation' data, the tensor PICA approach is able to extract plausible activation maps, time courses, and session/subject modes as well as provide a rich description of additional processes of interest such as image artefacts or secondary activation patterns. The resulting data decomposition gives simple and useful representations of multisubject/multisession FMRI data that can aid the interpretation and optimization of group FMRI studies beyond what can be achieved using model-based analysis techniques.

Incidental Retrieval of Emotional Contexts in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Depression: An fMRI Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whalley, Matthew G.; Rugg, Michael D.; Smith, Adam P. R.; Dolan, Raymond J.; Brewin, Chris R.

2009-01-01

In the present study, we used fMRI to assess patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression, and trauma-exposed controls, during an episodic memory retrieval task that included non-trauma-related emotional information. In the study phase of the task neutral pictures were presented in emotional or neutral contexts.…

A Hierarchical Modeling Approach to Data Analysis and Study Design in a Multi-Site Experimental fMRI Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhou, Bo; Konstorum, Anna; Duong, Thao; Tieu, Kinh H.; Wells, William M.; Brown, Gregory G.; Stern, Hal S.; Shahbaba, Babak

2013-01-01

We propose a hierarchical Bayesian model for analyzing multi-site experimental fMRI studies. Our method takes the hierarchical structure of the data (subjects are nested within sites, and there are multiple observations per subject) into account and allows for modeling between-site variation. Using posterior predictive model checking and model…

Say It with Flowers! An fMRI Study of Object Mediated Communication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tylen, Kristian; Wallentin, Mikkel; Roepstorff, Andreas

2009-01-01

Human communicational interaction can be mediated by a host of expressive means from words in a natural language to gestures and material symbols. Given the proper contextual setting even an everyday object can gain a mediating function in a communicational situation. In this study we used event-related fMRI to study the brain activity caused by…

Neural Substrates of the Topology Test to Measure Fluid Reasoning: An fMRI Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masunaga, Hiromi; Kawashima, Ryuta; Horn, John L.; Sassa, Yuko; Sekiguchi, Atsushi

2008-01-01

In our prior study the negative correlation between Topology, a behavioral measure of fluid reasoning, and adult age diminished with the increase in the level of expertise in a cognitively-demanding domain of expertise in the game of GO. The present fMRI study was designed to investigate neural substrates of Topology. The modified topology…

Key issues in decomposing fMRI during naturalistic and continuous music experience with independent component analysis.

PubMed

Cong, Fengyu; Puoliväli, Tuomas; Alluri, Vinoo; Sipola, Tuomo; Burunat, Iballa; Toiviainen, Petri; Nandi, Asoke K; Brattico, Elvira; Ristaniemi, Tapani

2014-02-15

Independent component analysis (ICA) has been often used to decompose fMRI data mostly for the resting-state, block and event-related designs due to its outstanding advantage. For fMRI data during free-listening experiences, only a few exploratory studies applied ICA. For processing the fMRI data elicited by 512-s modern tango, a FFT based band-pass filter was used to further pre-process the fMRI data to remove sources of no interest and noise. Then, a fast model order selection method was applied to estimate the number of sources. Next, both individual ICA and group ICA were performed. Subsequently, ICA components whose temporal courses were significantly correlated with musical features were selected. Finally, for individual ICA, common components across majority of participants were found by diffusion map and spectral clustering. The extracted spatial maps (by the new ICA approach) common across most participants evidenced slightly right-lateralized activity within and surrounding the auditory cortices. Meanwhile, they were found associated with the musical features. Compared with the conventional ICA approach, more participants were found to have the common spatial maps extracted by the new ICA approach. Conventional model order selection methods underestimated the true number of sources in the conventionally pre-processed fMRI data for the individual ICA. Pre-processing the fMRI data by using a reasonable band-pass digital filter can greatly benefit the following model order selection and ICA with fMRI data by naturalistic paradigms. Diffusion map and spectral clustering are straightforward tools to find common ICA spatial maps. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A New Paradigm for Individual Subject Language Mapping: Movie-Watching fMRI.

PubMed

Tie, Yanmei; Rigolo, Laura; Ozdemir Ovalioglu, Aysegul; Olubiyi, Olutayo; Doolin, Kelly L; Mukundan, Srinivasan; Golby, Alexandra J

2015-01-01

Functional MRI (fMRI) based on language tasks has been used in presurgical language mapping in patients with lesions in or near putative language areas. However, if patients have difficulty performing the tasks due to neurological deficits, it leads to unreliable or noninterpretable results. In this study, we investigate the feasibility of using a movie-watching fMRI for language mapping. A 7-minute movie clip with contrasting speech and nonspeech segments was shown to 22 right-handed healthy subjects. Based on all subjects' language functional regions-of-interest, 6 language response areas were defined, within which a language response model (LRM) was derived by extracting the main temporal activation profile. Using a leave-one-out procedure, individuals' language areas were identified as the areas that expressed highly correlated temporal responses with the LRM derived from an independent group of subjects. Compared with an antonym generation task-based fMRI, the movie-watching fMRI generated language maps with more localized activations in the left frontal language area, larger activations in the left temporoparietal language area, and significant activations in their right-hemisphere homologues. Results of 2 brain tumor patients' movie-watching fMRI using the LRM derived from the healthy subjects indicated its ability to map putative language areas; while their task-based fMRI maps were less robust and noisier. These results suggest that it is feasible to use this novel "task-free" paradigm as a complementary tool for fMRI language mapping when patients cannot perform the tasks. Its deployment in more neurosurgical patients and validation against gold-standard techniques need further investigation. Copyright © 2015 by the American Society of Neuroimaging.

Using functional neuroimaging combined with a think-aloud protocol to explore clinical reasoning expertise in internal medicine.

PubMed

Durning, Steven J; Graner, John; Artino, Anthony R; Pangaro, Louis N; Beckman, Thomas; Holmboe, Eric; Oakes, Terrance; Roy, Michael; Riedy, Gerard; Capaldi, Vincent; Walter, Robert; van der Vleuten, Cees; Schuwirth, Lambert

2012-09-01

Clinical reasoning is essential to medical practice, but because it entails internal mental processes, it is difficult to assess. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and think-aloud protocols may improve understanding of clinical reasoning as these methods can more directly assess these processes. The objective of our study was to use a combination of fMRI and think-aloud procedures to examine fMRI correlates of a leading theoretical model in clinical reasoning based on experimental findings to date: analytic (i.e., actively comparing and contrasting diagnostic entities) and nonanalytic (i.e., pattern recognition) reasoning. We hypothesized that there would be functional neuroimaging differences between analytic and nonanalytic reasoning theory. 17 board-certified experts in internal medicine answered and reflected on validated U.S. Medical Licensing Exam and American Board of Internal Medicine multiple-choice questions (easy and difficult) during an fMRI scan. This procedure was followed by completion of a formal think-aloud procedure. fMRI findings provide some support for the presence of analytic and nonanalytic reasoning systems. Statistically significant activation of prefrontal cortex distinguished answering incorrectly versus correctly (p < 0.01), whereas activation of precuneus and midtemporal gyrus distinguished not guessing from guessing (p < 0.01). We found limited fMRI evidence to support analytic and nonanalytic reasoning theory, as our results indicate functional differences with correct vs. incorrect answers and guessing vs. not guessing. However, our findings did not suggest one consistent fMRI activation pattern of internal medicine expertise. This model of employing fMRI correlates offers opportunities to enhance our understanding of theory, as well as improve our teaching and assessment of clinical reasoning, a key outcome of medical education.

Improved sparse decomposition based on a smoothed L0 norm using a Laplacian kernel to select features from fMRI data.

PubMed

Zhang, Chuncheng; Song, Sutao; Wen, Xiaotong; Yao, Li; Long, Zhiying

2015-04-30

Feature selection plays an important role in improving the classification accuracy of multivariate classification techniques in the context of fMRI-based decoding due to the "few samples and large features" nature of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. Recently, several sparse representation methods have been applied to the voxel selection of fMRI data. Despite the low computational efficiency of the sparse representation methods, they still displayed promise for applications that select features from fMRI data. In this study, we proposed the Laplacian smoothed L0 norm (LSL0) approach for feature selection of fMRI data. Based on the fast sparse decomposition using smoothed L0 norm (SL0) (Mohimani, 2007), the LSL0 method used the Laplacian function to approximate the L0 norm of sources. Results of the simulated and real fMRI data demonstrated the feasibility and robustness of LSL0 for the sparse source estimation and feature selection. Simulated results indicated that LSL0 produced more accurate source estimation than SL0 at high noise levels. The classification accuracy using voxels that were selected by LSL0 was higher than that by SL0 in both simulated and real fMRI experiment. Moreover, both LSL0 and SL0 showed higher classification accuracy and required less time than ICA and t-test for the fMRI decoding. LSL0 outperformed SL0 in sparse source estimation at high noise level and in feature selection. Moreover, LSL0 and SL0 showed better performance than ICA and t-test for feature selection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A new paradigm for individual subject language mapping: Movie-watching fMRI

PubMed Central

Tie, Yanmei; Rigolo, Laura; Ovalioglu, Aysegul Ozdemir; Olubiyi, Olutayo; Doolin, Kelly L.; Mukundan, Srinivasan; Golby, Alexandra J.

2015-01-01

Background Functional MRI (fMRI) based on language tasks has been used in pre-surgical language mapping in patients with lesions in or near putative language areas. However, if the patients have difficulty performing the tasks due to neurological deficits, it leads to unreliable or non-interpretable results. In this study, we investigate the feasibility of using a movie-watching fMRI for language mapping. Methods A 7-min movie clip with contrasting speech and non-speech segments was shown to 22 right-handed healthy subjects. Based on all subjects' language functional regions-of-interest, six language response areas were defined, within which a language response model (LRM) was derived by extracting the main temporal activation profile. Using a leave-one-out procedure, individuals' language areas were identified as the areas that expressed highly correlated temporal responses with the LRM derived from an independent group of subjects. Results Compared with an antonym generation task-based fMRI, the movie-watching fMRI generated language maps with more localized activations in the left frontal language area, larger activations in the left temporoparietal language area, and significant activations in their right-hemisphere homologues. Results of two brain tumor patients' movie-watching fMRI using the LRM derived from the healthy subjects indicated its ability to map putative language areas; while their task-based fMRI maps were less robust and noisier. Conclusions These results suggest that it is feasible to use this novel “task-free” paradigm as a complementary tool for fMRI language mapping when patients cannot perform the tasks. Its deployment in more neurosurgical patients and validation against gold-standard techniques need further investigation. PMID:25962953

Relationship between fMRI response during a nonverbal memory task and marijuana use in college students.

PubMed

Dager, Alecia D; Tice, Madelynn R; Book, Gregory A; Tennen, Howard; Raskin, Sarah A; Austad, Carol S; Wood, Rebecca M; Fallahi, Carolyn R; Hawkins, Keith A; Pearlson, Godfrey D

2018-04-26

Marijuana (MJ) is widely used among college students, with peak use between ages 18-22. Research suggests memory dysfunction in adolescent and young adult MJ users, but the neural correlates are unclear. We examined functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) response during a memory task among college students with varying degrees of MJ involvement. Participants were 64 college students, ages 18-20, who performed a visual encoding and recognition task during fMRI. MJ use was ascertained for 3 months prior to scanning; 27 individuals reported past 3-month MJ use, and 33 individuals did not. fMRI response was modeled during encoding based on whether targets were subsequently recognized (correct encoding), and during recognition based on target identification (hits). fMRI response in left and right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and hippocampal regions of interest was examined between MJ users and controls. There were no group differences between MJ users and controls on fMRI response during encoding, although single sample t-tests revealed that MJ users failed to activate the hippocampus. During recognition, MJ users showed less fMRI response than controls in right hippocampus (Cohen's d = 0.55), left hippocampus (Cohen's d = 0.67) and left IFG (Cohen's d = 0.61). Heavier MJ involvement was associated with lower fMRI response in left hippocampus and left IFG. This study provides evidence of MJ-related prefrontal and hippocampal dysfunction during recognition memory in college students. These findings may contribute to our previously identified decrements in academic performance in college MJ users and could have substantial implications for academic and occupational functioning. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Altered amygdalar resting-state connectivity in depression is explained by both genes and environment.

PubMed

Córdova-Palomera, Aldo; Tornador, Cristian; Falcón, Carles; Bargalló, Nuria; Nenadic, Igor; Deco, Gustavo; Fañanás, Lourdes

2015-10-01

Recent findings indicate that alterations of the amygdalar resting-state fMRI connectivity play an important role in the etiology of depression. While both depression and resting-state brain activity are shaped by genes and environment, the relative contribution of genetic and environmental factors mediating the relationship between amygdalar resting-state connectivity and depression remain largely unexplored. Likewise, novel neuroimaging research indicates that different mathematical representations of resting-state fMRI activity patterns are able to embed distinct information relevant to brain health and disease. The present study analyzed the influence of genes and environment on amygdalar resting-state fMRI connectivity, in relation to depression risk. High-resolution resting-state fMRI scans were analyzed to estimate functional connectivity patterns in a sample of 48 twins (24 monozygotic pairs) informative for depressive psychopathology (6 concordant, 8 discordant and 10 healthy control pairs). A graph-theoretical framework was employed to construct brain networks using two methods: (i) the conventional approach of filtered BOLD fMRI time-series and (ii) analytic components of this fMRI activity. Results using both methods indicate that depression risk is increased by environmental factors altering amygdalar connectivity. When analyzing the analytic components of the BOLD fMRI time-series, genetic factors altering the amygdala neural activity at rest show an important contribution to depression risk. Overall, these findings show that both genes and environment modify different patterns the amygdala resting-state connectivity to increase depression risk. The genetic relationship between amygdalar connectivity and depression may be better elicited by examining analytic components of the brain resting-state BOLD fMRI signals. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Functional Brain Networks Develop from a “Local to Distributed” Organization

PubMed Central

Power, Jonathan D.; Dosenbach, Nico U. F.; Church, Jessica A.; Miezin, Francis M.; Schlaggar, Bradley L.; Petersen, Steven E.

2009-01-01

The mature human brain is organized into a collection of specialized functional networks that flexibly interact to support various cognitive functions. Studies of development often attempt to identify the organizing principles that guide the maturation of these functional networks. In this report, we combine resting state functional connectivity MRI (rs-fcMRI), graph analysis, community detection, and spring-embedding visualization techniques to analyze four separate networks defined in earlier studies. As we have previously reported, we find, across development, a trend toward ‘segregation’ (a general decrease in correlation strength) between regions close in anatomical space and ‘integration’ (an increased correlation strength) between selected regions distant in space. The generalization of these earlier trends across multiple networks suggests that this is a general developmental principle for changes in functional connectivity that would extend to large-scale graph theoretic analyses of large-scale brain networks. Communities in children are predominantly arranged by anatomical proximity, while communities in adults predominantly reflect functional relationships, as defined from adult fMRI studies. In sum, over development, the organization of multiple functional networks shifts from a local anatomical emphasis in children to a more “distributed” architecture in young adults. We argue that this “local to distributed” developmental characterization has important implications for understanding the development of neural systems underlying cognition. Further, graph metrics (e.g., clustering coefficients and average path lengths) are similar in child and adult graphs, with both showing “small-world”-like properties, while community detection by modularity optimization reveals stable communities within the graphs that are clearly different between young children and young adults. These observations suggest that early school age children and adults both have relatively efficient systems that may solve similar information processing problems in divergent ways. PMID:19412534

Functional brain networks develop from a "local to distributed" organization.

PubMed

Fair, Damien A; Cohen, Alexander L; Power, Jonathan D; Dosenbach, Nico U F; Church, Jessica A; Miezin, Francis M; Schlaggar, Bradley L; Petersen, Steven E

2009-05-01

The mature human brain is organized into a collection of specialized functional networks that flexibly interact to support various cognitive functions. Studies of development often attempt to identify the organizing principles that guide the maturation of these functional networks. In this report, we combine resting state functional connectivity MRI (rs-fcMRI), graph analysis, community detection, and spring-embedding visualization techniques to analyze four separate networks defined in earlier studies. As we have previously reported, we find, across development, a trend toward 'segregation' (a general decrease in correlation strength) between regions close in anatomical space and 'integration' (an increased correlation strength) between selected regions distant in space. The generalization of these earlier trends across multiple networks suggests that this is a general developmental principle for changes in functional connectivity that would extend to large-scale graph theoretic analyses of large-scale brain networks. Communities in children are predominantly arranged by anatomical proximity, while communities in adults predominantly reflect functional relationships, as defined from adult fMRI studies. In sum, over development, the organization of multiple functional networks shifts from a local anatomical emphasis in children to a more "distributed" architecture in young adults. We argue that this "local to distributed" developmental characterization has important implications for understanding the development of neural systems underlying cognition. Further, graph metrics (e.g., clustering coefficients and average path lengths) are similar in child and adult graphs, with both showing "small-world"-like properties, while community detection by modularity optimization reveals stable communities within the graphs that are clearly different between young children and young adults. These observations suggest that early school age children and adults both have relatively efficient systems that may solve similar information processing problems in divergent ways.

Anterior temporal face patches: a meta-analysis and empirical study

PubMed Central

Von Der Heide, Rebecca J.; Skipper, Laura M.; Olson, Ingrid R.

2013-01-01

Evidence suggests the anterior temporal lobe (ATL) plays an important role in person identification and memory. In humans, neuroimaging studies of person memory report consistent activations in the ATL to famous and personally familiar faces and studies of patients report resection or damage of the ATL causes an associative prosopagnosia in which face perception is intact but face memory is compromised. In addition, high-resolution fMRI studies of non-human primates and electrophysiological studies of humans also suggest regions of the ventral ATL are sensitive to novel faces. The current study extends previous findings by investigating whether similar subregions in the dorsal, ventral, lateral, or polar aspects of the ATL are sensitive to personally familiar, famous, and novel faces. We present the results of two studies of person memory: a meta-analysis of existing fMRI studies and an empirical fMRI study using optimized imaging parameters. Both studies showed left-lateralized ATL activations to familiar individuals while novel faces activated the right ATL. Activations to famous faces were quite ventral, similar to what has been reported in previous high-resolution fMRI studies of non-human primates. These findings suggest that face memory-sensitive patches in the human ATL are in the ventral/polar ATL. PMID:23378834

Determination of hemispheric dominance with mental rotation using functional transcranial Doppler sonography and FMRI.

PubMed

Hattemer, Katja; Plate, Annika; Heverhagen, Johannes T; Haag, Anja; Keil, Boris; Klein, Karl Martin; Hermsen, Anke; Oertel, Wolfgang H; Hamer, Hajo M; Rosenow, Felix; Knake, Susanne

2011-01-01

the aim of this study was to investigate specific activation patterns and potential gender differences during mental rotation and to investigate whether functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and functional transcranial Doppler sonography (fTCD) lateralize hemispheric dominance concordantly. regional brain activation and hemispheric dominance during mental rotation (cube perspective test) were investigated in 10 female and 10 male healthy subjects using fMRI and fTCD. significant activation was found in the superior parietal lobe, at the parieto-occipital border, in the middle and superior frontal gyrus bilaterally, and the right inferior frontal gyrus using fMRI. Men showed a stronger lateralization to the right hemisphere during fMRI and a tendency toward stronger right-hemispheric activation during fTCD. Furthermore, more activation in frontal and parieto-occipital regions of the right hemisphere was observed using fMRI. Hemispheric dominance for mental rotation determined by the 2 methods correlated well (P= .008), but did not show concordant results in every single subject. the neural basis of mental rotation depends on a widespread bilateral network. Hemispheric dominance for mental rotation determined by fMRI and fTCD, though correlating well, is not always concordant. Hemispheric lateralization of complex cortical functions such as spatial rotation therefore should be investigated using multimodal imaging approaches, especially if used clinically as a tool for the presurgical evaluation of patients undergoing neurosurgery. Copyright © 2009 by the American Society of Neuroimaging.

High-field fMRI unveils orientation columns in humans.

PubMed

Yacoub, Essa; Harel, Noam; Ugurbil, Kâmil

2008-07-29

Functional (f)MRI has revolutionized the field of human brain research. fMRI can noninvasively map the spatial architecture of brain function via localized increases in blood flow after sensory or cognitive stimulation. Recent advances in fMRI have led to enhanced sensitivity and spatial accuracy of the measured signals, indicating the possibility of detecting small neuronal ensembles that constitute fundamental computational units in the brain, such as cortical columns. Orientation columns in visual cortex are perhaps the best known example of such a functional organization in the brain. They cannot be discerned via anatomical characteristics, as with ocular dominance columns. Instead, the elucidation of their organization requires functional imaging methods. However, because of insufficient sensitivity, spatial accuracy, and image resolution of the available mapping techniques, thus far, they have not been detected in humans. Here, we demonstrate, by using high-field (7-T) fMRI, the existence and spatial features of orientation- selective columns in humans. Striking similarities were found with the known spatial features of these columns in monkeys. In addition, we found that a larger number of orientation columns are devoted to processing orientations around 90 degrees (vertical stimuli with horizontal motion), whereas relatively similar fMRI signal changes were observed across any given active column. With the current proliferation of high-field MRI systems and constant evolution of fMRI techniques, this study heralds the exciting prospect of exploring unmapped and/or unknown columnar level functional organizations in the human brain.

Test-retest reliability of evoked BOLD signals from a cognitive-emotive fMRI test battery.

PubMed

Plichta, Michael M; Schwarz, Adam J; Grimm, Oliver; Morgen, Katrin; Mier, Daniela; Haddad, Leila; Gerdes, Antje B M; Sauer, Carina; Tost, Heike; Esslinger, Christine; Colman, Peter; Wilson, Frederick; Kirsch, Peter; Meyer-Lindenberg, Andreas

2012-04-15

Even more than in cognitive research applications, moving fMRI to the clinic and the drug development process requires the generation of stable and reliable signal changes. The performance characteristics of the fMRI paradigm constrain experimental power and may require different study designs (e.g., crossover vs. parallel groups), yet fMRI reliability characteristics can be strongly dependent on the nature of the fMRI task. The present study investigated both within-subject and group-level reliability of a combined three-task fMRI battery targeting three systems of wide applicability in clinical and cognitive neuroscience: an emotional (face matching), a motivational (monetary reward anticipation) and a cognitive (n-back working memory) task. A group of 25 young, healthy volunteers were scanned twice on a 3T MRI scanner with a mean test-retest interval of 14.6 days. FMRI reliability was quantified using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) applied at three different levels ranging from a global to a localized and fine spatial scale: (1) reliability of group-level activation maps over the whole brain and within targeted regions of interest (ROIs); (2) within-subject reliability of ROI-mean amplitudes and (3) within-subject reliability of individual voxels in the target ROIs. Results showed robust evoked activation of all three tasks in their respective target regions (emotional task=amygdala; motivational task=ventral striatum; cognitive task=right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and parietal cortices) with high effect sizes (ES) of ROI-mean summary values (ES=1.11-1.44 for the faces task, 0.96-1.43 for the reward task, 0.83-2.58 for the n-back task). Reliability of group level activation was excellent for all three tasks with ICCs of 0.89-0.98 at the whole brain level and 0.66-0.97 within target ROIs. Within-subject reliability of ROI-mean amplitudes across sessions was fair to good for the reward task (ICCs=0.56-0.62) and, dependent on the particular ROI, also fair-to-good for the n-back task (ICCs=0.44-0.57) but lower for the faces task (ICC=-0.02-0.16). In conclusion, all three tasks are well suited to between-subject designs, including imaging genetics. When specific recommendations are followed, the n-back and reward task are also suited for within-subject designs, including pharmaco-fMRI. The present study provides task-specific fMRI reliability performance measures that will inform the optimal use, powering and design of fMRI studies using comparable tasks. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Single-trial EEG-informed fMRI analysis of emotional decision problems in hot executive function.

PubMed

Guo, Qian; Zhou, Tiantong; Li, Wenjie; Dong, Li; Wang, Suhong; Zou, Ling

2017-07-01

Executive function refers to conscious control in psychological process which relates to thinking and action. Emotional decision is a part of hot executive function and contains emotion and logic elements. As a kind of important social adaptation ability, more and more attention has been paid in recent years. Gambling task can be well performed in the study of emotional decision. As fMRI researches focused on gambling task show not completely consistent brain activation regions, this study adopted EEG-fMRI fusion technology to reveal brain neural activity related with feedback stimuli. In this study, an EEG-informed fMRI analysis was applied to process simultaneous EEG-fMRI data. First, relative power-spectrum analysis and K-means clustering method were performed separately to extract EEG-fMRI features. Then, Generalized linear models were structured using fMRI data and using different EEG features as regressors. The results showed that in the win versus loss stimuli, the activated regions almost covered the caudate, the ventral striatum (VS), the orbital frontal cortex (OFC), and the cingulate. Wide activation areas associated with reward and punishment were revealed by the EEG-fMRI integration analysis than the conventional fMRI results, such as the posterior cingulate and the OFC. The VS and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) were found when EEG power features were performed as regressors of GLM compared with results entering the amplitudes of feedback-related negativity (FRN) as regressors. Furthermore, the brain region activation intensity was the strongest when theta-band power was used as a regressor compared with the other two fusion results. The EEG-based fMRI analysis can more accurately depict the whole-brain activation map and analyze emotional decision problems.

Integration of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Magnetoencephalography Functional Maps Into a CyberKnife Planning System: Feasibility Study for Motor Activity Localization and Dose Planning.

PubMed

De Martin, Elena; Duran, Dunja; Ghielmetti, Francesco; Visani, Elisa; Aquino, Domenico; Marchetti, Marcello; Sebastiano, Davide Rossi; Cusumano, Davide; Bruzzone, Maria Grazia; Panzica, Ferruccio; Fariselli, Laura

2017-12-01

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) provide noninvasive localization of eloquent brain areas for presurgical planning. The aim of this study is the integration of MEG and fMRI maps into a CyberKnife (CK) system to optimize dose planning. Four patients with brain metastases in the motor area underwent functional imaging study of the hand motor cortex before radiosurgery. MEG data were acquired during a visually cued hand motor task. Motor activations were identified also using an fMRI block-designed paradigm. MEG and fMRI maps were then integrated into a CK system and contoured as organs at risk for treatment planning optimization. The integration of fMRI data into the CK system was achieved for all patients by means of a standardized protocol. We also implemented an ad hoc pipeline to convert the MEG signal into a DICOM standard, to make sure that it was readable by our CK treatment planning system. Inclusion of the activation areas into the optimization plan allowed the creation of treatment plans that reduced the irradiation of the motor cortex yet not affecting the brain peripheral dose. The availability of advanced neuroimaging techniques is playing an increasingly important role in radiosurgical planning strategy. We successfully imported MEG and fMRI activations into a CK system. This additional information can improve dose sparing of eloquent areas, allowing a more comprehensive investigation of the related dose-volume constraints that in theory could translate into a gain in tumor local control, and a reduction of neurological complications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Implicit structured sequence learning: an fMRI study of the structural mere-exposure effect

PubMed Central

Folia, Vasiliki; Petersson, Karl Magnus

2014-01-01

In this event-related fMRI study we investigated the effect of 5 days of implicit acquisition on preference classification by means of an artificial grammar learning (AGL) paradigm based on the structural mere-exposure effect and preference classification using a simple right-linear unification grammar. This allowed us to investigate implicit AGL in a proper learning design by including baseline measurements prior to grammar exposure. After 5 days of implicit acquisition, the fMRI results showed activations in a network of brain regions including the inferior frontal (centered on BA 44/45) and the medial prefrontal regions (centered on BA 8/32). Importantly, and central to this study, the inclusion of a naive preference fMRI baseline measurement allowed us to conclude that these fMRI findings were the intrinsic outcomes of the learning process itself and not a reflection of a preexisting functionality recruited during classification, independent of acquisition. Support for the implicit nature of the knowledge utilized during preference classification on day 5 come from the fact that the basal ganglia, associated with implicit procedural learning, were activated during classification, while the medial temporal lobe system, associated with explicit declarative memory, was consistently deactivated. Thus, preference classification in combination with structural mere-exposure can be used to investigate structural sequence processing (syntax) in unsupervised AGL paradigms with proper learning designs. PMID:24550865

Implicit structured sequence learning: an fMRI study of the structural mere-exposure effect.

PubMed

Folia, Vasiliki; Petersson, Karl Magnus

2014-01-01

In this event-related fMRI study we investigated the effect of 5 days of implicit acquisition on preference classification by means of an artificial grammar learning (AGL) paradigm based on the structural mere-exposure effect and preference classification using a simple right-linear unification grammar. This allowed us to investigate implicit AGL in a proper learning design by including baseline measurements prior to grammar exposure. After 5 days of implicit acquisition, the fMRI results showed activations in a network of brain regions including the inferior frontal (centered on BA 44/45) and the medial prefrontal regions (centered on BA 8/32). Importantly, and central to this study, the inclusion of a naive preference fMRI baseline measurement allowed us to conclude that these fMRI findings were the intrinsic outcomes of the learning process itself and not a reflection of a preexisting functionality recruited during classification, independent of acquisition. Support for the implicit nature of the knowledge utilized during preference classification on day 5 come from the fact that the basal ganglia, associated with implicit procedural learning, were activated during classification, while the medial temporal lobe system, associated with explicit declarative memory, was consistently deactivated. Thus, preference classification in combination with structural mere-exposure can be used to investigate structural sequence processing (syntax) in unsupervised AGL paradigms with proper learning designs.

Seeing Chinese Characters in Action: An fMRI Study of the Perception of Writing Sequences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Hongbo; Gong, Lanyun; Qiu, Yinchen; Zhou, Xiaolin

2011-01-01

The Chinese character is composed of a finite set of strokes whose order in writing follows consensual principles and is learnt through school education. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), this study investigates the neural activity associated with the perception of writing sequences by asking participants to observe…

Decreased Parahippocampal Activity in Associative Priming: Evidence from an Event-Related fMRI Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Jiongjiong; Meckingler, Axel; Xu, Mingwei; Zhao, Yanbing; Weng, Xuchu

2008-01-01

In recent years, there has been intense debate on the neural basis of associative priming, particularly on the role of the medial temporal lobe (MTL) in retrieving associative information without awareness. In this study, event-related fMRI was used while healthy subjects performed a perceptual identification task on briefly presented unrelated…

Gender Differences in the Cognitive Control of Emotion: An fMRI Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koch, Kathrin; Pauly, Katharina; Kellermann, Thilo; Seiferth, Nina Y.; Reske, Martina; Backes, Volker; Stocker, Tony; Shah, N. Jon; Amunts, Katrin; Kircher, Tilo; Schneider, Frank; Habel, Ute

2007-01-01

The interaction of emotion and cognition has become a topic of major interest. However, the influence of gender on the interplay between the two processes, along with its neural correlates have not been fully analysed so far. In this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study we induced negative emotion using negative olfactory stimulation…

Perceiving Age and Gender in Unfamiliar Faces: An fMRI Study on Face Categorization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiese, Holger; Kloth, Nadine; Gullmar, Daniel; Reichenbach, Jurgen R.; Schweinberger, Stefan R.

2012-01-01

Efficient processing of unfamiliar faces typically involves their categorization (e.g., into old vs. young or male vs. female). However, age and gender categorization may pose different perceptual demands. In the present study, we employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to compare the activity evoked during age vs. gender…

An fMRI Study of the Social Competition in Healthy Subjects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polosan, M.; Baciu, M.; Cousin, E.; Perrone, M.; Pichat, C.; Bougerol, T.

2011-01-01

Social interaction requires the ability to infer another person's mental state (Theory of Mind, ToM) and also executive functions. This fMRI study aimed to identify the cerebral correlates activated by ToM during a specific social interaction, the human-human competition. In this framework, we tested a conflict resolution task (Stroop) adapted to…

[Research progress of functional magnetic resonance imaging in mechanism studies of tinnitus].

PubMed

Ji, B B; Li, M; Zhang, J N

2018-02-07

Tinnitus is a subjective symptom of phantom sound in the ear or brain without sound or electrical stimulation in the environment. The mechanism of tinnitus is complicated and mostly unclear. Recent studies suggested that the abnormal peripheral auditory input lead to neuroplasticity changes in central nervous system followed by tinnitus. More research concerned on the tinnitus central mechanism. A rapid development of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technique made it more widely used in tinnitus central mechanism research. fMRI brought new findings but also presented some shortages in technology and cognition in tinnitus study. This article summarized the outcomes of fMRI research on tinnitus in recent years, exploring its existing problems and application prospects.

Local brain connectivity across development in autism spectrum disorder: A cross-sectional investigation

PubMed Central

Dajani, Dina R.; Uddin, Lucina Q.

2015-01-01

Lay Abstract There is a general consensus that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is accompanied by alterations in brain connectivity. Much of the neuroimaging work has focused on assessing long-range connectivity disruptions in ASD. However, evidence from both animal models and postmortem examination of the human brain suggests that local connections may also be disrupted in individuals with ASD. Here we investigated the development of local connectivity across three age cohorts of individuals with ASD and typically developing (TD) individuals. We find that in typical development, children exhibit high levels of local connectivity across the brain, while adolescents exhibit lower levels of local connectivity, similar to adult levels. On the other hand, children with ASD exhibit marginally lower local connectivity than TD children, and adolescents and adults with ASD exhibit levels of local connectivity comparable to that observed in neurotypical individuals. During all developmental stages -- childhood, adolescence, and adulthood -- individuals with ASD exhibited lower local connectivity in brain regions involved in sensory processing and higher local connectivity in brain regions involved in complex information processing. Further, higher local connectivity in ASD corresponded to more severe ASD symptomatology. Thus we demonstrate that local connectivity is disrupted in autism across development, with the most pronounced differences occurring in childhood. Scientific Abstract There is a general consensus that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is accompanied by alterations in brain connectivity. Much of the neuroimaging work has focused on assessing long-range connectivity disruptions in ASD. However, evidence from both animal models and postmortem examination of the human brain suggests that local connections may also be disrupted in individuals with the disorder. Here we investigated how regional homogeneity (ReHo), a measure of similarity of a voxel’s timeseries to its nearest neighbors, varies across age in individuals with ASD and typically developing (TD) individuals using a cross-sectional design. Resting-state fMRI data obtained from a publicly available database were analyzed to determine group differences in ReHo between three age cohorts: children, adolescents, and adults. In typical development, ReHo across the entire brain was higher in children than in adolescents and adults. In contrast, children with ASD exhibited marginally lower ReHo than TD children, while adolescents and adults with ASD exhibited similar levels of local connectivity as age-matched neurotypical individuals. During all developmental stages, individuals with ASD exhibited lower local connectivity in sensory processing brain regions and higher local connectivity in complex information processing regions. Further, higher local connectivity in ASD corresponded to more severe ASD symptomatology. These results demonstrate that local connectivity is disrupted in ASD across development, with the most pronounced differences occurring in childhood. Developmental changes in ReHo do not mirror findings from fMRI studies of long-range connectivity in ASD, pointing to a need for more nuanced accounts of brain connectivity alterations in the disorder. PMID:26058882

Functional magnetic resonance imaging of internet addiction in young adults.

PubMed

Sepede, Gianna; Tavino, Margherita; Santacroce, Rita; Fiori, Federica; Salerno, Rosa Maria; Di Giannantonio, Massimo

2016-02-28

To report the results of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies pertaining internet addiction disorder (IAD) in young adults. We conducted a systematic review on PubMed, focusing our attention on fMRI studies involving adult IAD patients, free from any comorbid psychiatric condition. The following search words were used, both alone and in combination: fMRI, internet addiction, internet dependence, functional neuroimaging. The search was conducted on April 20(th), 2015 and yielded 58 records. Inclusion criteria were the following: Articles written in English, patients' age ≥ 18 years, patients affected by IAD, studies providing fMRI results during resting state or cognitive/emotional paradigms. Structural MRI studies, functional imaging techniques other than fMRI, studies involving adolescents, patients with comorbid psychiatric, neurological or medical conditions were excluded. By reading titles and abstracts, we excluded 30 records. By reading the full texts of the 28 remaining articles, we identified 18 papers meeting our inclusion criteria and therefore included in the qualitative synthesis. We found 18 studies fulfilling our inclusion criteria, 17 of them conducted in Asia, and including a total number of 666 tested subjects. The included studies reported data acquired during resting state or different paradigms, such as cue-reactivity, guessing or cognitive control tasks. The enrolled patients were usually males (95.4%) and very young (21-25 years). The most represented IAD subtype, reported in more than 85% of patients, was the internet gaming disorder, or videogame addiction. In the resting state studies, the more relevant abnormalities were localized in the superior temporal gyrus, limbic, medial frontal and parietal regions. When analyzing the task related fmri studies, we found that less than half of the papers reported behavioral differences between patients and normal controls, but all of them found significant differences in cortical and subcortical brain regions involved in cognitive control and reward processing: Orbitofrontal cortex, insula, anterior and posterior cingulate cortex, temporal and parietal regions, brain stem and caudate nucleus. IAD may seriously affect young adults' brain functions. It needs to be studied more in depth to provide a clear diagnosis and an adequate treatment.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging of internet addiction in young adults

PubMed Central

Sepede, Gianna; Tavino, Margherita; Santacroce, Rita; Fiori, Federica; Salerno, Rosa Maria; Di Giannantonio, Massimo

2016-01-01

AIM: To report the results of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies pertaining internet addiction disorder (IAD) in young adults. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review on PubMed, focusing our attention on fMRI studies involving adult IAD patients, free from any comorbid psychiatric condition. The following search words were used, both alone and in combination: fMRI, internet addiction, internet dependence, functional neuroimaging. The search was conducted on April 20th, 2015 and yielded 58 records. Inclusion criteria were the following: Articles written in English, patients’ age ≥ 18 years, patients affected by IAD, studies providing fMRI results during resting state or cognitive/emotional paradigms. Structural MRI studies, functional imaging techniques other than fMRI, studies involving adolescents, patients with comorbid psychiatric, neurological or medical conditions were excluded. By reading titles and abstracts, we excluded 30 records. By reading the full texts of the 28 remaining articles, we identified 18 papers meeting our inclusion criteria and therefore included in the qualitative synthesis. RESULTS: We found 18 studies fulfilling our inclusion criteria, 17 of them conducted in Asia, and including a total number of 666 tested subjects. The included studies reported data acquired during resting state or different paradigms, such as cue-reactivity, guessing or cognitive control tasks. The enrolled patients were usually males (95.4%) and very young (21-25 years). The most represented IAD subtype, reported in more than 85% of patients, was the internet gaming disorder, or videogame addiction. In the resting state studies, the more relevant abnormalities were localized in the superior temporal gyrus, limbic, medial frontal and parietal regions. When analyzing the task related fmri studies, we found that less than half of the papers reported behavioral differences between patients and normal controls, but all of them found significant differences in cortical and subcortical brain regions involved in cognitive control and reward processing: Orbitofrontal cortex, insula, anterior and posterior cingulate cortex, temporal and parietal regions, brain stem and caudate nucleus. CONCLUSION: IAD may seriously affect young adults’ brain functions. It needs to be studied more in depth to provide a clear diagnosis and an adequate treatment. PMID:26981230

Learning Computational Models of Video Memorability from fMRI Brain Imaging.

PubMed

Han, Junwei; Chen, Changyuan; Shao, Ling; Hu, Xintao; Han, Jungong; Liu, Tianming

2015-08-01

Generally, various visual media are unequally memorable by the human brain. This paper looks into a new direction of modeling the memorability of video clips and automatically predicting how memorable they are by learning from brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We propose a novel computational framework by integrating the power of low-level audiovisual features and brain activity decoding via fMRI. Initially, a user study experiment is performed to create a ground truth database for measuring video memorability and a set of effective low-level audiovisual features is examined in this database. Then, human subjects' brain fMRI data are obtained when they are watching the video clips. The fMRI-derived features that convey the brain activity of memorizing videos are extracted using a universal brain reference system. Finally, due to the fact that fMRI scanning is expensive and time-consuming, a computational model is learned on our benchmark dataset with the objective of maximizing the correlation between the low-level audiovisual features and the fMRI-derived features using joint subspace learning. The learned model can then automatically predict the memorability of videos without fMRI scans. Evaluations on publically available image and video databases demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework.

Memory Performance and fMRI Signal in Presymptomatic Familial Alzheimer’s Disease

PubMed Central

Braskie, Meredith N.; Medina, Luis D.; Rodriguez-Agudelo, Yaneth; Geschwind, Daniel H.; Macias-Islas, Miguel Angel; Thompson, Paul M.; Cummings, Jeffrey L.; Bookheimer, Susan Y.; Ringman, John M.

2013-01-01

Rare autosomal dominant mutations result in familial Alzheimer’s disease (FAD) with a relatively consistent age of onset within families. This provides an estimate of years until disease onset (relative age) in mutation carriers. Increased AD risk has been associated with differences in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) activity during memory tasks, but most of these studies have focused on possession of apolipoprotein E allele 4 (APOE4), a risk factor, but not causative variant, of late-onset AD. Evaluation of fMRI activity in presymptomatic FAD mutation carriers versus noncarriers provides insight into preclinical changes in those who will certainly develop AD in a prescribed period of time. Adults from FAD mutation-carrying families (nine mutation carriers, eight noncarriers) underwent fMRI scanning while performing a memory task. We examined fMRI signal differences between carriers and noncarriers, and how signal related to fMRI task performance within mutation status group, controlling for relative age and education. Mutation noncarriers had greater retrieval period activity than carriers in several AD-relevant regions, including the left hippocampus. Better performing noncarriers showed greater encoding period activity including in the parahippocampal gyrus. Poorer performing carriers showed greater retrieval period signal, including in the frontal and temporal lobes, suggesting underlying pathological processes. PMID:22806961

Feature-space-based FMRI analysis using the optimal linear transformation.

PubMed

Sun, Fengrong; Morris, Drew; Lee, Wayne; Taylor, Margot J; Mills, Travis; Babyn, Paul S

2010-09-01

The optimal linear transformation (OLT), an image analysis technique of feature space, was first presented in the field of MRI. This paper proposes a method of extending OLT from MRI to functional MRI (fMRI) to improve the activation-detection performance over conventional approaches of fMRI analysis. In this method, first, ideal hemodynamic response time series for different stimuli were generated by convolving the theoretical hemodynamic response model with the stimulus timing. Second, constructing hypothetical signature vectors for different activity patterns of interest by virtue of the ideal hemodynamic responses, OLT was used to extract features of fMRI data. The resultant feature space had particular geometric clustering properties. It was then classified into different groups, each pertaining to an activity pattern of interest; the applied signature vector for each group was obtained by averaging. Third, using the applied signature vectors, OLT was applied again to generate fMRI composite images with high SNRs for the desired activity patterns. Simulations and a blocked fMRI experiment were employed for the method to be verified and compared with the general linear model (GLM)-based analysis. The simulation studies and the experimental results indicated the superiority of the proposed method over the GLM-based analysis in detecting brain activities.

[fMRI study of the dominant hemisphere for language in patients with brain tumor].

PubMed

Buklina, S B; Podoprigora, A E; Pronin, I N; Shishkina, L V; Boldyreva, G N; Bondarenko, A A; Fadeeva, L M; Kornienko, V N; Zhukov, V Iu

2013-01-01

Paper describes a study of language lateralization of patients with brain tumors, measured by preoperative functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and comparison results with tumor histology and profile of functional asymmetry. During the study 21 patient underwent fMRI scan. 15 patients had a tumor in the left and 6 in the right hemisphere. Tumors were localized mainly in the frontal, temporal and fronto-temporal regions. Histological diagnosis in 8 cases was malignant Grade IV, in 13 cases--Grade I-III. fMRI study was perfomed on scanner "Signa Exite" with a field strength of 1.5 As speech test reciting the months of the year in reverse order was used. fMRI scan results were compared with the profile of functional asymmetry, which was received with the results of questionnaire Annette and dichotic listening test. Broca's area was found in 7 cases in the left hemisphere, 6 had a tumor Grade I-III. And one patient with glioblastoma had a tumor of the right hemisphere. Broca's area in the right hemisphere was found in 3 patients (2 patients with left sided tumor, and one with right-sided tumor). One patient with left-sided tumor had mild motor aphasia. Bilateral activation in both hemispheres of the brain was observed in 6 patients. All of them had tumor Grade II-III of the left hemisphere. Signs of left-handedness were revealed only in half of these patients. Broca's area was not found in 4 cases. All of them had large malignant tumors Grade IV. One patient couldn't handle program of the research. Results of fMRI scans, questionnaire Annette and dichotic listening test frequently were not the same, which is significant. Bilateral activation in speech-loads may be a reflection of brain plasticity in cases of long-growing tumors. Thus it's important to consider the full range of clinical data in studying the problem of the dominant hemisphere for language.

A general probabilistic model for group independent component analysis and its estimation methods

PubMed Central

Guo, Ying

2012-01-01

SUMMARY Independent component analysis (ICA) has become an important tool for analyzing data from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies. ICA has been successfully applied to single-subject fMRI data. The extension of ICA to group inferences in neuroimaging studies, however, is challenging due to the unavailability of a pre-specified group design matrix and the uncertainty in between-subjects variability in fMRI data. We present a general probabilistic ICA (PICA) model that can accommodate varying group structures of multi-subject spatio-temporal processes. An advantage of the proposed model is that it can flexibly model various types of group structures in different underlying neural source signals and under different experimental conditions in fMRI studies. A maximum likelihood method is used for estimating this general group ICA model. We propose two EM algorithms to obtain the ML estimates. The first method is an exact EM algorithm which provides an exact E-step and an explicit noniterative M-step. The second method is an variational approximation EM algorithm which is computationally more efficient than the exact EM. In simulation studies, we first compare the performance of the proposed general group PICA model and the existing probabilistic group ICA approach. We then compare the two proposed EM algorithms and show the variational approximation EM achieves comparable accuracy to the exact EM with significantly less computation time. An fMRI data example is used to illustrate application of the proposed methods. PMID:21517789

Multivariate Strategies in Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Lars Kai

2007-01-01

We discuss aspects of multivariate fMRI modeling, including the statistical evaluation of multivariate models and means for dimensional reduction. In a case study we analyze linear and non-linear dimensional reduction tools in the context of a "mind reading" predictive multivariate fMRI model.

The Global Signal in fMRI: Nuisance or Information?

PubMed Central

Nalci, Alican; Falahpour, Maryam

2017-01-01

The global signal is widely used as a regressor or normalization factor for removing the effects of global variations in the analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies. However, there is considerable controversy over its use because of the potential bias that can be introduced when it is applied to the analysis of both task-related and resting-state fMRI studies. In this paper we take a closer look at the global signal, examining in detail the various sources that can contribute to the signal. For the most part, the global signal has been treated as a nuisance term, but there is growing evidence that it may also contain valuable information. We also examine the various ways that the global signal has been used in the analysis of fMRI data, including global signal regression, global signal subtraction, and global signal normalization. Furthermore, we describe new ways for understanding the effects of global signal regression and its relation to the other approaches. PMID:28213118

Integration of fMRI, NIROT and ERP for studies of human brain function.

PubMed

Gore, John C; Horovitz, Silvina G; Cannistraci, Christopher J; Skudlarski, Pavel

2006-05-01

Different methods of assessing human brain function possess specific advantages and disadvantages compared to others, but it is believed that combining different approaches will provide greater information than can be obtained from each alone. For example, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has good spatial resolution but poor temporal resolution, whereas the converse is true for electrophysiological recordings (event-related potentials or ERPs). In this review of recent work, we highlight a novel approach to combining these modalities in a manner designed to increase information on the origins and locations of the generators of specific ERPs and the relationship between fMRI and ERP signals. Near infrared imaging techniques have also been studied as alternatives to fMRI and can be readily integrated with simultaneous electrophysiological recordings. Each of these modalities may in principle be also used in so-called steady-state acquisitions in which the correlational structure of signals from the brain may be analyzed to provide new insights into brain function.

BOLDSync: a MATLAB-based toolbox for synchronized stimulus presentation in functional MRI.

PubMed

Joshi, Jitesh; Saharan, Sumiti; Mandal, Pravat K

2014-02-15

Precise and synchronized presentation of paradigm stimuli in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is central to obtaining accurate information about brain regions involved in a specific task. In this manuscript, we present a new MATLAB-based toolbox, BOLDSync, for synchronized stimulus presentation in fMRI. BOLDSync provides a user friendly platform for design and presentation of visual, audio, as well as multimodal audio-visual (AV) stimuli in functional imaging experiments. We present simulation experiments that demonstrate the millisecond synchronization accuracy of BOLDSync, and also illustrate the functionalities of BOLDSync through application to an AV fMRI study. BOLDSync gains an advantage over other available proprietary and open-source toolboxes by offering a user friendly and accessible interface that affords both precision in stimulus presentation and versatility across various types of stimulus designs and system setups. BOLDSync is a reliable, efficient, and versatile solution for synchronized stimulus presentation in fMRI study. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The hippocampal formation participates in novel picture encoding: evidence from functional magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed Central

Stern, C E; Corkin, S; González, R G; Guimaraes, A R; Baker, J R; Jennings, P J; Carr, C A; Sugiura, R M; Vedantham, V; Rosen, B R

1996-01-01

Considerable evidence exists to support the hypothesis that the hippocampus and related medial temporal lobe structures are crucial for the encoding and storage of information in long-term memory. Few human imaging studies, however, have successfully shown signal intensity changes in these areas during encoding or retrieval. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we studied normal human subjects while they performed a novel picture encoding task. High-speed echo-planar imaging techniques evaluated fMRI signal changes throughout the brain. During the encoding of novel pictures, statistically significant increases in fMRI signal were observed bilaterally in the posterior hippocampal formation and parahippocampal gyrus and in the lingual and fusiform gyri. To our knowledge, this experiment is the first fMRI study to show robust signal changes in the human hippocampal region. It also provides evidence that the encoding of novel, complex pictures depends upon an interaction between ventral cortical regions, specialized for object vision, and the hippocampal formation and parahippocampal gyrus, specialized for long-term memory. Images Fig. 1 Fig. 3 PMID:8710927

You can count on the motor cortex: finger counting habits modulate motor cortex activation evoked by numbers.

PubMed

Tschentscher, Nadja; Hauk, Olaf; Fischer, Martin H; Pulvermüller, Friedemann

2012-02-15

The embodied cognition framework suggests that neural systems for perception and action are engaged during higher cognitive processes. In an event-related fMRI study, we tested this claim for the abstract domain of numerical symbol processing: is the human cortical motor system part of the representation of numbers, and is organization of numerical knowledge influenced by individual finger counting habits? Developmental studies suggest a link between numerals and finger counting habits due to the acquisition of numerical skills through finger counting in childhood. In the present study, digits 1 to 9 and the corresponding number words were presented visually to adults with different finger counting habits, i.e. left- and right-starters who reported that they usually start counting small numbers with their left and right hand, respectively. Despite the absence of overt hand movements, the hemisphere contralateral to the hand used for counting small numbers was activated when small numbers were presented. The correspondence between finger counting habits and hemispheric motor activation is consistent with an intrinsic functional link between finger counting and number processing. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A 4-channel 3 Tesla phased array receive coil for awake rhesus monkey fMRI and diffusion MRI experiments.

PubMed

Khachaturian, Mark Haig

2010-01-01

Awake monkey fMRI and diffusion MRI combined with conventional neuroscience techniques has the potential to study the structural and functional neural network. The majority of monkey fMRI and diffusion MRI experiments are performed with single coils which suffer from severe EPI distortions which limit resolution. By constructing phased array coils for monkey MRI studies, gains in SNR and anatomical accuracy (i.e., reduction of EPI distortions) can be achieved using parallel imaging. The major challenges associated with constructing phased array coils for monkeys are the variation in head size and space constraints. Here, we apply phased array technology to a 4-channel phased array coil capable of improving the resolution and image quality of full brain awake monkey fMRI and diffusion MRI experiments. The phased array coil is that can adapt to different rhesus monkey head sizes (ages 4-8) and fits in the limited space provided by monkey stereotactic equipment and provides SNR gains in primary visual cortex and anatomical accuracy in conjunction with parallel imaging and improves resolution in fMRI experiments by a factor of 2 (1.25 mm to 1.0 mm isotropic) and diffusion MRI experiments by a factor of 4 (1.5 mm to 0.9 mm isotropic).

Regional homogeneity changes in prelingually deafened patients: a resting-state fMRI study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wenjing; He, Huiguang; Xian, Junfang; Lv, Bin; Li, Meng; Li, Yong; Liu, Zhaohui; Wang, Zhenchang

2010-03-01

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a technique that measures the intrinsic function of brain and has some advantages over task-induced fMRI. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) assesses the similarity of the time series of a given voxel with its nearest neighbors on a voxel-by-voxel basis, which reflects the temporal homogeneity of the regional BOLD signal. In the present study, we used the resting state fMRI data to investigate the ReHo changes of the whole brain in the prelingually deafened patients relative to normal controls. 18 deaf patients and 22 healthy subjects were scanned. Kendall's coefficient of concordance (KCC) was calculated to measure the degree of regional coherence of fMRI time courses. We found that regional coherence significantly decreased in the left frontal lobe, bilateral temporal lobes and right thalamus, and increased in the postcentral gyrus, cingulate gyrus, left temporal lobe, left thalamus and cerebellum in deaf patients compared with controls. These results show that the prelingually deafened patients have higher degree of regional coherence in the paleocortex, and lower degree in neocortex. Since neocortex plays an important role in the development of auditory, these evidences may suggest that the deaf persons reorganize the paleocortex to offset the loss of auditory.

A 4-channel 3 Tesla phased array receive coil for awake rhesus monkey fMRI and diffusion MRI experiments

PubMed Central

Khachaturian, Mark Haig

2010-01-01

Awake monkey fMRI and diffusion MRI combined with conventional neuroscience techniques has the potential to study the structural and functional neural network. The majority of monkey fMRI and diffusion MRI experiments are performed with single coils which suffer from severe EPI distortions which limit resolution. By constructing phased array coils for monkey MRI studies, gains in SNR and anatomical accuracy (i.e., reduction of EPI distortions) can be achieved using parallel imaging. The major challenges associated with constructing phased array coils for monkeys are the variation in head size and space constraints. Here, we apply phased array technology to a 4-channel phased array coil capable of improving the resolution and image quality of full brain awake monkey fMRI and diffusion MRI experiments. The phased array coil is that can adapt to different rhesus monkey head sizes (ages 4–8) and fits in the limited space provided by monkey stereotactic equipment and provides SNR gains in primary visual cortex and anatomical accuracy in conjunction with parallel imaging and improves resolution in fMRI experiments by a factor of 2 (1.25 mm to 1.0 mm isotropic) and diffusion MRI experiments by a factor of 4 (1.5 mm to 0.9 mm isotropic). PMID:21243106

Studying brain organization via spontaneous fMRI signal.

PubMed

Power, Jonathan D; Schlaggar, Bradley L; Petersen, Steven E

2014-11-19

In recent years, some substantial advances in understanding human (and nonhuman) brain organization have emerged from a relatively unusual approach: the observation of spontaneous activity, and correlated patterns in spontaneous activity, in the "resting" brain. Most commonly, spontaneous neural activity is measured indirectly via fMRI signal in subjects who are lying quietly in the scanner, the so-called "resting state." This Primer introduces the fMRI-based study of spontaneous brain activity, some of the methodological issues active in the field, and some ways in which resting-state fMRI has been used to delineate aspects of area-level and supra-areal brain organization. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reliability measures of functional magnetic resonance imaging in a longitudinal evaluation of mild cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Zanto, Theodore P; Pa, Judy; Gazzaley, Adam

2014-01-01

As the aging population grows, it has become increasingly important to carefully characterize amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), a preclinical stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a valuable tool for monitoring disease progression in selectively vulnerable brain regions associated with AD neuropathology. However, the reliability of fMRI data in longitudinal studies of older adults with aMCI is largely unexplored. To address this, aMCI participants completed two visual working tasks, a Delayed-Recognition task and a One-Back task, on three separate scanning sessions over a three-month period. Test-retest reliability of the fMRI blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) activity was assessed using an intraclass correlation (ICC) analysis approach. Results indicated that brain regions engaged during the task displayed greater reliability across sessions compared to regions that were not utilized by the task. During task-engagement, differential reliability scores were observed across the brain such that the frontal lobe, medial temporal lobe, and subcortical structures exhibited fair to moderate reliability (ICC=0.3-0.6), while temporal, parietal, and occipital regions exhibited moderate to good reliability (ICC=0.4-0.7). Additionally, reliability across brain regions was more stable when three fMRI sessions were used in the ICC calculation relative to two fMRI sessions. In conclusion, the fMRI BOLD signal is reliable across scanning sessions in this population and thus a useful tool for tracking longitudinal change in observational and interventional studies in aMCI. © 2013.

The Nuisance of Nuisance Regression: Spectral Misspecification in a Common Approach to Resting-State fMRI Preprocessing Reintroduces Noise and Obscures Functional Connectivity

PubMed Central

Hallquist, Michael N.; Hwang, Kai; Luna, Beatriz

2013-01-01

Recent resting-state functional connectivity fMRI (RS-fcMRI) research has demonstrated that head motion during fMRI acquisition systematically influences connectivity estimates despite bandpass filtering and nuisance regression, which are intended to reduce such nuisance variability. We provide evidence that the effects of head motion and other nuisance signals are poorly controlled when the fMRI time series are bandpass-filtered but the regressors are unfiltered, resulting in the inadvertent reintroduction of nuisance-related variation into frequencies previously suppressed by the bandpass filter, as well as suboptimal correction for noise signals in the frequencies of interest. This is important because many RS-fcMRI studies, including some focusing on motion-related artifacts, have applied this approach. In two cohorts of individuals (n = 117 and 22) who completed resting-state fMRI scans, we found that the bandpass-regress approach consistently overestimated functional connectivity across the brain, typically on the order of r = .10 – .35, relative to a simultaneous bandpass filtering and nuisance regression approach. Inflated correlations under the bandpass-regress approach were associated with head motion and cardiac artifacts. Furthermore, distance-related differences in the association of head motion and connectivity estimates were much weaker for the simultaneous filtering approach. We recommend that future RS-fcMRI studies ensure that the frequencies of nuisance regressors and fMRI data match prior to nuisance regression, and we advocate a simultaneous bandpass filtering and nuisance regression strategy that better controls nuisance-related variability. PMID:23747457

Simultaneous GCaMP6-based fiber photometry and fMRI in rats.

PubMed

Liang, Zhifeng; Ma, Yuncong; Watson, Glenn D R; Zhang, Nanyin

2017-09-01

Understanding the relationship between neural and vascular signals is essential for interpretation of functional MRI (fMRI) results with respect to underlying neuronal activity. Simultaneously measuring neural activity using electrophysiology with fMRI has been highly valuable in elucidating the neural basis of the blood oxygenation-level dependent (BOLD) signal. However, this approach is also technically challenging due to the electromagnetic interference that is observed in electrophysiological recordings during MRI scanning. Recording optical correlates of neural activity, such as calcium signals, avoids this issue, and has opened a new avenue to simultaneously acquire neural and BOLD signals. The present study is the first to demonstrate the feasibility of simultaneously and repeatedly acquiring calcium and BOLD signals in animals using a genetically encoded calcium indicator, GCaMP6. This approach was validated with a visual stimulation experiment, during which robust increases of both calcium and BOLD signals in the superior colliculus were observed. In addition, repeated measurement in the same animal demonstrated reproducible calcium and BOLD responses to the same stimuli. Taken together, simultaneous GCaMP6-based fiber photometry and fMRI recording presents a novel, artifact-free approach to simultaneously measuring neural and fMRI signals. Furthermore, given the cell-type specificity of GCaMP6, this approach has the potential to mechanistically dissect the contributions of individual neuron populations to BOLD signal, and ultimately reveal its underlying neural mechanisms. The current study established the method for simultaneous GCaMP6-based fiber photometry and fMRI in rats. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The posterior parietal paradox: Why do functional magnetic resonance imaging and lesion studies on episodic memory produce conflicting results?

PubMed

Schoo, L A; van Zandvoort, M J E; Biessels, G J; Kappelle, L J; Postma, A; de Haan, E H F

2011-03-01

Recent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies addressing healthy subjects point towards posterior parietal cortex (PPC) involvement in episodic memory tasks. This is noteworthy, since neuropsychological studies usually do not connect parietal lesions to episodic memory impairments. Therefore an inventory of the possible factors behind this apparent paradox is warranted. This review compared fMRI studies which demonstrated PPC activity in episodic memory tasks, with findings with studies of patients with PPC lesions. A systematic evaluation of possible explanations for the posterior parietal paradox indicates that PPC activation in fMRI studies does not appear to be attributable to confounding cognitive/psychomotor processes, such as button pressing or stimulus processing. What may be of more importance is the extent to which an episodic memory task loads on three closely related cognitive processes: effort and attention, self-related activity, and scene and image construction. We discuss to what extent these cognitive processes can account for the paradox between lesion and fMRI results. They are strongly intertwined with the episodic memory and may critically determine in how far the PPC plays a role in a given memory task. Future patient studies might profit from specifically taking these cognitive factors into consideration in the task design. ©2010 The British Psychological Society.

Hippocampal Networks Habituate as Novelty Accumulates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murty, Vishnu P.; Ballard, Ian C.; Macduffie, Katherine E.; Krebs, Ruth M.; Adcock, R. Alison

2013-01-01

Novelty detection, a critical computation within the medial temporal lobe (MTL) memory system, necessarily depends on prior experience. The current study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in humans to investigate dynamic changes in MTL activation and functional connectivity as experience with novelty accumulates. fMRI data were…

Mental Time Travel into the Past and the Future in Healthy Aged Adults: An fMRI Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Viard, Armelle; Chetelat, Gael; Lebreton, Karine; Desgranges, Beatrice; Landeau, Brigitte; de La Sayette, Vincent; Eustache, Francis; Piolino, Pascale

2011-01-01

Remembering the past and envisioning the future rely on episodic memory which enables mental time travel. Studies in young adults indicate that past and future thinking share common cognitive and neural underpinnings. No imaging data is yet available in healthy aged subjects. Using fMRI, we scanned older subjects while they remembered personal…

The Effect of 30% Oxygen on Visuospatial Performance and Brain Activation: An Fmri Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chung, S.C.; Tack, G.R.; Lee, B.; Eom, G.M.; Lee, S.Y.; Sohn, J.H.

2004-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the hypothesis that administration of the air with 30% oxygen compared with normal air (21% oxygen) enhances cognitive functioning through increased activation in the brain. A visuospatial task was presented while brain images were scanned by a 3 T fMRI system. The results showed that there was an improvement in…

Which visual functions depend on intermediate visual regions? Insights from a case of developmental visual form agnosia.

PubMed

Gilaie-Dotan, Sharon

2016-03-01

A key question in visual neuroscience is the causal link between specific brain areas and perceptual functions; which regions are necessary for which visual functions? While the contribution of primary visual cortex and high-level visual regions to visual perception has been extensively investigated, the contribution of intermediate visual areas (e.g. V2/V3) to visual processes remains unclear. Here I review more than 20 visual functions (early, mid, and high-level) of LG, a developmental visual agnosic and prosopagnosic young adult, whose intermediate visual regions function in a significantly abnormal fashion as revealed through extensive fMRI and ERP investigations. While expectedly, some of LG's visual functions are significantly impaired, some of his visual functions are surprisingly normal (e.g. stereopsis, color, reading, biological motion). During the period of eight-year testing described here, LG trained on a perceptual learning paradigm that was successful in improving some but not all of his visual functions. Following LG's visual performance and taking into account additional findings in the field, I propose a framework for how different visual areas contribute to different visual functions, with an emphasis on intermediate visual regions. Thus, although rewiring and plasticity in the brain can occur during development to overcome and compensate for hindering developmental factors, LG's case seems to indicate that some visual functions are much less dependent on strict hierarchical flow than others, and can develop normally in spite of abnormal mid-level visual areas, thereby probably less dependent on intermediate visual regions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fetal brain disruption sequence versus fetal brain arrest: A distinct autosomal recessive developmental brain malformation phenotype.

PubMed

Abdel-Salam, Ghada M H; Abdel-Hamid, Mohamed S; El-Khayat, Hamed A; Eid, Ola M; Saba, Soliman; Farag, Mona K; Saleem, Sahar N; Gaber, Khaled R

2015-05-01

The term fetal brain disruption sequence (FBDS) was coined to describe a number of sporadic conditions caused by numerous external disruptive events presenting with variable imaging findings. However, rare familial occurrences have been reported. We describe five patients (two sib pairs and one sporadic) with congenital severe microcephaly, seizures, and profound intellectual disability. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed unique and uniform picture of underdeveloped cerebral hemispheres with increased extraxial CSF, abnormal gyral pattern (polymicrogyria-like lesions in two sibs and lissencephaly in the others), loss of white matter, dysplastic ventricles, hypogenesis of corpus callosum, and hypoplasia of the brainstem, but hypoplastic cerebellum in one. Fetal magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) of two patients showed the same developmental brain malformations in utero. These imaging findings are in accordance with arrested brain development rather than disruption. Molecular analysis excluded mutations in potentially related genes such as NDE1, MKL2, OCLN, and JAM3. These unique clinical and imaging findings were described before among familial reports with FBDS. However, our patients represent a recognizable phenotype of developmental brain malformations, that is, apparently distinguishable from either familial microhydranencephaly or microlissencephaly that were collectively termed FBDS. Thus, the use of the umbrella term FBDS is no longer helpful. Accordingly, we propose the term fetal brain arrest to distinguish them from other familial patients diagnosed as FBDS. The presence of five affected patients from three unrelated consanguineous families suggests an autosomal-recessive mode of inheritance. The spectrum of fetal brain disruption sequence is reviewed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Prospects of functional magnetic resonance imaging as lie detector.

PubMed

Rusconi, Elena; Mitchener-Nissen, Timothy

2013-09-24

Following the demise of the polygraph, supporters of assisted scientific lie detection tools have enthusiastically appropriated neuroimaging technologies "as the savior of scientifically verifiable lie detection in the courtroom" (Gerard, 2008: 5). These proponents believe the future impact of neuroscience "will be inevitable, dramatic, and will fundamentally alter the way the law does business" (Erickson, 2010: 29); however, such enthusiasm may prove premature. For in nearly every article published by independent researchers in peer reviewed journals, the respective authors acknowledge that fMRI research, processes, and technology are insufficiently developed and understood for gatekeepers to even consider introducing these neuroimaging measures into criminal courts as they stand today for the purpose of determining the veracity of statements made. Regardless of how favorable their analyses of fMRI or its future potential, they all acknowledge the presence of issues yet to be resolved. Even assuming a future where these issues are resolved and an appropriate fMRI lie-detection process is developed, its integration into criminal trials is not assured for the very success of such a future system may necessitate its exclusion from courtrooms on the basis of existing legal and ethical prohibitions. In this piece, aimed for a multidisciplinary readership, we seek to highlight and bring together the multitude of hurdles which would need to be successfully overcome before fMRI can (if ever) be a viable applied lie detection system. We argue that the current status of fMRI studies on lie detection meets neither basic legal nor scientific standards. We identify four general classes of hurdles (scientific, legal and ethical, operational, and social) and provide an overview on the stages and operations involved in fMRI studies, as well as the difficulties of translating these laboratory protocols into a practical criminal justice environment. It is our overall conclusion that fMRI is unlikely to constitute a viable lie detector for criminal courts.

Prospects of functional magnetic resonance imaging as lie detector

PubMed Central

Rusconi, Elena; Mitchener-Nissen, Timothy

2013-01-01

Following the demise of the polygraph, supporters of assisted scientific lie detection tools have enthusiastically appropriated neuroimaging technologies “as the savior of scientifically verifiable lie detection in the courtroom” (Gerard, 2008: 5). These proponents believe the future impact of neuroscience “will be inevitable, dramatic, and will fundamentally alter the way the law does business” (Erickson, 2010: 29); however, such enthusiasm may prove premature. For in nearly every article published by independent researchers in peer reviewed journals, the respective authors acknowledge that fMRI research, processes, and technology are insufficiently developed and understood for gatekeepers to even consider introducing these neuroimaging measures into criminal courts as they stand today for the purpose of determining the veracity of statements made. Regardless of how favorable their analyses of fMRI or its future potential, they all acknowledge the presence of issues yet to be resolved. Even assuming a future where these issues are resolved and an appropriate fMRI lie-detection process is developed, its integration into criminal trials is not assured for the very success of such a future system may necessitate its exclusion from courtrooms on the basis of existing legal and ethical prohibitions. In this piece, aimed for a multidisciplinary readership, we seek to highlight and bring together the multitude of hurdles which would need to be successfully overcome before fMRI can (if ever) be a viable applied lie detection system. We argue that the current status of fMRI studies on lie detection meets neither basic legal nor scientific standards. We identify four general classes of hurdles (scientific, legal and ethical, operational, and social) and provide an overview on the stages and operations involved in fMRI studies, as well as the difficulties of translating these laboratory protocols into a practical criminal justice environment. It is our overall conclusion that fMRI is unlikely to constitute a viable lie detector for criminal courts. PMID:24065912

A receptor-based model for dopamine-induced fMRI signal

PubMed Central

Mandeville, Joseph. B.; Sander, Christin Y. M.; Jenkins, Bruce G.; Hooker, Jacob M.; Catana, Ciprian; Vanduffel, Wim; Alpert, Nathaniel M.; Rosen, Bruce R.; Normandin, Marc D.

2013-01-01

This report describes a multi-receptor physiological model of the fMRI temporal response and signal magnitude evoked by drugs that elevate synaptic dopamine in basal ganglia. The model is formulated as a summation of dopamine’s effects at D1-like and D2-like receptor families, which produce functional excitation and inhibition, respectively, as measured by molecular indicators like adenylate cyclase or neuroimaging techniques like fMRI. Functional effects within the model are described in terms of relative changes in receptor occupancies scaled by receptor densities and neuro-vascular coupling constants. Using literature parameters, the model reconciles many discrepant observations and interpretations of pre-clinical data. Additionally, we present data showing that amphetamine stimulation produces fMRI inhibition at low doses and a biphasic response at higher doses in the basal ganglia of non-human primates (NHP), in agreement with model predictions based upon the respective levels of evoked dopamine. Because information about dopamine release is required to inform the fMRI model, we simultaneously acquired PET 11C-raclopride data in several studies to evaluate the relationship between raclopride displacement and assumptions about dopamine release. At high levels of dopamine release, results suggest that refinements of the model will be required to consistently describe the PET and fMRI data. Overall, the remarkable success of the model in describing a wide range of preclinical fMRI data indicate that this approach will be useful for guiding the design and analysis of basic science and clinical investigations and for interpreting the functional consequences of dopaminergic stimulation in normal subjects and in populations with dopaminergic neuroadaptations. PMID:23466936

Double temporal sparsity based accelerated reconstruction of compressively sensed resting-state fMRI.

PubMed

Aggarwal, Priya; Gupta, Anubha

2017-12-01

A number of reconstruction methods have been proposed recently for accelerated functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) data collection. However, existing methods suffer with the challenge of greater artifacts at high acceleration factors. This paper addresses the issue of accelerating fMRI collection via undersampled k-space measurements combined with the proposed method based on l 1 -l 1 norm constraints, wherein we impose first l 1 -norm sparsity on the voxel time series (temporal data) in the transformed domain and the second l 1 -norm sparsity on the successive difference of the same temporal data. Hence, we name the proposed method as Double Temporal Sparsity based Reconstruction (DTSR) method. The robustness of the proposed DTSR method has been thoroughly evaluated both at the subject level and at the group level on real fMRI data. Results are presented at various acceleration factors. Quantitative analysis in terms of Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) and other metrics, and qualitative analysis in terms of reproducibility of brain Resting State Networks (RSNs) demonstrate that the proposed method is accurate and robust. In addition, the proposed DTSR method preserves brain networks that are important for studying fMRI data. Compared to the existing methods, the DTSR method shows promising potential with an improvement of 10-12 dB in PSNR with acceleration factors upto 3.5 on resting state fMRI data. Simulation results on real data demonstrate that DTSR method can be used to acquire accelerated fMRI with accurate detection of RSNs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A multimodal neuroimaging study of a case of crossed nonfluent/agrammatic primary progressive aphasia.

PubMed

Spinelli, Edoardo G; Caso, Francesca; Agosta, Federica; Gambina, Giuseppe; Magnani, Giuseppe; Canu, Elisa; Blasi, Valeria; Perani, Daniela; Comi, Giancarlo; Falini, Andrea; Gorno-Tempini, Maria Luisa; Filippi, Massimo

2015-10-01

Crossed aphasia has been reported mainly as post-stroke aphasia resulting from brain damage ipsilateral to the dominant right hand. Here, we described a case of a crossed nonfluent/agrammatic primary progressive aphasia (nfvPPA), who developed a corticobasal syndrome (CBS). We collected clinical, cognitive, and neuroimaging data for four consecutive years from a 55-year-old right-handed lady (JV) presenting with speech disturbances. 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ((18)F-FDG PET) and DaT-scan with (123)I-Ioflupane were obtained. Functional MRI (fMRI) during a verb naming task was acquired to characterize patterns of language lateralization. Diffusion tensor MRI was used to evaluate white matter damage within the language network. At onset, JV presented with prominent speech output impairment and right frontal atrophy. After 3 years, language deficits worsened, with the occurrence of a mild agrammatism. The patient also developed a left-sided mild extrapyramidal bradykinetic-rigid syndrome. The clinical picture was suggestive of nfvPPA with mild left-sided extrapyramidal syndrome. At this time, voxel-wise SPM analyses of (18)F-FDG PET and structural MRI showed right greater than left frontal hypometabolism and damage, which included the Broca's area. DaT-scan showed a reduced uptake in the right striatum. FMRI during naming task demonstrated bilateral language activations, and tractography showed right superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) involvement. Over the following year, JV became mute and developed frank left-sided motor signs and symptoms, evolving into a CBS clinical picture. Brain atrophy worsened in frontal areas bilaterally, and extended to temporo-parietal regions, still with a right-sided asymmetry. Tractography showed an extension of damage to the left SLF and right inferior longitudinal fasciculus. We report a case of crossed nfvPPA followed longitudinally and studied with advanced neuroimaging techniques. The results highlight a complex interaction between individual premorbid developmental differences and the clinical phenotype.

Neural processing of food and emotional stimuli in adolescent and adult anorexia nervosa patients

PubMed Central

Forster, Clemens; Dörfler, Arnd; Lindsiepe, Silja; Heinrich, Hartmut; Graap, Holmer; Moll, Gunther H.; Kratz, Oliver

2018-01-01

Background A constant preoccupation with food and restrictive eating are main symptoms of anorexia nervosa (AN). Imaging studies revealed aberrant neural activation patterns in brain regions processing hedonic and reward reactions as well as–potentially aversive–emotions. An imbalance between so called “bottom-up” and “top-down” control areas is discussed. The present study is focusing on neural processing of disease-specific food stimuli and emotional stimuli and its developmental course in adolescent and adult AN patients and could offer new insight into differential mechanisms underlying shorter or more chronic disease. Methods 33 adolescents aged 12–18 years (15 AN patients, 18 control participants) and 32 adult women (16 AN patients, 16 control participants) underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI, 3T high-field scanner) while watching pictures of high and low-calorie food and affective stimuli. Afterwards, they rated subjective valence of each picture. FMRI data analysis was performed using a region of interest based approach. Results Pictures of high-calorie food items were rated more negatively by AN patients. Differences in activation between patients and controls were found in “bottom up” and “top down” control areas for food stimuli and in several emotion processing regions for affective stimuli which were more pronounced in adolescents than in adults. Conclusion A differential pattern was seen for food stimuli compared to generally emotion eliciting stimuli. Adolescents with AN show reduced processing of affective stimuli and enhanced activation of regions involved in “bottom up” reward processing and “top down” control as well as the insula with regard to food stimuli with a focus on brain regions which underlie changes during adolescent development. In adults less clear and less specific activation differences were present, pointing towards a high impact that regions undergoing maturation might have on AN symptoms. PMID:29579064

Tracking the Re-organization of Motor Functions After Disconnective Surgery: A Longitudinal fMRI and DTI Study

PubMed Central

Rosazza, Cristina; Deleo, Francesco; D'Incerti, Ludovico; Antelmi, Luigi; Tringali, Giovanni; Didato, Giuseppe; Bruzzone, Maria G.; Villani, Flavio; Ghielmetti, Francesco

2018-01-01

Objective: Mechanisms of motor plasticity are critical to maintain motor functions after cerebral damage. This study explores the mechanisms of motor reorganization occurring before and after surgery in four patients with drug-refractory epilepsy candidate to disconnective surgery. Methods: We studied four patients with early damage, who underwent tailored hemispheric surgery in adulthood, removing the cortical motor areas and disconnecting the corticospinal tract (CST) from the affected hemisphere. Motor functions were assessed clinically, with functional MRI (fMRI) tasks of arm and leg movement and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) before and after surgery with assessments of up to 3 years. Quantifications of fMRI motor activations and DTI fractional anisotropy (FA) color maps were performed to assess the lateralization of motor network. We hypothesized that lateralization of motor circuits assessed preoperatively with fMRI and DTI was useful to evaluate the motor outcome in these patients. Results: In two cases preoperative DTI-tractography did not reconstruct the CST, and FA-maps were strongly asymmetric. In the other two cases, the affected CST appeared reduced compared to the contralateral one, with modest asymmetry in the FA-maps. fMRI showed different degrees of lateralization of the motor network and the SMA of the intact hemisphere was mostly engaged in all cases. After surgery, patients with a strongly lateralized motor network showed a stable performance. By contrast, a patient with a more bilateral pattern showed worsening of the upper limb function. For all cases, fMRI activations shifted to the intact hemisphere. Structural alterations of motor circuits, observed with FA values, continued beyond 1 year after surgery. Conclusion: In our case series fMRI and DTI could track the longitudinal reorganization of motor functions. In these four patients the more the paretic limbs recruited the intact hemisphere in primary motor and associative areas, the greater the chances were of maintaining elementary motor functions after adult surgery. In particular, DTI-tractography and quantification of FA-maps were useful to assess the lateralization of motor network. In these cases reorganization of motor connectivity continued for long time periods after surgery. PMID:29922216

Tracking the Re-organization of Motor Functions After Disconnective Surgery: A Longitudinal fMRI and DTI Study.

PubMed

Rosazza, Cristina; Deleo, Francesco; D'Incerti, Ludovico; Antelmi, Luigi; Tringali, Giovanni; Didato, Giuseppe; Bruzzone, Maria G; Villani, Flavio; Ghielmetti, Francesco

2018-01-01

Objective: Mechanisms of motor plasticity are critical to maintain motor functions after cerebral damage. This study explores the mechanisms of motor reorganization occurring before and after surgery in four patients with drug-refractory epilepsy candidate to disconnective surgery. Methods: We studied four patients with early damage, who underwent tailored hemispheric surgery in adulthood, removing the cortical motor areas and disconnecting the corticospinal tract (CST) from the affected hemisphere. Motor functions were assessed clinically, with functional MRI (fMRI) tasks of arm and leg movement and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) before and after surgery with assessments of up to 3 years. Quantifications of fMRI motor activations and DTI fractional anisotropy (FA) color maps were performed to assess the lateralization of motor network. We hypothesized that lateralization of motor circuits assessed preoperatively with fMRI and DTI was useful to evaluate the motor outcome in these patients. Results: In two cases preoperative DTI-tractography did not reconstruct the CST, and FA-maps were strongly asymmetric. In the other two cases, the affected CST appeared reduced compared to the contralateral one, with modest asymmetry in the FA-maps. fMRI showed different degrees of lateralization of the motor network and the SMA of the intact hemisphere was mostly engaged in all cases. After surgery, patients with a strongly lateralized motor network showed a stable performance. By contrast, a patient with a more bilateral pattern showed worsening of the upper limb function. For all cases, fMRI activations shifted to the intact hemisphere. Structural alterations of motor circuits, observed with FA values, continued beyond 1 year after surgery. Conclusion: In our case series fMRI and DTI could track the longitudinal reorganization of motor functions. In these four patients the more the paretic limbs recruited the intact hemisphere in primary motor and associative areas, the greater the chances were of maintaining elementary motor functions after adult surgery. In particular, DTI-tractography and quantification of FA-maps were useful to assess the lateralization of motor network. In these cases reorganization of motor connectivity continued for long time periods after surgery.

Cognitive dissonance induction in everyday life: An fMRI study.

PubMed

de Vries, Jan; Byrne, Mark; Kehoe, Elizabeth

2015-01-01

This functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study explored the neural substrates of cognitive dissonance during dissonance "induction." A novel task was developed based on the results of a separate item selection study (n = 125). Items were designed to generate dissonance by prompting participants to reflect on everyday personal experiences that were inconsistent with values they had expressed support for. One experimental condition (dissonance) and three control conditions (justification, consonance, and non-self-related inconsistency) were used for comparison. Items of all four types were presented to each participant (n = 14) in a randomized design. The fMRI analysis used a whole-brain approach focusing on the moments dissonance was induced. Results showed that in comparison with the control conditions the dissonance experience led to higher levels of activation in several brain regions. Specifically dissonance was associated with increased neural activation in key brain regions including the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), anterior insula, inferior frontal gyrus, and precuneus. This supports current perspectives that emphasize the role of anterior cingulate and insula in dissonance processing. Less extensive activation in the prefrontal cortex than in some previous studies is consistent with this study's emphasis on dissonance induction, rather than reduction. This article also contains a short review and comparison with other fMRI studies of cognitive dissonance.

The insula is not specifically involved in disgust processing: an fMRI study.

PubMed

Schienle, A; Stark, R; Walter, B; Blecker, C; Ott, U; Kirsch, P; Sammer, G; Vaitl, D

2002-11-15

fMRI studies have shown that the perception of facial disgust expressions specifically activates the insula. The present fMRI study investigated whether this structure is also involved in the processing of visual stimuli depicting non-mimic disgust elicitors compared to fear-inducing and neutral scenes. Twelve female subjects were scanned while viewing alternating blocks of 40 disgust-inducing, 40 fear-inducing and 40 affectively neutral pictures, shown for 1.5 s each. Afterwards, affective ratings were assessed. The disgust pictures, rated as highly repulsive, induced activation in the insula, the amygdala, the orbitofrontal and occipito-temporal cortex. Since during the fear condition the insula was also involved, our findings do not fit the idea of the insula as a specific disgust processor.

Age-Related Variability in Cortical Activity during Language Processing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fridriksson, Julius; Morrow, K. Leigh; Moser, Dana; Baylis, Gordon C.

2006-01-01

Purpose: The present study investigated the extent of cortical activity during overt picture naming using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Method: Participants comprised 20 healthy, adult participants with ages ranging from 20 to 82 years. While undergoing fMRI, participants completed a picture-naming task consisting of 60…

Autobiographical Memory in Semantic Dementia: A Longitudinal fMRI Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maguire, Eleanor A.; Kumaran, Dharshan; Hassabis, Demis; Kopelman, Michael D.

2010-01-01

Whilst patients with semantic dementia (SD) are known to suffer from semantic memory and language impairments, there is less agreement about whether memory for personal everyday experiences, autobiographical memory, is compromised. In healthy individuals, functional MRI (fMRI) has helped to delineate a consistent and distributed brain network…

Item Memory, Context Memory and the Hippocampus: fMRI Evidence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rugg, Michael D.; Vilberg, Kaia L.; Mattson, Julia T.; Yu, Sarah S.; Johnson, Jeffrey D.; Suzuki, Maki

2012-01-01

Dual-process models of recognition memory distinguish between the retrieval of qualitative information about a prior event (recollection), and judgments of prior occurrence based on an acontextual sense of familiarity. fMRI studies investigating the neural correlates of memory encoding and retrieval conducted within the dual-process framework have…

A Dictionary Learning Approach for Signal Sampling in Task-Based fMRI for Reduction of Big Data

PubMed Central

Ge, Bao; Li, Xiang; Jiang, Xi; Sun, Yifei; Liu, Tianming

2018-01-01

The exponential growth of fMRI big data offers researchers an unprecedented opportunity to explore functional brain networks. However, this opportunity has not been fully explored yet due to the lack of effective and efficient tools for handling such fMRI big data. One major challenge is that computing capabilities still lag behind the growth of large-scale fMRI databases, e.g., it takes many days to perform dictionary learning and sparse coding of whole-brain fMRI data for an fMRI database of average size. Therefore, how to reduce the data size but without losing important information becomes a more and more pressing issue. To address this problem, we propose a signal sampling approach for significant fMRI data reduction before performing structurally-guided dictionary learning and sparse coding of whole brain's fMRI data. We compared the proposed structurally guided sampling method with no sampling, random sampling and uniform sampling schemes, and experiments on the Human Connectome Project (HCP) task fMRI data demonstrated that the proposed method can achieve more than 15 times speed-up without sacrificing the accuracy in identifying task-evoked functional brain networks. PMID:29706880

A Dictionary Learning Approach for Signal Sampling in Task-Based fMRI for Reduction of Big Data.

PubMed

Ge, Bao; Li, Xiang; Jiang, Xi; Sun, Yifei; Liu, Tianming

2018-01-01

The exponential growth of fMRI big data offers researchers an unprecedented opportunity to explore functional brain networks. However, this opportunity has not been fully explored yet due to the lack of effective and efficient tools for handling such fMRI big data. One major challenge is that computing capabilities still lag behind the growth of large-scale fMRI databases, e.g., it takes many days to perform dictionary learning and sparse coding of whole-brain fMRI data for an fMRI database of average size. Therefore, how to reduce the data size but without losing important information becomes a more and more pressing issue. To address this problem, we propose a signal sampling approach for significant fMRI data reduction before performing structurally-guided dictionary learning and sparse coding of whole brain's fMRI data. We compared the proposed structurally guided sampling method with no sampling, random sampling and uniform sampling schemes, and experiments on the Human Connectome Project (HCP) task fMRI data demonstrated that the proposed method can achieve more than 15 times speed-up without sacrificing the accuracy in identifying task-evoked functional brain networks.

The Stroop Effect in Kana and Kanji Scripts in Native Japanese Speakers: An fMRI Study

PubMed Central

Coderre, Emily L.; Filippi, Christopher G.; Newhouse, Paul A.; Dumas, Julie A.

2008-01-01

Prior research has shown that the two writing systems of the Japanese orthography are processed differently: kana (syllabic symbols) are processed like other phonetic languages such as English, while kanji (a logographic writing system) are processed like other logographic languages like Chinese. Previous work done with the Stroop task in Japanese has shown that these differences in processing strategies create differences in Stroop effects. This study investigated the Stroop effect in kanji and kana using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine the similarities and differences in brain processing between logographic and phonetic languages. Nine native Japanese speakers performed the Stroop task both in kana and kanji scripts during fMRI. Both scripts individually produced significant Stroop effects as measured by the behavioral reaction time data. The imaging data for both scripts showed brain activation in the anterior cingulate gyrus, an area involved in inhibiting automatic processing. Though behavioral data showed no significant differences between the Stroop effects in kana and kanji, there were differential areas of activation in fMRI found for each writing system. In fMRI, the Stroop task activated an area in the left inferior parietal lobule during the kana task and the left inferior frontal gyrus during the kanji task. The results of the present study suggest that the Stroop task in Japanese kana and kanji elicits differential activation in brain regions involved in conflict detection and resolution for syllabic and logographic writing systems. PMID:18325582

A computerized tablet with visual feedback of hand position for functional magnetic resonance imaging

PubMed Central

Karimpoor, Mahta; Tam, Fred; Strother, Stephen C.; Fischer, Corinne E.; Schweizer, Tom A.; Graham, Simon J.

2015-01-01

Neuropsychological tests behavioral tasks that very commonly involve handwriting and drawing are widely used in the clinic to detect abnormal brain function. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) may be useful in increasing the specificity of such tests. However, performing complex pen-and-paper tests during fMRI involves engineering challenges. Previously, we developed an fMRI-compatible, computerized tablet system to address this issue. However, the tablet did not include visual feedback of hand position (VFHP), a human factors component that may be important for fMRI of certain patient populations. A real-time system was thus developed to provide VFHP and integrated with the tablet in an augmented reality display. The effectiveness of the system was initially tested in young healthy adults who performed various handwriting tasks in front of a computer display with and without VFHP. Pilot fMRI of writing tasks were performed by two representative individuals with and without VFHP. Quantitative analysis of the behavioral results indicated improved writing performance with VFHP. The pilot fMRI results suggest that writing with VFHP requires less neural resources compared to the without VFHP condition, to maintain similar behavior. Thus, the tablet system with VFHP is recommended for future fMRI studies involving patients with impaired brain function and where ecologically valid behavior is important. PMID:25859201

A Novel Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Paradigm for the Preoperative Assessment of Auditory Perception in a Musician Undergoing Temporal Lobe Surgery.

PubMed

Hale, Matthew D; Zaman, Arshad; Morrall, Matthew C H J; Chumas, Paul; Maguire, Melissa J

2018-03-01

Presurgical evaluation for temporal lobe epilepsy routinely assesses speech and memory lateralization and anatomic localization of the motor and visual areas but not baseline musical processing. This is paramount in a musician. Although validated tools exist to assess musical ability, there are no reported functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigms to assess musical processing. We examined the utility of a novel fMRI paradigm in an 18-year-old left-handed pianist who underwent surgery for a left temporal low-grade ganglioglioma. Preoperative evaluation consisted of neuropsychological evaluation, T1-weighted and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, and fMRI. Auditory blood oxygen level-dependent fMRI was performed using a dedicated auditory scanning sequence. Three separate auditory investigations were conducted: listening to, humming, and thinking about a musical piece. All auditory fMRI paradigms activated the primary auditory cortex with varying degrees of auditory lateralization. Thinking about the piece additionally activated the primary visual cortices (bilaterally) and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Humming demonstrated left-sided predominance of auditory cortex activation with activity observed in close proximity to the tumor. This study demonstrated an fMRI paradigm for evaluating musical processing that could form part of preoperative assessment for patients undergoing temporal lobe surgery for epilepsy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Connectome Signatures of Neurocognitive Abnormalities in Euthymic Bipolar I Disorder

PubMed Central

Ajilore, Olusola; Vizueta, Nathalie; Walshaw, Patricia; Zhan, Liang; Leow, Alex; Altshuler, Lori L.

2015-01-01

Objectives Connectomics have allowed researchers to study integrative patterns of neural connectivity in humans. Yet, it is unclear how connectomics may elucidate structure-function relationships in bipolar I disorder (BPI). Expanding on our previous structural connectome study, here we used an overlapping sample with additional psychometric and fMRI data to relate structural connectome properties to both fMRI signals and cognitive performance. Methods 42 subjects completed a neuropsychological (NP) battery covering domains of processing speed, verbal memory, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. 32 subjects also had fMRI data performing a Go/NoGo task. Results Bipolar participants had lower NP performance across all domains, but only working memory reached statistical significance. In BPI participants, processing speed was significantly associated with both white matter integrity (WMI) in the corpus callosum and interhemispheric network integration. Mediation models further revealed that the relationship between interhemispheric integration and processing speed was mediated by WMI, and processing speed mediated the relationship between WMI and working memory. Bipolar subjects had significantly decreased BA47 activation during NoGo vs. Go. Significant predictors of BA47 fMRI activations during the Go/NoGo task were its nodal path length (left hemisphere) and its nodal clustering coefficient (right hemisphere). Conclusions This study suggests that structural connectome changes underlie abnormalities in fMRI activation and cognitive performance in euthymic BPI subjects. Results support that BA47 structural connectome changes may be a trait marker for BPI. Future studies are needed to determine if these “connectome signatures” may also confer a biological risk and/or serve as predictors of relapse. PMID:26228398

STABILITY OF FMRI STRIATAL RESPONSE TO ALCOHOL CUES: A HIERARCHICAL LINEAR MODELING APPROACH

PubMed Central

Schacht, Joseph P.; Anton, Raymond F.; Randall, Patrick K.; Li, Xingbao; Henderson, Scott; Myrick, Hugh

2011-01-01

In functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of alcohol-dependent individuals, alcohol cues elicit activation of the ventral and dorsal aspects of the striatum (VS and DS), which are believed to underlie aspects of reward learning critical to the initiation and maintenance of alcohol dependence. Cue-elicited striatal activation may represent a biological substrate through which treatment efficacy may be measured. However, to be useful for this purpose, VS or DS activation must first demonstrate stability across time. Using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), this study tested the stability of cue-elicited activation in anatomically and functionally defined regions of interest in bilateral VS and DS. Nine non-treatment-seeking alcohol-dependent participants twice completed an alcohol cue reactivity task during two fMRI scans separated by 14 days. HLM analyses demonstrated that, across all participants, alcohol cues elicited significant activation in each of the regions of interest. At the group level, these activations attenuated slightly between scans, but session-wise differences were not significant. Within-participants stability was best in the anatomically defined right VS and DS and in a functionally defined region that encompassed right caudate and putamen (intraclass correlation coefficients of .75, .81, and .76, respectively). Thus, within this small sample, alcohol cue-elicited fMRI activation had good reliability in the right striatum, though a larger sample is necessary to ensure generalizability and further evaluate stability. This study also demonstrates the utility of HLM analytic techniques for serial fMRI studies, in which separating within-participants variance (individual changes in activation) from between-participants factors (time or treatment) is critical. PMID:21316465

Neural substrates of smoking cue reactivity: A meta-analysis of fMRI studies

PubMed Central

Engelmann, Jeffrey M.; Versace, Francesco; Robinson, Jason D.; Minnix, Jennifer A.; Lam, Cho Y.; Cui, Yong; Brown, Victoria L.; Cinciripini, Paul M.

2012-01-01

Reactivity to smoking-related cues may be an important factor that precipitates relapse in smokers who are trying to quit. The neurobiology of smoking cue reactivity has been investigated in several fMRI studies. We combined the results of these studies using activation likelihood estimation, a meta-analytic technique for fMRI data. Results of the meta-analysis indicated that smoking cues reliably evoke larger fMRI responses than neutral cues in the extended visual system, precuneus, posterior cingulate gyrus, anterior cingulate gyrus, dorsal and medial prefrontal cortex, insula, and dorsal striatum. Subtraction meta-analyses revealed that parts of the extended visual system and dorsal prefrontal cortex are more reliably responsive to smoking cues in deprived smokers than in non-deprived smokers, and that short-duration cues presented in event-related designs produce larger responses in the extended visual system than long-duration cues presented in blocked designs. The areas that were found to be responsive to smoking cues agree with theories of the neurobiology of cue reactivity, with two exceptions. First, there was a reliable cue reactivity effect in the precuneus, which is not typically considered a brain region important to addiction. Second, we found no significant effect in the nucleus accumbens, an area that plays a critical role in addiction, but this effect may have been due to technical difficulties associated with measuring fMRI data in that region. The results of this meta-analysis suggest that the extended visual system should receive more attention in future studies of smoking cue reactivity. PMID:22206965

fMRI amygdala activation during a spontaneous panic attack in a patient with panic disorder.

PubMed

Pfleiderer, Bettina; Zinkirciran, Sariye; Arolt, Volker; Heindel, Walter; Deckert, Juergen; Domschke, Katharina

2007-01-01

Previous studies on neuronal activation correlates of panic attacks were mostly based on challenge tests, sensory-related stimulation or fear conditioning in healthy subjects. In the present study, we report on a female patient with panic disorder experiencing a spontaneous panic attack under an auditory habituation paradigm in the last stimulation block with sine tones captured with fMRI at 3T. The panic attack was associated with a significantly increased activity in the right amygdala. This is the first report on neuronal activation correlates of a spontaneous panic attack in a patient with panic disorder as measured by fMRI, which lends further support to a pivotal role of the amygdala in the pathogenesis of the disease.

Visual feature extraction from voxel-weighted averaging of stimulus images in 2 fMRI studies.

PubMed

Hart, Corey B; Rose, William J

2013-11-01

Multiple studies have provided evidence for distributed object representation in the brain, with several recent experiments leveraging basis function estimates for partial image reconstruction from fMRI data. Using a novel combination of statistical decomposition, generalized linear models, and stimulus averaging on previously examined image sets and Bayesian regression of recorded fMRI activity during presentation of these data sets, we identify a subset of relevant voxels that appear to code for covarying object features. Using a technique we term "voxel-weighted averaging," we isolate image filters that these voxels appear to implement. The results, though very cursory, appear to have significant implications for hierarchical and deep-learning-type approaches toward the understanding of neural coding and representation.

Real-Time Tracking of Motor Response Activation and Response Competition in a Stroop Task in Young Children: A Lateralized Readiness Potential Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Szucs, Denes; Soltesz, Fruzsina; Bryce, Donna; Whitebread, David

2009-01-01

The ability to select an appropriate motor response by resolving competition among alternative responses plays a major role in cognitive performance. fMRI studies suggest that the development of this skill is related to the maturation of the frontal cortex that underlies the improvement of motor inhibition abilities. However, fMRI cannot…

Effect of Observation of Simple Hand Movement on Brain Activations in Patients with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy: An fMRI Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dinomais, Mickael; Lignon, Gregoire; Chinier, Eva; Richard, Isabelle; Minassian, Aram Ter; The Tich, Sylvie N'Guyen

2013-01-01

The aim of this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study was to examine and compare brain activation in patients with unilateral cerebral palsy (CP) during observation of simple hand movement performed by the paretic and nonparetic hand. Nineteen patients with clinical unilateral CP (14 male, mean age 14 years, 7-21 years) participated…

Differential fMRI Activation Patterns to Noxious Heat and Tactile Stimuli in the Primate Spinal Cord

PubMed Central

Yang, Pai-Feng; Wang, Feng

2015-01-01

Mesoscale local functional organizations of the primate spinal cord are largely unknown. Using high-resolution fMRI at 9.4 T, we identified distinct interhorn and intersegment fMRI activation patterns to tactile versus nociceptive heat stimulation of digits in lightly anesthetized monkeys. Within a spinal segment, 8 Hz vibrotactile stimuli elicited predominantly fMRI activations in the middle part of ipsilateral dorsal horn (iDH), along with significantly weaker activations in ipsilateral (iVH) and contralateral (cVH) ventral horns. In contrast, nociceptive heat stimuli evoked widespread strong activations in the superficial part of iDH, as well as in iVH and contralateral dorsal (cDH) horns. As controls, only weak signal fluctuations were detected in the white matter. The iDH responded most strongly to both tactile and heat stimuli, whereas the cVH and cDH responded selectively to tactile versus nociceptive heat, respectively. Across spinal segments, iDH activations were detected in three consecutive segments in both tactile and heat conditions. Heat responses, however, were more extensive along the cord, with strong activations in iVH and cDH in two consecutive segments. Subsequent subunit B of cholera toxin tracer histology confirmed that the spinal segments showing fMRI activations indeed received afferent inputs from the stimulated digits. Comparisons of the fMRI signal time courses in early somatosensory area 3b and iDH revealed very similar hemodynamic stimulus–response functions. In summary, we identified with fMRI distinct segmental networks for the processing of tactile and nociceptive heat stimuli in the cervical spinal cord of nonhuman primates. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This is the first fMRI demonstration of distinct intrasegmental and intersegmental nociceptive heat and touch processing circuits in the spinal cord of nonhuman primates. This study provides novel insights into the local functional organizations of the primate spinal cord for pain and touch, information that will be valuable for designing and optimizing therapeutic interventions for chronic pain management. PMID:26203144

Age-related differences in memory-encoding fMRI responses after accounting for decline in vascular reactivity

PubMed Central

Liu, Peiying; Hebrank, Andrew C.; Rodrigue, Karen M.; Kennedy, Kristen M.; Section, Jarren; Park, Denise C.; Lu, Hanzhang

2013-01-01

BOLD fMRI has provided a wealth of information about the aging brain. A common finding is that posterior regions of the brain manifest an age-related decrease in activation while the anterior regions show an age-related increase. Several neurocognitive models have been proposed to interpret these findings. However, one issue that has not been sufficiently considered to date is that the BOLD signal is based on vascular responses secondary to neural activity. Thus the above findings could be in part due to a vascular change, especially in view of the expected decline of vascular health with age. In the present study, we aim to examine age-related differences in memory-encoding fMRI response in the context of vascular aging. One hundred and thirty healthy subjects ranging from 20 to 89 years old underwent a scene-viewing fMRI task and, in the same session, cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) was measured in each subject using a CO2-inhalation task. Without accounting for the influence of vascular changes, the task-activated fMRI signal showed the typical age-related decrease in visual cortex and medial temporal lobe (MTL), but manifested an increase in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). In the same individuals, an age-related CVR reduction was observed in all of these regions. We then used a previously proposed normalization approach to calculate a CVR-corrected fMRI signal, which was defined as the uncorrected signal divided by CVR. Based on the CVR-corrected fMRI signal, an age-related increase is now seen in both the left and right side of IFG; and no brain regions showed a signal decrease with age. We additionally used a model-based approach to examine the fMRI data in the context of CVR, which again suggested an age-related change in the two frontal regions, but not in the visual and MTL regions. PMID:23624491

[Asperger syndrome with highly exceptional calendar memory: a case report].

PubMed

Sevik, Ali Emre; Cengel Kültür, Ebru; Demirel, Hilal; Karlı Oğuz, Kader; Akça, Onur; Lay Ergün, Eser; Demir, Başaran

2010-01-01

Some patients with pervasive developmental disorders develop unusual talents, which are characterized as savant syndrome. Herein we present neuropsychological examination and brain imaging (fMRI and brain SPECT) findings of an 18-year-old male with Asperger syndrome and highly unusual calendar memory. Neuropsychological evaluation of the case indicated mild attention, memory, and problem solving deficits, and severe executive function deficits that included conceptualization, category formation, and abstraction. Functional MRI findings showed activation above the baseline level (P<0.05) in the bilateral inferior parietal lobule, precuneus, superior and middle frontal gyri, and medial frontal cortex. Brain SPECT findings, in comparison to rest-SPECT findings, showed that there was hypoperfusion in some brain regions, including the right frontal cortex and right parietal cortex. Baseline blood perfusion in the left frontal cortex was also observed, as well as hypoperfusion in the right parietal-occipital cortex and in the right basal ganglion (compared to the left side). The results of the present study and further research will contribute to our understanding of calendar memory and savant syndrome.

Resting-state fMRI in sleeping infants more closely resembles adult sleep than adult wakefulness

PubMed Central

Snyder, Abraham Z.; Tagliazucchi, Enzo; Laufs, Helmut; Elison, Jed; Emerson, Robert W.; Shen, Mark D.; Wolff, Jason J.; Botteron, Kelly N.; Dager, Stephen; Estes, Annette M.; Evans, Alan; Gerig, Guido; Hazlett, Heather C.; Paterson, Sarah J.; Schultz, Robert T.; Styner, Martin A.; Zwaigenbaum, Lonnie; Schlaggar, Bradley L.

2017-01-01

Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) in infants enables important studies of functional brain organization early in human development. However, rs-fMRI in infants has universally been obtained during sleep to reduce participant motion artifact, raising the question of whether differences in functional organization between awake adults and sleeping infants that are commonly attributed to development may instead derive, at least in part, from sleep. This question is especially important as rs-fMRI differences in adult wake vs. sleep are well documented. To investigate this question, we compared functional connectivity and BOLD signal propagation patterns in 6, 12, and 24 month old sleeping infants with patterns in adult wakefulness and non-REM sleep. We find that important functional connectivity features seen during infant sleep closely resemble those seen during adult sleep, including reduced default mode network functional connectivity. However, we also find differences between infant and adult sleep, especially in thalamic BOLD signal propagation patterns. These findings highlight the importance of considering sleep state when drawing developmental inferences in infant rs-fMRI. PMID:29149191

Task positive and default mode networks during a working memory in children with primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis and healthy controls.

PubMed

Zhang, Kaihua; Ma, Jun; Lei, Du; Wang, Mengxing; Zhang, Jilei; Du, Xiaoxia

2015-10-01

Nocturnal enuresis is a common developmental disorder in children, and primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (PMNE) is the dominant subtype. This study investigated brain functional abnormalities that are specifically related to working memory in children with PMNE using function magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in combination with an n-back task. Twenty children with PMNE and 20 healthy children, group-matched for age and sex, participated in this experiment. Several brain regions exhibited reduced activation during the n-back task in children with PMNE, including the right precentral gyrus and the right inferior parietal lobule extending to the postcentral gyrus. Children with PMNE exhibited decreased cerebral activation in the task-positive network, increased task-related cerebral deactivation during a working memory task, and longer response times. Patients exhibited different brain response patterns to different levels of working memory and tended to compensate by greater default mode network deactivation to sustain normal working memory function. Our results suggest that children with PMNE have potential working memory dysfunction.

Resting-state fMRI in sleeping infants more closely resembles adult sleep than adult wakefulness.

PubMed

Mitra, Anish; Snyder, Abraham Z; Tagliazucchi, Enzo; Laufs, Helmut; Elison, Jed; Emerson, Robert W; Shen, Mark D; Wolff, Jason J; Botteron, Kelly N; Dager, Stephen; Estes, Annette M; Evans, Alan; Gerig, Guido; Hazlett, Heather C; Paterson, Sarah J; Schultz, Robert T; Styner, Martin A; Zwaigenbaum, Lonnie; Schlaggar, Bradley L; Piven, Joseph; Pruett, John R; Raichle, Marcus

2017-01-01

Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) in infants enables important studies of functional brain organization early in human development. However, rs-fMRI in infants has universally been obtained during sleep to reduce participant motion artifact, raising the question of whether differences in functional organization between awake adults and sleeping infants that are commonly attributed to development may instead derive, at least in part, from sleep. This question is especially important as rs-fMRI differences in adult wake vs. sleep are well documented. To investigate this question, we compared functional connectivity and BOLD signal propagation patterns in 6, 12, and 24 month old sleeping infants with patterns in adult wakefulness and non-REM sleep. We find that important functional connectivity features seen during infant sleep closely resemble those seen during adult sleep, including reduced default mode network functional connectivity. However, we also find differences between infant and adult sleep, especially in thalamic BOLD signal propagation patterns. These findings highlight the importance of considering sleep state when drawing developmental inferences in infant rs-fMRI.

Emotional reactivity and its impact on neural circuitry for attention-emotion interaction in childhood and adolescence

PubMed Central

Perlman, Susan B.; Hein, Tyler C.; Stepp, Stephanie D.

2013-01-01

Attention modulation when confronted with emotional stimuli is considered a critical aspect of executive function, yet rarely studied during childhood and adolescence, a developmental period marked with changes in these processes. We employed a novel, and child-friendly fMRI task that used emotional faces to investigate the neural underpinnings of the attention-emotion interaction in a child and adolescent sample (n=23, Age m=13.46, sd=2.86, range=8.05–16.93 years). Results implied modulation of activation in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) due to emotional distractor valence, which marginally correlated with participant age. Additionally, parent-reported emotional reactivity predicted the trajectory of BOLD signal increase for fearful emotional face distractors such that participants low in emotional reactivity had a steeper latency to peak activation. Results imply that the use of the OFC to modulate attention in the face of social/emotional stimuli may mature with age and may be tightly coupled with adaptive emotional functioning. Findings are discussed in the context of risk for the development of psychiatric disorders, where increased emotional reactivity is particularly apparent. PMID:24055416

A Systematic Review of fMRI Reward Paradigms in Adolescents versus Adults: The Impact of Task Design and Implications for Understanding Neurodevelopment

PubMed Central

Richards, Jessica M.; Plate, Rista C.; Ernst, Monique

2013-01-01

The neural systems underlying reward-related behaviors across development have recently generated a great amount of interest. Yet, the neurodevelopmental literature on reward processing is marked by inconsistencies due to the heterogeneity of the reward paradigms used, the complexity of the behaviors being studied, and the developing brain itself as a moving target. The present review will examine task design as one source of variability across findings by compiling this literature along three dimensions: (1) task structures, (2) cognitive processes, and (3) neural systems. We start with the presentation of a heuristic neural systems model, the Triadic Model, as a way to provide a theoretical framework for the neuroscience research on motivated behaviors. We then discuss the principles guiding reward task development. Finally, we review the extant developmental neuroimaging literature on reward-related processing, organized by reward task type. We hope that this approach will help to clarify the literature on the functional neurodevelopment of reward-related neural systems, and to identify the role of the experimental parameters that significantly influence these findings. PMID:23518270

“The Cooties Effect”: Amygdala Reactivity to Opposite-versus Same-sex Faces Declines from Childhood to Adolescence

PubMed Central

Telzer, Eva H.; Flannery, Jessica; Humphreys, Kathryn L.; Goff, Bonnie; Gabard-Durman, Laurel; Gee, Dylan G.; Tottenham, Nim

2017-01-01

One of the most important social identities that children learn to define themselves and others by is sex, becoming a salient social category by early childhood. Although older children begin to show greater flexibility in their gendered behaviors and attitudes, gender rigidity intensifies again around the time of puberty. In the current study, we assessed behavioral and neural biases to sex across a wide age group. Ninety-three youth (ages 7–17 years) provided behavioral rating of same- and opposite-sex attitudes, and 52 youth (ages 4–18 years) underwent an fMRI scan as they matched the emotion of same- and opposite-sex faces. We demonstrate significant age-related behavioral biases of sex that are mediated by differential amygdala response to opposite-sex relative to same-sex faces in children, an effect that completely attenuates by the teenage years. Moreover, we find a second peak in amygdala sensitivity to opposite-sex faces around the time of puberty. Thus, the amygdala codes for developmentally dependent and motivationally relevant social identification across development. PMID:25848681

PCA leverage: outlier detection for high-dimensional functional magnetic resonance imaging data.

PubMed

Mejia, Amanda F; Nebel, Mary Beth; Eloyan, Ani; Caffo, Brian; Lindquist, Martin A

2017-07-01

Outlier detection for high-dimensional (HD) data is a popular topic in modern statistical research. However, one source of HD data that has received relatively little attention is functional magnetic resonance images (fMRI), which consists of hundreds of thousands of measurements sampled at hundreds of time points. At a time when the availability of fMRI data is rapidly growing-primarily through large, publicly available grassroots datasets-automated quality control and outlier detection methods are greatly needed. We propose principal components analysis (PCA) leverage and demonstrate how it can be used to identify outlying time points in an fMRI run. Furthermore, PCA leverage is a measure of the influence of each observation on the estimation of principal components, which are often of interest in fMRI data. We also propose an alternative measure, PCA robust distance, which is less sensitive to outliers and has controllable statistical properties. The proposed methods are validated through simulation studies and are shown to be highly accurate. We also conduct a reliability study using resting-state fMRI data from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange and find that removal of outliers using the proposed methods results in more reliable estimation of subject-level resting-state networks using independent components analysis. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Study of tonotopic brain changes with functional MRI and FDG-PET in a patient with unilateral objective cochlear tinnitus.

PubMed

Guinchard, A-C; Ghazaleh, Naghmeh; Saenz, M; Fornari, E; Prior, J O; Maeder, P; Adib, S; Maire, R

2016-11-01

We studied possible brain changes with functional MRI (fMRI) and fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in a patient with a rare, high-intensity "objective tinnitus" (high-level SOAEs) in the left ear of 10 years duration, with no associated hearing loss. This is the first case of objective cochlear tinnitus to be investigated with functional neuroimaging. The objective cochlear tinnitus was measured by Spontaneous Otoacoustic Emissions (SOAE) equipment (frequency 9689 Hz, intensity 57 dB SPL) and is clearly audible to anyone standing near the patient. Functional modifications in primary auditory areas and other brain regions were evaluated using 3T and 7T fMRI and FDG-PET. In the fMRI evaluations, a saturation of the auditory cortex at the tinnitus frequency was observed, but the global cortical tonotopic organization remained intact when compared to the results of fMRI of healthy subjects. The FDG-PET showed no evidence of an increase or decrease of activity in the auditory cortices or in the limbic system as compared to normal subjects. In this patient with high-intensity objective cochlear tinnitus, fMRI and FDG-PET showed no significant brain reorganization in auditory areas and/or in the limbic system, as reported in the literature in patients with chronic subjective tinnitus. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pattern classification of fMRI data: applications for analysis of spatially distributed cortical networks.

PubMed

Yourganov, Grigori; Schmah, Tanya; Churchill, Nathan W; Berman, Marc G; Grady, Cheryl L; Strother, Stephen C

2014-08-01

The field of fMRI data analysis is rapidly growing in sophistication, particularly in the domain of multivariate pattern classification. However, the interaction between the properties of the analytical model and the parameters of the BOLD signal (e.g. signal magnitude, temporal variance and functional connectivity) is still an open problem. We addressed this problem by evaluating a set of pattern classification algorithms on simulated and experimental block-design fMRI data. The set of classifiers consisted of linear and quadratic discriminants, linear support vector machine, and linear and nonlinear Gaussian naive Bayes classifiers. For linear discriminant, we used two methods of regularization: principal component analysis, and ridge regularization. The classifiers were used (1) to classify the volumes according to the behavioral task that was performed by the subject, and (2) to construct spatial maps that indicated the relative contribution of each voxel to classification. Our evaluation metrics were: (1) accuracy of out-of-sample classification and (2) reproducibility of spatial maps. In simulated data sets, we performed an additional evaluation of spatial maps with ROC analysis. We varied the magnitude, temporal variance and connectivity of simulated fMRI signal and identified the optimal classifier for each simulated environment. Overall, the best performers were linear and quadratic discriminants (operating on principal components of the data matrix) and, in some rare situations, a nonlinear Gaussian naïve Bayes classifier. The results from the simulated data were supported by within-subject analysis of experimental fMRI data, collected in a study of aging. This is the first study that systematically characterizes interactions between analysis model and signal parameters (such as magnitude, variance and correlation) on the performance of pattern classifiers for fMRI. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Detecting functional magnetic resonance imaging activation in white matter: Interhemispheric transfer across the corpus callosum

PubMed Central

Mazerolle, Erin L; D'Arcy, Ryan CN; Beyea, Steven D

2008-01-01

Background It is generally believed that activation in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is restricted to gray matter. Despite this, a number of studies have reported white matter activation, particularly when the corpus callosum is targeted using interhemispheric transfer tasks. These findings suggest that fMRI signals may not be neatly confined to gray matter tissue. In the current experiment, 4 T fMRI was employed to evaluate whether it is possible to detect white matter activation. We used an interhemispheric transfer task modelled after neurological studies of callosal disconnection. It was hypothesized that white matter activation could be detected using fMRI. Results Both group and individual data were considered. At liberal statistical thresholds (p < 0.005, uncorrected), group level activation was detected in the isthmus of the corpus callosum. This region connects the superior parietal cortices, which have been implicated previously in interhemispheric transfer. At the individual level, five of the 24 subjects (21%) had activation clusters that were located primarily within the corpus callosum. Consistent with the group results, the clusters of all five subjects were located in posterior callosal regions. The signal time courses for these clusters were comparable to those observed for task related gray matter activation. Conclusion The findings support the idea that, despite the inherent challenges, fMRI activation can be detected in the corpus callosum at the individual level. Future work is needed to determine whether the detection of this activation can be improved by utilizing higher spatial resolution, optimizing acquisition parameters, and analyzing the data with tissue specific models of the hemodynamic response. The ability to detect white matter fMRI activation expands the scope of basic and clinical brain mapping research, and provides a new approach for understanding brain connectivity. PMID:18789154

Establishing the resting state default mode network derived from functional magnetic resonance imaging tasks as an endophenotype: A twins study.

PubMed

Korgaonkar, Mayuresh S; Ram, Kaushik; Williams, Leanne M; Gatt, Justine M; Grieve, Stuart M

2014-08-01

The resting state default mode network (DMN) has been shown to characterize a number of neurological and psychiatric disorders. Evidence suggests an underlying genetic basis for this network and hence could serve as potential endophenotype for these disorders. Heritability is a defining criterion for endophenotypes. The DMN is measured either using a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan or by extracting resting state activity from task-based fMRI. The current study is the first to evaluate heritability of this task-derived resting activity. 250 healthy adult twins (79 monozygotic and 46 dizygotic same sex twin pairs) completed five cognitive and emotion processing fMRI tasks. Resting state DMN functional connectivity was derived from these five fMRI tasks. We validated this approach by comparing connectivity estimates from task-derived resting activity for all five fMRI tasks, with those obtained using a dedicated task-free resting state scan in an independent cohort of 27 healthy individuals. Structural equation modeling using the classic twin design was used to estimate the genetic and environmental contributions to variance for the resting-state DMN functional connectivity. About 9-41% of the variance in functional connectivity between the DMN nodes was attributed to genetic contribution with the greatest heritability found for functional connectivity between the posterior cingulate and right inferior parietal nodes (P<0.001). Our data provide new evidence that functional connectivity measures from the intrinsic DMN derived from task-based fMRI datasets are under genetic control and have the potential to serve as endophenotypes for genetically predisposed psychiatric and neurological disorders. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cannabis cue-induced brain activation correlates with drug craving in limbic and visual salience regions: Preliminary results

PubMed Central

Charboneau, Evonne J.; Dietrich, Mary S.; Park, Sohee; Cao, Aize; Watkins, Tristan J; Blackford, Jennifer U; Benningfield, Margaret M.; Martin, Peter R.; Buchowski, Maciej S.; Cowan, Ronald L.

2013-01-01

Craving is a major motivator underlying drug use and relapse but the neural correlates of cannabis craving are not well understood. This study sought to determine whether visual cannabis cues increase cannabis craving and whether cue-induced craving is associated with regional brain activation in cannabis-dependent individuals. Cannabis craving was assessed in 16 cannabis-dependent adult volunteers while they viewed cannabis cues during a functional MRI (fMRI) scan. The Marijuana Craving Questionnaire was administered immediately before and after each of three cannabis cue-exposure fMRI runs. FMRI blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) signal intensity was determined in regions activated by cannabis cues to examine the relationship of regional brain activation to cannabis craving. Craving scores increased significantly following exposure to visual cannabis cues. Visual cues activated multiple brain regions, including inferior orbital frontal cortex, posterior cingulate gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus, hippocampus, amygdala, superior temporal pole, and occipital cortex. Craving scores at baseline and at the end of all three runs were significantly correlated with brain activation during the first fMRI run only, in the limbic system (including amygdala and hippocampus) and paralimbic system (superior temporal pole), and visual regions (occipital cortex). Cannabis cues increased craving in cannabis-dependent individuals and this increase was associated with activation in the limbic, paralimbic, and visual systems during the first fMRI run, but not subsequent fMRI runs. These results suggest that these regions may mediate visually cued aspects of drug craving. This study provides preliminary evidence for the neural basis of cue-induced cannabis craving and suggests possible neural targets for interventions targeted at treating cannabis dependence. PMID:24035535

fMRI during natural sleep as a method to study brain function during early childhood.

PubMed

Redcay, Elizabeth; Kennedy, Daniel P; Courchesne, Eric

2007-12-01

Many techniques to study early functional brain development lack the whole-brain spatial resolution that is available with fMRI. We utilized a relatively novel method in which fMRI data were collected from children during natural sleep. Stimulus-evoked responses to auditory and visual stimuli as well as stimulus-independent functional networks were examined in typically developing 2-4-year-old children. Reliable fMRI data were collected from 13 children during presentation of auditory stimuli (tones, vocal sounds, and nonvocal sounds) in a block design. Twelve children were presented with visual flashing lights at 2.5 Hz. When analyses combined all three types of auditory stimulus conditions as compared to rest, activation included bilateral superior temporal gyri/sulci (STG/S) and right cerebellum. Direct comparisons between conditions revealed significantly greater responses to nonvocal sounds and tones than to vocal sounds in a number of brain regions including superior temporal gyrus/sulcus, medial frontal cortex and right lateral cerebellum. The response to visual stimuli was localized to occipital cortex. Furthermore, stimulus-independent functional connectivity MRI analyses (fcMRI) revealed functional connectivity between STG and other temporal regions (including contralateral STG) and medial and lateral prefrontal regions. Functional connectivity with an occipital seed was localized to occipital and parietal cortex. In sum, 2-4 year olds showed a differential fMRI response both between stimulus modalities and between stimuli in the auditory modality. Furthermore, superior temporal regions showed functional connectivity with numerous higher-order regions during sleep. We conclude that the use of sleep fMRI may be a valuable tool for examining functional brain organization in young children.

Gender differences in the processing of standard emotional visual stimuli: integrating ERP and fMRI results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Lei; Tian, Jie; Wang, Xiaoxiang; Hu, Jin

2005-04-01

The comprehensive understanding of human emotion processing needs consideration both in the spatial distribution and the temporal sequencing of neural activity. The aim of our work is to identify brain regions involved in emotional recognition as well as to follow the time sequence in the millisecond-range resolution. The effect of activation upon visual stimuli in different gender by International Affective Picture System (IAPS) has been examined. Hemodynamic and electrophysiological responses were measured in the same subjects. Both fMRI and ERP study were employed in an event-related study. fMRI have been obtained with 3.0 T Siemens Magnetom whole-body MRI scanner. 128-channel ERP data were recorded using an EGI system. ERP is sensitive to millisecond changes in mental activity, but the source localization and timing is limited by the ill-posed 'inversed' problem. We try to investigate the ERP source reconstruction problem in this study using fMRI constraint. We chose ICA as a pre-processing step of ERP source reconstruction to exclude the artifacts and provide a prior estimate of the number of dipoles. The results indicate that male and female show differences in neural mechanism during emotion visual stimuli.

An fMRI compatible wrist robotic interface to study brain development in neonates.

PubMed

Allievi, A G; Melendez-Calderon, A; Arichi, T; Edwards, A D; Burdet, E

2013-06-01

A comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms that underlie brain development in premature infants and newborns is crucial for the identification of interventional therapies and rehabilitative strategies. fMRI has the potential to identify such mechanisms, but standard techniques used in adults cannot be implemented in infant studies in a straightforward manner. We have developed an MR safe wrist stimulating robot to systematically investigate the functional brain activity related to both spontaneous and induced wrist movements in premature babies using fMRI. We present the technical aspects of this development and the results of validation experiments. Using the device, the cortical activity associated with both active and passive finger movements were reliably identified in a healthy adult subject. In two preterm infants, passive wrist movements induced a well localized positive BOLD response in the contralateral somatosensory cortex. Furthermore, in a single preterm infant, spontaneous wrist movements were found to be associated with an adjacent cluster of activity, at the level of the infant's primary motor cortex. The described device will allow detailed and objective fMRI studies of somatosensory and motor system development during early human life and following neonatal brain injury.

Structural and functional network connectivity breakdown in Alzheimer’s disease studied with magnetic resonance imaging techniques.

PubMed

Filippi, Massimo; Agosta, Federica

2011-01-01

Patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) experience a brain network breakdown, reflecting disconnection at both the structural and functional system level. Resting-state (RS) functional MRI (fMRI) studies demonstrated that the regional coherence of the fMRI signal is significantly altered in patients with AD and amnestic mild cognitive impairment. Diffusion tensor (DT) MRI has made it possible to track fiber bundle projections across the brain, revealing a substantially abnormal interplay of “critical” white matter tracts in these conditions. The observed agreement between the results of RS fMRI and DT MRI tractography studies in healthy individuals is encouraging and offers interesting hypotheses to be tested in patients with AD, a MCI, and other dementias in order to improve our understanding of their pathobiology in vivo. In this review,we describe the major findings obtained in AD using RS fMRI and DT MRI tractography, and discuss how the relationship between structure and function of the brain networks in AD may be better understood through the application of MR-based technology. This research endeavor holds a great promise in clarifying the mechanisms of cognitive decline in complex chronic neurodegenerative disorders.

Two-stage decompositions for the analysis of functional connectivity for fMRI with application to Alzheimer’s disease risk

PubMed Central

Caffo, Brian S.; Crainiceanu, Ciprian M.; Verduzco, Guillermo; Joel, Suresh; Mostofsky, Stewart H.; Bassett, Susan Spear; Pekar, James J.

2010-01-01

Functional connectivity is the study of correlations in measured neurophysiological signals. Altered functional connectivity has been shown to be associated with a variety of cognitive and memory impairments and dysfunction, including Alzheimer’s disease. In this manuscript we use a two-stage application of the singular value decomposition to obtain data driven population-level measures of functional connectivity in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The method is computationally simple and amenable to high dimensional fMRI data with large numbers of subjects. Simulation studies suggest the ability of the decomposition methods to recover population brain networks and their associated loadings. We further demonstrate the utility of these decompositions in a functional logistic regression model. The method is applied to a novel fMRI study of Alzheimer’s disease risk under a verbal paired associates task. We found a indication of alternative connectivity in clinically asymptomatic at-risk subjects when compared to controls, that was not significant in the light of multiple comparisons adjustment. The relevant brain network loads primarily on the temporal lobe and overlaps significantly with the olfactory areas and temporal poles. PMID:20227508

Two-stage decompositions for the analysis of functional connectivity for fMRI with application to Alzheimer's disease risk.

PubMed

Caffo, Brian S; Crainiceanu, Ciprian M; Verduzco, Guillermo; Joel, Suresh; Mostofsky, Stewart H; Bassett, Susan Spear; Pekar, James J

2010-07-01

Functional connectivity is the study of correlations in measured neurophysiological signals. Altered functional connectivity has been shown to be associated with a variety of cognitive and memory impairments and dysfunction, including Alzheimer's disease. In this manuscript we use a two-stage application of the singular value decomposition to obtain data driven population-level measures of functional connectivity in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The method is computationally simple and amenable to high dimensional fMRI data with large numbers of subjects. Simulation studies suggest the ability of the decomposition methods to recover population brain networks and their associated loadings. We further demonstrate the utility of these decompositions in a functional logistic regression model. The method is applied to a novel fMRI study of Alzheimer's disease risk under a verbal paired associates task. We found an indication of alternative connectivity in clinically asymptomatic at-risk subjects when compared to controls, which was not significant in the light of multiple comparisons adjustment. The relevant brain network loads primarily on the temporal lobe and overlaps significantly with the olfactory areas and temporal poles. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biophysical and physiological origins of blood oxygenation level-dependent fMRI signals.

PubMed

Kim, Seong-Gi; Ogawa, Seiji

2012-07-01

After its discovery in 1990, blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) contrast in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been widely used to map brain activation in humans and animals. Since fMRI relies on signal changes induced by neural activity, its signal source can be complex and is also dependent on imaging parameters and techniques. In this review, we identify and describe the origins of BOLD fMRI signals, including the topics of (1) effects of spin density, volume fraction, inflow, perfusion, and susceptibility as potential contributors to BOLD fMRI, (2) intravascular and extravascular contributions to conventional gradient-echo and spin-echo BOLD fMRI, (3) spatial specificity of hemodynamic-based fMRI related to vascular architecture and intrinsic hemodynamic responses, (4) BOLD signal contributions from functional changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), and cerebral metabolic rate of O(2) utilization (CMRO(2)), (5) dynamic responses of BOLD, CBF, CMRO(2), and arterial and venous CBV, (6) potential sources of initial BOLD dips, poststimulus BOLD undershoots, and prolonged negative BOLD fMRI signals, (7) dependence of stimulus-evoked BOLD signals on baseline physiology, and (8) basis of resting-state BOLD fluctuations. These discussions are highly relevant to interpreting BOLD fMRI signals as physiological means.

Biophysical and physiological origins of blood oxygenation level-dependent fMRI signals

PubMed Central

Kim, Seong-Gi; Ogawa, Seiji

2012-01-01

After its discovery in 1990, blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) contrast in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been widely used to map brain activation in humans and animals. Since fMRI relies on signal changes induced by neural activity, its signal source can be complex and is also dependent on imaging parameters and techniques. In this review, we identify and describe the origins of BOLD fMRI signals, including the topics of (1) effects of spin density, volume fraction, inflow, perfusion, and susceptibility as potential contributors to BOLD fMRI, (2) intravascular and extravascular contributions to conventional gradient-echo and spin-echo BOLD fMRI, (3) spatial specificity of hemodynamic-based fMRI related to vascular architecture and intrinsic hemodynamic responses, (4) BOLD signal contributions from functional changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), and cerebral metabolic rate of O2 utilization (CMRO2), (5) dynamic responses of BOLD, CBF, CMRO2, and arterial and venous CBV, (6) potential sources of initial BOLD dips, poststimulus BOLD undershoots, and prolonged negative BOLD fMRI signals, (7) dependence of stimulus-evoked BOLD signals on baseline physiology, and (8) basis of resting-state BOLD fluctuations. These discussions are highly relevant to interpreting BOLD fMRI signals as physiological means. PMID:22395207

fMRI and MEG in the study of typical and atypical cognitive development.

PubMed

Taylor, M J; Donner, E J; Pang, E W

2012-01-01

The tremendous changes in brain structure over childhood are critical to the development of cognitive functions. Neuroimaging provides a means of linking these brain-behaviour relations, as task protocols can be adapted for use with young children to assess the development of cognitive functions in both typical and atypical populations. This paper reviews some of our research using magnetoencephalography (MEG) and functional MRI (fMRI) in the study of cognitive development, with a focus on frontal lobe functions. Working memory for complex abstract patterns showed clear development in terms of the recruitment of frontal regions, seen with fMRI, with indications of strategy differences across the age range, from 6 to 35 years of age. Right hippocampal involvement was also evident in these n-back tasks, demonstrating its involvement in recognition in simple working memory protocols. Children born very preterm (7 to 9 years of age) showed reduced fMRI activation particularly in the precuneus and right hippocampal regions relative to control children. In a large normative n-back study (n=90) with upright and inverted faces, MEG data also showed right hippocampal activation that was present across the age range; frontal sources were evident only from 10 years of age. Other studies have investigated the development of set shifting, an executive function that is often deficit in atypical populations. fMRI showed recruitment of frontal areas, including the insula, that have significantly different patterns in children (7 to 14 years of age) with autism spectrum disorder compared to typically developing children, indicating that successful performance implicated differing strategies in these two groups of children. These types of studies will help our understanding of both normal brain-behaviour development and cognitive dysfunction in atypically developing populations. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Typical and Atypical Neurodevelopment for Face Specialization: An fMRI Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joseph, Jane E.; Zhu, Xun; Gundran, Andrew; Davies, Faraday; Clark, Jonathan D.; Ruble, Lisa; Glaser, Paul; Bhatt, Ramesh S.

2015-01-01

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their relatives process faces differently from typically developed (TD) individuals. In an fMRI face-viewing task, TD and undiagnosed sibling (SIB) children (5-18 years) showed face specialization in the right amygdala and ventromedial prefrontal cortex, with left fusiform and right amygdala face…

The Effect of Strategy on Problem Solving: An FMRI Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newman, Sharlene D.; Pruce, Benjamin; Rusia, Akash; Burns, Thomas, Jr.

2010-01-01

fMRI was used to examine the differential effect of two problem-solving strategies. Participants were trained to use both a pictorial/spatial and a symbolic/algebraic strategy to solve word problems. While these two strategies activated similar cortical regions, a number of differences were noted in the level of activation. These differences…

What Has fMRI Told Us about the Development of Cognitive Control through Adolescence?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luna, Beatriz; Padmanabhan, Aarthi; O'Hearn, Kirsten

2010-01-01

Cognitive control, the ability to voluntarily guide our behavior, continues to improve throughout adolescence. Below we review the literature on age-related changes in brain function related to response inhibition and working memory, which support cognitive control. Findings from studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) indicate…

How Verbal and Spatial Manipulation Networks Contribute to Calculation: An fMRI Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zago, Laure; Petit, Laurent; Turbelin, Marie-Renee; Andersson, Frederic; Vigneau, Mathieu; Tzourio-Mazoyer, Nathalie

2008-01-01

The manipulation of numbers required during calculation is known to rely on working memory (WM) resources. Here, we investigated the respective contributions of verbal and/or spatial WM manipulation brain networks during the addition of four numbers performed by adults, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Both manipulation and…

Dual-Tasking Alleviated Sleep Deprivation Disruption in Visuomotor Tracking: An fMRI Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gazes, Yunglin; Rakitin, Brian C.; Steffener, Jason; Habeck, Christian; Butterfield, Brady; Basner, Robert C.; Ghez, Claude; Stern, Yaakov

2012-01-01

Effects of dual-responding on tracking performance after 49-h of sleep deprivation (SD) were evaluated behaviorally and with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Continuous visuomotor tracking was performed simultaneously with an intermittent color-matching visual detection task in which a pair of color-matched stimuli constituted a…

Neural Changes after Phonological Treatment for Anomia: An fMRI Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rochon, Elizabeth; Leonard, Carol; Burianova, Hana; Laird, Laura; Soros, Peter; Graham, Simon; Grady, Cheryl

2010-01-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to investigate the neural processing characteristics associated with word retrieval abilities after a phonologically-based treatment for anomia in two stroke patients with aphasia. Neural activity associated with a phonological and a semantic task was compared before and after treatment with…

The Effect of fMRI (Noise) on Cognitive Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hommel, Bernhard; Fischer, Rico; Colzato, Lorenza S.; van den Wildenberg, Wery P. M.; Cellini, Cristiano

2012-01-01

Stressful situations, the aversiveness of events, or increases in task difficulty (e.g., conflict) have repeatedly been shown to be capable of triggering attentional control adjustments. In the present study we tested whether the particularity of an fMRI testing environment (i.e., EPI noise) might result in such increases of the cognitive control…

Accounting for Non-Gaussian Sources of Spatial Correlation in Parametric Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Paradigms I: Revisiting Cluster-Based Inferences.

PubMed

Gopinath, Kaundinya; Krishnamurthy, Venkatagiri; Sathian, K

2018-02-01

In a recent study, Eklund et al. employed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data as a surrogate for null functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) datasets and posited that cluster-wise family-wise error (FWE) rate-corrected inferences made by using parametric statistical methods in fMRI studies over the past two decades may have been invalid, particularly for cluster defining thresholds less stringent than p < 0.001; this was principally because the spatial autocorrelation functions (sACF) of fMRI data had been modeled incorrectly to follow a Gaussian form, whereas empirical data suggested otherwise. Here, we show that accounting for non-Gaussian signal components such as those arising from resting-state neural activity as well as physiological responses and motion artifacts in the null fMRI datasets yields first- and second-level general linear model analysis residuals with nearly uniform and Gaussian sACF. Further comparison with nonparametric permutation tests indicates that cluster-based FWE corrected inferences made with Gaussian spatial noise approximations are valid.

Mapping white-matter functional organization at rest and during naturalistic visual perception.

PubMed

Marussich, Lauren; Lu, Kun-Han; Wen, Haiguang; Liu, Zhongming

2017-02-01

Despite the wide applications of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to mapping brain activation and connectivity in cortical gray matter, it has rarely been utilized to study white-matter functions. In this study, we investigated the spatiotemporal characteristics of fMRI data within the white matter acquired from humans both in the resting state and while watching a naturalistic movie. By using independent component analysis and hierarchical clustering, resting-state fMRI data in the white matter were de-noised and decomposed into spatially independent components, which were further assembled into hierarchically organized axonal fiber bundles. Interestingly, such components were partly reorganized during natural vision. Relative to resting state, the visual task specifically induced a stronger degree of temporal coherence within the optic radiations, as well as significant correlations between the optic radiations and multiple cortical visual networks. Therefore, fMRI contains rich functional information about the activity and connectivity within white matter at rest and during tasks, challenging the conventional practice of taking white-matter signals as noise or artifacts. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exploring connectivity with large-scale Granger causality on resting-state functional MRI.

PubMed

DSouza, Adora M; Abidin, Anas Z; Leistritz, Lutz; Wismüller, Axel

2017-08-01

Large-scale Granger causality (lsGC) is a recently developed, resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) connectivity analysis approach that estimates multivariate voxel-resolution connectivity. Unlike most commonly used multivariate approaches, which establish coarse-resolution connectivity by aggregating voxel time-series avoiding an underdetermined problem, lsGC estimates voxel-resolution, fine-grained connectivity by incorporating an embedded dimension reduction. We investigate application of lsGC on realistic fMRI simulations, modeling smoothing of neuronal activity by the hemodynamic response function and repetition time (TR), and empirical resting-state fMRI data. Subsequently, functional subnetworks are extracted from lsGC connectivity measures for both datasets and validated quantitatively. We also provide guidelines to select lsGC free parameters. Results indicate that lsGC reliably recovers underlying network structure with area under receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.93 at TR=1.5s for a 10-min session of fMRI simulations. Furthermore, subnetworks of closely interacting modules are recovered from the aforementioned lsGC networks. Results on empirical resting-state fMRI data demonstrate recovery of visual and motor cortex in close agreement with spatial maps obtained from (i) visuo-motor fMRI stimulation task-sequence (Accuracy=0.76) and (ii) independent component analysis (ICA) of resting-state fMRI (Accuracy=0.86). Compared with conventional Granger causality approach (AUC=0.75), lsGC produces better network recovery on fMRI simulations. Furthermore, it cannot recover functional subnetworks from empirical fMRI data, since quantifying voxel-resolution connectivity is not possible as consequence of encountering an underdetermined problem. Functional network recovery from fMRI data suggests that lsGC gives useful insight into connectivity patterns from resting-state fMRI at a multivariate voxel-resolution. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Improving the spatial accuracy in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) based on the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) effect: benefits from parallel imaging and a 32-channel head array coil at 1.5 Tesla.

PubMed

Fellner, C; Doenitz, C; Finkenzeller, T; Jung, E M; Rennert, J; Schlaier, J

2009-01-01

Geometric distortions and low spatial resolution are current limitations in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The aim of this study was to evaluate if application of parallel imaging or significant reduction of voxel size in combination with a new 32-channel head array coil can reduce those drawbacks at 1.5 T for a simple hand motor task. Therefore, maximum t-values (tmax) in different regions of activation, time-dependent signal-to-noise ratios (SNR(t)) as well as distortions within the precentral gyrus were evaluated. Comparing fMRI with and without parallel imaging in 17 healthy subjects revealed significantly reduced geometric distortions in anterior-posterior direction. Using parallel imaging, tmax only showed a mild reduction (7-11%) although SNR(t) was significantly diminished (25%). In 7 healthy subjects high-resolution (2 x 2 x 2 mm3) fMRI was compared with standard fMRI (3 x 3 x 3 mm3) in a 32-channel coil and with high-resolution fMRI in a 12-channel coil. The new coil yielded a clear improvement for tmax (21-32%) and SNR(t) (51%) in comparison with the 12-channel coil. Geometric distortions were smaller due to the smaller voxel size. Therefore, the reduction in tmax (8-16%) and SNR(t) (52%) in the high-resolution experiment seems to be tolerable with this coil. In conclusion, parallel imaging is an alternative to reduce geometric distortions in fMRI at 1.5 T. Using a 32-channel coil, reduction of the voxel size might be the preferable way to improve spatial accuracy.

Improved FastICA algorithm in fMRI data analysis using the sparsity property of the sources.

PubMed

Ge, Ruiyang; Wang, Yubao; Zhang, Jipeng; Yao, Li; Zhang, Hang; Long, Zhiying

2016-04-01

As a blind source separation technique, independent component analysis (ICA) has many applications in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Although either temporal or spatial prior information has been introduced into the constrained ICA and semi-blind ICA methods to improve the performance of ICA in fMRI data analysis, certain types of additional prior information, such as the sparsity, has seldom been added to the ICA algorithms as constraints. In this study, we proposed a SparseFastICA method by adding the source sparsity as a constraint to the FastICA algorithm to improve the performance of the widely used FastICA. The source sparsity is estimated through a smoothed ℓ0 norm method. We performed experimental tests on both simulated data and real fMRI data to investigate the feasibility and robustness of SparseFastICA and made a performance comparison between SparseFastICA, FastICA and Infomax ICA. Results of the simulated and real fMRI data demonstrated the feasibility and robustness of SparseFastICA for the source separation in fMRI data. Both the simulated and real fMRI experimental results showed that SparseFastICA has better robustness to noise and better spatial detection power than FastICA. Although the spatial detection power of SparseFastICA and Infomax did not show significant difference, SparseFastICA had faster computation speed than Infomax. SparseFastICA was comparable to the Infomax algorithm with a faster computation speed. More importantly, SparseFastICA outperformed FastICA in robustness and spatial detection power and can be used to identify more accurate brain networks than FastICA algorithm. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multimodal imaging of repetition priming: Using fMRI, MEG, and intracranial EEG to reveal spatiotemporal profiles of word processing.

PubMed

McDonald, Carrie R; Thesen, Thomas; Carlson, Chad; Blumberg, Mark; Girard, Holly M; Trongnetrpunya, Amy; Sherfey, Jason S; Devinsky, Orrin; Kuzniecky, Rubin; Dolye, Werner K; Cash, Sydney S; Leonard, Matthew K; Hagler, Donald J; Dale, Anders M; Halgren, Eric

2010-11-01

Repetition priming is a core feature of memory processing whose anatomical correlates remain poorly understood. In this study, we use advanced multimodal imaging (functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and magnetoencephalography; MEG) to investigate the spatiotemporal profile of repetition priming. We use intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG) to validate our fMRI/MEG measurements. Twelve controls completed a semantic judgment task with fMRI and MEG that included words presented once (new, 'N') and words that repeated (old, 'O'). Six patients with epilepsy completed the same task during iEEG recordings. Blood-oxygen level dependent (BOLD) responses for N vs. O words were examined across the cortical surface and within regions of interest. MEG waveforms for N vs. O words were estimated using a noise-normalized minimum norm solution, and used to interpret the timecourse of fMRI. Spatial concordance was observed between fMRI and MEG repetition effects from 350 to 450 ms within bilateral occipitotemporal and medial temporal, left prefrontal, and left posterior temporal cortex. Additionally, MEG revealed widespread sources within left temporoparietal regions, whereas fMRI revealed bilateral reductions in occipitotemporal and left superior frontal, and increases in inferior parietal, precuneus, and dorsolateral prefrontal activity. BOLD suppression in left posterior temporal, left inferior prefrontal, and right occipitotemporal cortex correlated with MEG repetition-related reductions. IEEG responses from all three regions supported the timecourse of MEG and localization of fMRI. Furthermore, iEEG decreases to repeated words were associated with decreased gamma power in several regions, providing evidence that gamma oscillations are tightly coupled to cognitive phenomena and reflect regional activations seen in the BOLD signal. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multimodal imaging of repetition priming: Using fMRI, MEG, and intracranial EEG to reveal spatiotemporal profiles of word processing

PubMed Central

McDonald, Carrie R.; Thesen, Thomas; Carlson, Chad; Blumberg, Mark; Girard, Holly M.; Trongnetrpunya, Amy; Sherfey, Jason S.; Devinsky, Orrin; Kuzniecky, Rubin; Dolye, Werner K.; Cash, Sydney S.; Leonard, Matt K.; Hagler, Donald J.; Dale, Anders M.; Halgren, Eric

2010-01-01

Repetition priming is a core feature of memory processing whose anatomical correlates remain poorly understood. In this study, we use advanced multimodal imaging (functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and magnetoencephalography; MEG) to investigate the spatiotemporal profile of repetition priming. We use intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG) to validate our fMRI/MEG measurements. Twelve controls completed a semantic judgment task with fMRI and MEG that included words presented once (new, ‘N’) and words that repeated (old, ‘O’). Six patients with epilepsy completed the same task during iEEG recordings. Blood-oxygen level dependent (BOLD) responses for N vs O words were examined across the cortical surface and within regions of interest. MEG waveforms for N vs O words were estimated using a noise-normalized minimum norm solution, and used to interpret the timecourse of fMRI. Spatial concordance was observed between fMRI and MEG repetition effects from 350–450ms within bilateral occipitotemporal and medial temporal, left prefrontal, and left posterior temporal cortex. Additionally, MEG revealed widespread sources within left temporoparietal regions, whereas fMRI revealed bilateral reductions in occipitotemporal and left superior frontal, and increases in inferior parietal, precuneus, and dorsolateral prefrontal activity. BOLD suppression in left posterior temporal, left inferior prefrontal, and right occipitotemporal cortex correlated with MEG repetition-related reductions. IEEG responses from all three regions supported the timecourse of MEG and localization of fMRI. Furthermore, iEEG decreases to repeated words were associated with decreased gamma power in several regions, providing evidence that gamma oscillations are tightly coupled to cognitive phenomena and reflect regional activations seen in the BOLD signal. PMID:20620212

Ridding fMRI data of motion-related influences: Removal of signals with distinct spatial and physical bases in multiecho data.

PubMed

Power, Jonathan D; Plitt, Mark; Gotts, Stephen J; Kundu, Prantik; Voon, Valerie; Bandettini, Peter A; Martin, Alex

2018-02-27

"Functional connectivity" techniques are commonplace tools for studying brain organization. A critical element of these analyses is to distinguish variance due to neurobiological signals from variance due to nonneurobiological signals. Multiecho fMRI techniques are a promising means for making such distinctions based on signal decay properties. Here, we report that multiecho fMRI techniques enable excellent removal of certain kinds of artifactual variance, namely, spatially focal artifacts due to motion. By removing these artifacts, multiecho techniques reveal frequent, large-amplitude blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal changes present across all gray matter that are also linked to motion. These whole-brain BOLD signals could reflect widespread neural processes or other processes, such as alterations in blood partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO 2 ) due to ventilation changes. By acquiring multiecho data while monitoring breathing, we demonstrate that whole-brain BOLD signals in the resting state are often caused by changes in breathing that co-occur with head motion. These widespread respiratory fMRI signals cannot be isolated from neurobiological signals by multiecho techniques because they occur via the same BOLD mechanism. Respiratory signals must therefore be removed by some other technique to isolate neurobiological covariance in fMRI time series. Several methods for removing global artifacts are demonstrated and compared, and were found to yield fMRI time series essentially free of motion-related influences. These results identify two kinds of motion-associated fMRI variance, with different physical mechanisms and spatial profiles, each of which strongly and differentially influences functional connectivity patterns. Distance-dependent patterns in covariance are nearly entirely attributable to non-BOLD artifacts.

Impairment of preoperative language mapping by lesion location: a functional magnetic resonance imaging, navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation, and direct cortical stimulation study.

PubMed

Ille, Sebastian; Sollmann, Nico; Hauck, Theresa; Maurer, Stefanie; Tanigawa, Noriko; Obermueller, Thomas; Negwer, Chiara; Droese, Doris; Boeckh-Behrens, Tobias; Meyer, Bernhard; Ringel, Florian; Krieg, Sandro M

2015-08-01

Language mapping by repetitive navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is increasingly used and has already replaced functional MRI (fMRI) in some institutions for preoperative mapping of neurosurgical patients. Yet some factors affect the concordance of both methods with direct cortical stimulation (DCS), most likely by lesions affecting cortical oxygenation levels. Therefore, the impairment of the accuracy of rTMS and fMRI was analyzed and compared with DCS during awake surgery in patients with intraparenchymal lesions. Language mapping was performed by DCS, rTMS, and fMRI using an object-naming task in 27 patients with left-sided perisylvian lesions, and the induced language errors of each method were assigned to the cortical parcellation system. Subsequently, the receiver operating characteristics were calculated for rTMS and fMRI and compared with DCS as ground truth for regions with (w/) and without (w/o) the lesion in the mapped regions. The w/ subgroup revealed a sensitivity of 100% (w/o 100%), a specificity of 8% (w/o 5%), a positive predictive value of 34% (w/o: 53%), and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 100% (w/o: 100%) for the comparison of rTMS versus DCS. Findings for the comparison of fMRI versus DCS within the w/ subgroup revealed a sensitivity of 32% (w/o: 62%), a specificity of 88% (w/o: 60%), a positive predictive value of 56% (w/o: 62%), and a NPV of 73% (w/o: 60%). Although strengths and weaknesses exist for both rTMS and fMRI, the results show that rTMS is less affected by a brain lesion than fMRI, especially when performing mapping of language-negative cortical regions based on sensitivity and NPV.

Roles of the Wada Test and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Identifying the Language-dominant Hemisphere among Patients with Gliomas Located near Speech Areas.

PubMed

Ishikawa, Tatsuya; Muragaki, Yoshihiro; Maruyama, Takashi; Abe, Kayoko; Kawamata, Takakazu

2017-01-15

This study examined the accuracy of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in identifying the language-dominant hemisphere and the situations in which the Wada test can be skipped among patients with gliomas located near speech areas. We examined 74 patients [48 men (64.9%); mean ± standard deviation age of 42.7 ± 13.6 years (range: 13 to 70 years); 71 right-handed, 2 left-handed, and 1 ambidextrous] with gliomas located near speech areas. All patients underwent the Wada test and fMRI, and 34 patients underwent awake surgery. The "last-and-first" task was administered during fMRI. The Wada test was successful in determining the language-dominant hemisphere in 73 patients (98.6%): left hemisphere in 68 patients (91.9%), right hemisphere in 4 patients (5.4%), and bilateral in 1 patient (1.4%). The dominant hemisphere for right-handed patients (n = 71) was the left hemisphere in 67 patients (94.3%), right hemisphere in 3 patients (4.2%), and undetectable in 1 patient (1.4%). The fMRI was successful in determining the language-dominant hemisphere in 53 patients (71.6%). The results of the Wada test and fMRI were inconsistent in 5 patients (8.6%), of which 3 (5.2%) exhibited dominance in opposite hemispheres. Furthermore, 2 of these 3 cases (2.7%) were contralateral false positive cases, whereby fMRI identified the right-hemisphere as language dominant for right-handed individuals with tumors in the left hemisphere. Based on these findings, we concluded that the Wada test can be skipped if language dominancy can be detected by fMRI.

Presurgical language fMRI: Mapping of six critical regions

PubMed Central

Walshaw, Patricia D.; Hale, Kayleigh; Gaillard, William D.; Baxter, Leslie C.; Berl, Madison M.; Polczynska, Monika; Noble, Stephanie; Alkawadri, Rafeed; Hirsch, Lawrence J.; Constable, R. Todd; Bookheimer, Susan Y.

2017-01-01

Abstract Language mapping is a key goal in neurosurgical planning. fMRI mapping typically proceeds with a focus on Broca's and Wernicke's areas, although multiple other language‐critical areas are now well‐known. We evaluated whether clinicians could use a novel approach, including clinician‐driven individualized thresholding, to reliably identify six language regions, including Broca's Area, Wernicke's Area (inferior, superior), Exner's Area, Supplementary Speech Area, Angular Gyrus, and Basal Temporal Language Area. We studied 22 epilepsy and tumor patients who received Wada and fMRI (age 36.4[12.5]; Wada language left/right/mixed in 18/3/1). fMRI tasks (two × three tasks) were analyzed by two clinical neuropsychologists who flexibly thresholded and combined these to identify the six regions. The resulting maps were compared to fixed threshold maps. Clinicians generated maps that overlapped significantly, and were highly consistent, when at least one task came from the same set. Cases diverged when clinicians prioritized different language regions or addressed noise differently. Language laterality closely mirrored Wada data (85% accuracy). Activation consistent with all six language regions was consistently identified. In blind review, three external, independent clinicians rated the individualized fMRI language maps as superior to fixed threshold maps; identified the majority of regions significantly more frequently; and judged language laterality to mirror Wada lateralization more often. These data provide initial validation of a novel, clinician‐based approach to localizing language cortex. They also demonstrate clinical fMRI is superior when analyzed by an experienced clinician and that when fMRI data is of low quality judgments of laterality are unreliable and should be withheld. Hum Brain Mapp 38:4239–4255, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:28544168

High-Speed Real-Time Resting-State fMRI Using Multi-Slab Echo-Volumar Imaging

PubMed Central

Posse, Stefan; Ackley, Elena; Mutihac, Radu; Zhang, Tongsheng; Hummatov, Ruslan; Akhtari, Massoud; Chohan, Muhammad; Fisch, Bruce; Yonas, Howard

2013-01-01

We recently demonstrated that ultra-high-speed real-time fMRI using multi-slab echo-volumar imaging (MEVI) significantly increases sensitivity for mapping task-related activation and resting-state networks (RSNs) compared to echo-planar imaging (Posse et al., 2012). In the present study we characterize the sensitivity of MEVI for mapping RSN connectivity dynamics, comparing independent component analysis (ICA) and a novel seed-based connectivity analysis (SBCA) that combines sliding-window correlation analysis with meta-statistics. This SBCA approach is shown to minimize the effects of confounds, such as movement, and CSF and white matter signal changes, and enables real-time monitoring of RSN dynamics at time scales of tens of seconds. We demonstrate highly sensitive mapping of eloquent cortex in the vicinity of brain tumors and arterio-venous malformations, and detection of abnormal resting-state connectivity in epilepsy. In patients with motor impairment, resting-state fMRI provided focal localization of sensorimotor cortex compared with more diffuse activation in task-based fMRI. The fast acquisition speed of MEVI enabled segregation of cardiac-related signal pulsation using ICA, which revealed distinct regional differences in pulsation amplitude and waveform, elevated signal pulsation in patients with arterio-venous malformations and a trend toward reduced pulsatility in gray matter of patients compared with healthy controls. Mapping cardiac pulsation in cortical gray matter may carry important functional information that distinguishes healthy from diseased tissue vasculature. This novel fMRI methodology is particularly promising for mapping eloquent cortex in patients with neurological disease, having variable degree of cooperation in task-based fMRI. In conclusion, ultra-high-real-time speed fMRI enhances the sensitivity of mapping the dynamics of resting-state connectivity and cerebro-vascular pulsatility for clinical and neuroscience research applications. PMID:23986677

Neural correlates of the self-concept in adolescence-A focus on the significance of friends.

PubMed

Romund, Lydia; Golde, Sabrina; Lorenz, Robert C; Raufelder, Diana; Pelz, Patricia; Gleich, Tobias; Heinz, Andreas; Beck, Anne

2017-02-01

The formation of a coherent and unified self-concept represents a key developmental stage during adolescence. Imaging studies on self-referential processing in adolescents are rare, and it is not clear whether neural structures involved in self-reflection are also involved in reflections of familiar others. In the current study, 41 adolescents were asked to make judgments about trait adjectives during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI): they had to indicate whether the word describes themselves, their friends, their teachers or politicians. Findings indicate a greater overlap in neural networks for responses to self- and friend-related judgments compared to teachers and politicians. In particular, classic self-reference structures such as the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and medial posterior parietal cortex also exhibited higher activation to judgments about friends. In contrast, brain responses towards judgments of teachers (familiar others) compared to politicians (unfamiliar others) did not significantly differ. Results support behavioral findings of a greater relevance of friends for the development of a self-concept during adolescence and indicate underlying functional brain processes. Hum Brain Mapp 38:987-996, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Neural development of mentalizing in moral judgment from adolescence to adulthood.

PubMed

Harenski, Carla L; Harenski, Keith A; Shane, Matthew S; Kiehl, Kent A

2012-01-01

The neural mechanisms underlying moral judgment have been extensively studied in healthy adults. How these mechanisms evolve from adolescence to adulthood has received less attention. Brain regions that have been consistently implicated in moral judgment in adults, including the superior temporal cortex and prefrontal cortex, undergo extensive developmental changes from adolescence to adulthood. Thus, their role in moral judgment may also change over time. In the present study, 51 healthy male participants age 13–53 were scanned with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while they viewed pictures that did or did not depict situations considered by most individuals to represent moral violations, and rated their degree of moral violation severity. Consistent with predictions, a regression analysis revealed a positive correlation between age and hemodynamic activity in the temporo-parietal junction when participants made decisions regarding moral severity.This region is known to contribute to mentalizing processes during moral judgment in adults and suggests that adolescents use these types of inferences less during moral judgment than do adults. A positive correlation with age was also present in the posterior cingulate. Overall, the results suggest that the brain regions utilized in moral judgment change over development.

Cortical circuits for mathematical knowledge: evidence for a major subdivision within the brain's semantic networks.

PubMed

Amalric, Marie; Dehaene, Stanislas

2017-02-19

Is mathematical language similar to natural language? Are language areas used by mathematicians when they do mathematics? And does the brain comprise a generic semantic system that stores mathematical knowledge alongside knowledge of history, geography or famous people? Here, we refute those views by reviewing three functional MRI studies of the representation and manipulation of high-level mathematical knowledge in professional mathematicians. The results reveal that brain activity during professional mathematical reflection spares perisylvian language-related brain regions as well as temporal lobe areas classically involved in general semantic knowledge. Instead, mathematical reflection recycles bilateral intraparietal and ventral temporal regions involved in elementary number sense. Even simple fact retrieval, such as remembering that 'the sine function is periodical' or that 'London buses are red', activates dissociated areas for math versus non-math knowledge. Together with other fMRI and recent intracranial studies, our results indicated a major separation between two brain networks for mathematical and non-mathematical semantics, which goes a long way to explain a variety of facts in neuroimaging, neuropsychology and developmental disorders.This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'The origins of numerical abilities'. © 2017 The Author(s).

A systematic review of fMRI reward paradigms used in studies of adolescents vs. adults: the impact of task design and implications for understanding neurodevelopment.

PubMed

Richards, Jessica M; Plate, Rista C; Ernst, Monique

2013-06-01

The neural systems underlying reward-related behaviors across development have recently generated a great amount of interest. Yet, the neurodevelopmental literature on reward processing is marked by inconsistencies due to the heterogeneity of the reward paradigms used, the complexity of the behaviors being studied, and the developing brain itself as a moving target. The present review will examine task design as one source of variability across findings by compiling this literature along three dimensions: (1) task structures, (2) cognitive processes, and (3) neural systems. We start with the presentation of a heuristic neural systems model, the Triadic Model, as a way to provide a theoretical framework for the neuroscience research on motivated behaviors. We then discuss the principles guiding reward task development. Finally, we review the extant developmental neuroimaging literature on reward-related processing, organized by reward task type. We hope that this approach will help to clarify the literature on the functional neurodevelopment of reward-related neural systems, and to identify the role of the experimental parameters that significantly influence these findings. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Risky Decision Making in Neurofibromatosis Type 1: An Exploratory Study.

PubMed

Jonas, Rachel K; Roh, EunJi; Montojo, Caroline A; Pacheco, Laura A; Rosser, Tena; Silva, Alcino J; Bearden, Carrie E

2017-03-01

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a monogenic disorder affecting cognitive function. About one third of children with NF1 have attentional disorders, and the cognitive phenotype is characterized by impairment in prefrontally-mediated functions. Mouse models of NF1 show irregularities in GABA release and striatal dopamine metabolism. We hypothesized that youth with NF1 would show abnormal behavior and neural activity on a task of risk-taking reliant on prefrontal-striatal circuits. Youth with NF1 (N=29) and demographically comparable healthy controls (N=22), ages 8-19, were administered a developmentally sensitive gambling task, in which they chose between low-risk gambles with a high probability of obtaining a small reward, and high-risk gambles with a low probability of obtaining a large reward. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate neural activity associated with risky decision making, as well as age-associated changes in these behavioral and neural processes. Behaviorally, youth with NF1 tended to make fewer risky decisions than controls. Neuroimaging analyses revealed significantly reduced neural activity across multiple brain regions involved in higher-order semantic processing and motivation (i.e., anterior cingulate, paracingulate, supramarginal, and angular gyri) in patients with NF1 relative to controls during the task. We also observed atypical age-associated changes in neural activity in patients with NF1, such that during risk taking, neural activity tended to decrease with age in controls, whereas it tended to increase with age in patients with NF1. Findings suggest that developmental trajectories of neural activity during risky decision-making may be disrupted in youth with NF1.

Utility of functional MRI in pediatric neurology.

PubMed

Freilich, Emily R; Gaillard, William D

2010-01-01

Functional MRI (fMRI), a tool increasingly used to study cognitive function, is also an important tool for understanding not only normal development in healthy children, but also abnormal development, as seen in children with epilepsy, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and autism. Since its inception almost 15 years ago, fMRI has seen an explosion in its use and applications in the adult literature. However, only recently has it found a home in pediatric neurology. New adaptations in study design and technologic advances, especially the study of resting state functional connectivity as well as the use of passive task design in sedated children, have increased the utility of functional imaging in pediatrics to help us gain understanding into the developing brain at work. This article reviews the background of fMRI in pediatrics and highlights the most recent literature and clinical applications.

LH-RH agonists modulate amygdala response to visual sexual stimulation: a single case fMRI study in pedophilia.

PubMed

Habermeyer, Benedikt; Händel, Nadja; Lemoine, Patrick; Klarhöfer, Markus; Seifritz, Erich; Dittmann, Volker; Graf, Marc

2012-01-01

Pedophilia is characterized by a persistent sexual attraction to prepubescent children. Treatment with anti-androgen agents, such as luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) agonists, reduces testosterone levels and thereby sexual drive and arousal. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to compare visual erotic stimulation pre- and on-treatment with the LH-RH agonist leuprolide acetate in the case of homosexual pedophilia. The pre-treatment contrasts of the erotic pictures against the respective neutral pictures showed an activation of the right amygdala and adjacent parahippocampal gyrus that decreased significantly under treatment with leuprolide acetate. Our single case fMRI study supports the notion that anti-androgens may modify amygdala response to visual erotic stimulation, a hypothesis that should be further examined in larger studies.

Cortical processing of pitch: Model-based encoding and decoding of auditory fMRI responses to real-life sounds.

PubMed

De Angelis, Vittoria; De Martino, Federico; Moerel, Michelle; Santoro, Roberta; Hausfeld, Lars; Formisano, Elia

2017-11-13

Pitch is a perceptual attribute related to the fundamental frequency (or periodicity) of a sound. So far, the cortical processing of pitch has been investigated mostly using synthetic sounds. However, the complex harmonic structure of natural sounds may require different mechanisms for the extraction and analysis of pitch. This study investigated the neural representation of pitch in human auditory cortex using model-based encoding and decoding analyses of high field (7 T) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data collected while participants listened to a wide range of real-life sounds. Specifically, we modeled the fMRI responses as a function of the sounds' perceived pitch height and salience (related to the fundamental frequency and the harmonic structure respectively), which we estimated with a computational algorithm of pitch extraction (de Cheveigné and Kawahara, 2002). First, using single-voxel fMRI encoding, we identified a pitch-coding region in the antero-lateral Heschl's gyrus (HG) and adjacent superior temporal gyrus (STG). In these regions, the pitch representation model combining height and salience predicted the fMRI responses comparatively better than other models of acoustic processing and, in the right hemisphere, better than pitch representations based on height/salience alone. Second, we assessed with model-based decoding that multi-voxel response patterns of the identified regions are more informative of perceived pitch than the remainder of the auditory cortex. Further multivariate analyses showed that complementing a multi-resolution spectro-temporal sound representation with pitch produces a small but significant improvement to the decoding of complex sounds from fMRI response patterns. In sum, this work extends model-based fMRI encoding and decoding methods - previously employed to examine the representation and processing of acoustic sound features in the human auditory system - to the representation and processing of a relevant perceptual attribute such as pitch. Taken together, the results of our model-based encoding and decoding analyses indicated that the pitch of complex real life sounds is extracted and processed in lateral HG/STG regions, at locations consistent with those indicated in several previous fMRI studies using synthetic sounds. Within these regions, pitch-related sound representations reflect the modulatory combination of height and the salience of the pitch percept. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Signal Sampling for Efficient Sparse Representation of Resting State FMRI Data

PubMed Central

Ge, Bao; Makkie, Milad; Wang, Jin; Zhao, Shijie; Jiang, Xi; Li, Xiang; Lv, Jinglei; Zhang, Shu; Zhang, Wei; Han, Junwei; Guo, Lei; Liu, Tianming

2015-01-01

As the size of brain imaging data such as fMRI grows explosively, it provides us with unprecedented and abundant information about the brain. How to reduce the size of fMRI data but not lose much information becomes a more and more pressing issue. Recent literature studies tried to deal with it by dictionary learning and sparse representation methods, however, their computation complexities are still high, which hampers the wider application of sparse representation method to large scale fMRI datasets. To effectively address this problem, this work proposes to represent resting state fMRI (rs-fMRI) signals of a whole brain via a statistical sampling based sparse representation. First we sampled the whole brain’s signals via different sampling methods, then the sampled signals were aggregate into an input data matrix to learn a dictionary, finally this dictionary was used to sparsely represent the whole brain’s signals and identify the resting state networks. Comparative experiments demonstrate that the proposed signal sampling framework can speed-up by ten times in reconstructing concurrent brain networks without losing much information. The experiments on the 1000 Functional Connectomes Project further demonstrate its effectiveness and superiority. PMID:26646924

Resting-state fMRI and social cognition: An opportunity to connect.

PubMed

Doruyter, Alex; Groenewold, Nynke A; Dupont, Patrick; Stein, Dan J; Warwick, James M

2017-09-01

Many psychiatric disorders are characterized by altered social cognition. The importance of social cognition has previously been recognized by the National Institute of Mental Health Research Domain Criteria project, in which it features as a core domain. Social task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) currently offers the most direct insight into how the brain processes social information; however, resting-state fMRI may be just as important in understanding the biology and network nature of social processing. Resting-state fMRI allows researchers to investigate the functional relationships between brain regions in a neutral state: so-called resting functional connectivity (RFC). There is evidence that RFC is predictive of how the brain processes information during social tasks. This is important because it shifts the focus from possibly context-dependent aberrations to context-independent aberrations in functional network architecture. Rather than being analysed in isolation, the study of resting-state brain networks shows promise in linking results of task-based fMRI results, structural connectivity, molecular imaging findings, and performance measures of social cognition-which may prove crucial in furthering our understanding of the social brain. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Improvement in cerebral function with treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder.

PubMed

Roy, Michael J; Francis, Jennifer; Friedlander, Joshua; Banks-Williams, Lisa; Lande, Raymond G; Taylor, Patricia; Blair, James; McLellan, Jennifer; Law, Wendy; Tarpley, Vanita; Patt, Ivy; Yu, Henry; Mallinger, Alan; Difede, Joann; Rizzo, Albert; Rothbaum, Barbara

2010-10-01

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) are signature illnesses of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, but current diagnostic and therapeutic measures for these conditions are suboptimal. In our study, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is used to try to differentiate military service members with: PTSD and mTBI, PTSD alone, mTBI alone, and neither PTSD nor mTBI. Those with PTSD are then randomized to virtual reality exposure therapy or imaginal exposure. fMRI is repeated after treatment and along with the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scores to compare with baseline. Twenty subjects have completed baseline fMRI scans, including four controls and one mTBI only; of 15 treated for PTSD, eight completed posttreatment scans. Most subjects have been male (93%) and Caucasian (83%), with a mean age of 34. Significant improvements are evident on fMRI scans, and corroborated by CGI scores, but CAPS scores improvements are modest. In conclusion, CGI scores and fMRI scans indicate significant improvement in PTSD in both treatment arms, though CAPS score improvements are less robust. © 2010 Association for Research in Nervous and Mental Disease.

Relation between functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and single neuron, local field potential (LFP) and electrocorticography (ECoG) activity in human cortex.

PubMed

Ojemann, George A; Ojemann, Jeffrey; Ramsey, Nick F

2013-01-01

The relation between changes in the blood oxygen dependent metabolic changes imaged by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and neural events directly recorded from human cortex from single neurons, local field potentials (LFPs) and electrocorticogram (ECoG) is critically reviewed, based on the published literature including findings from the authors' laboratories. All these data are from special populations, usually patients with medically refractory epilepsy, as this provides the major opportunity for direct cortical neuronal recording in humans. For LFP and ECoG changes are often sought in different frequency bands, for single neurons in frequency of action potentials. Most fMRI studies address issues of functional localization. The relation of those findings to localized changes in neuronal recordings in humans has been established in several ways. Only a few studies have directly compared changes in activity from the same sites in the same individual, using the same behavioral measure. More often the comparison has been between fMRI and electrophysiologic changes in populations recorded from the same functional anatomic system as defined by lesion effects; in a few studies those systems have been defined by fMRI changes such as the "default" network. The fMRI-electrophysiologic relationships have been evaluated empirically by colocalization of significant changes, and by quantitative analyses, often multiple linear regression. There is some evidence that the fMRI-electrophysiology relationships differ in different cortical areas, particularly primary motor and sensory cortices compared to association cortex, but also within areas of association cortex. Although crucial for interpretation of fMRI changes as reflecting neural activity in human cortex, controversy remains as to these relationships. Supported by: Dutch Technology Foundation and University of Utrecht Grant UGT7685, ERC-Advanced grant 320708 (NR) and NIH grant NS065186 (JO).

How Does Brain Activation Differ in Children with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy Compared to Typically Developing Children, during Active and Passive Movements, and Tactile Stimulation? An fMRI Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van de Winckel, Ann; Klingels, Katrijn; Bruyninckx, Frans; Wenderoth, Nici; Peeters, Ron; Sunaert, Stefan; Van Hecke, Wim; De Cock, Paul; Eyssen, Maria; De Weerdt, Willy; Feys, Hilde

2013-01-01

The aim of the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study was to investigate brain activation associated with active and passive movements, and tactile stimulation in 17 children with right-sided unilateral cerebral palsy (CP), compared to 19 typically developing children (TD). The active movements consisted of repetitive opening and…

Lack of sex effect on brain activity during a visuomotor response task: functional MR imaging study.

PubMed

Mikhelashvili-Browner, Nina; Yousem, David M; Wu, Colin; Kraut, Michael A; Vaughan, Christina L; Oguz, Kader Karli; Calhoun, Vince D

2003-03-01

As more individuals are enrolled in clinical functional MR imaging (fMRI) studies, an understanding of how sex may influence fMRI-measured brain activation is critical. We used fixed- and random-effects models to study the influence of sex on fMRI patterns of brain activation during a simple visuomotor reaction time task in the group of 26 age-matched men and women. We evaluated the right visual, left visual, left primary motor, left supplementary motor, and left anterior cingulate areas. Volumes of activations did not significantly differ between the groups in any defined regions. Analysis of variance failed to show any significant correlations between sex and volumes of brain activation in any location studied. Mean percentage signal-intensity changes for all locations were similar between men and women. A two-way t test of brain activation in men and women, performed as a part of random-effects modeling, showed no significant difference at any site. Our results suggest that sex seems to have little influence on fMRI brain activation when we compared performance on the simple reaction-time task. The need to control for sex effects is not critical in the analysis of this task with fMRI.

Test-retest reliability of fMRI during nonverbal semantic decisions in moderate-severe nonfluent aphasia patients

PubMed Central

Kurland, Jacquie; Naeser, Margaret A.; Baker, Errol H.; Doron, Karl; Martin, Paula I.; Seekins, Heidi E.; Bogdan, Andrew; Renshaw, Perry; Yurgelun-Todd, Deborah

2005-01-01

Cortical reorganization in poststroke aphasia is not well understood. Few studies have investigated neural mechanisms underlying language recovery in severe aphasia patients, who are typically viewed as having a poor prognosis for language recovery. Although test-retest reliability is routinely demonstrated during collection of language data in single-subject aphasia research, this is rarely examined in fMRI studies investigating the underlying neural mechanisms in aphasia recovery. The purpose of this study was to acquire fMRI test-retest data examining semantic decisions both within and between two aphasia patients. Functional MRI was utilized to image individuals with chronic, moderate-severe nonfluent aphasia during nonverbal, yes/no button-box semantic judgments of iconic sentences presented in the Computer-assisted Visual Communication (C-ViC) program. We investigated the critical issue of intra-subject reliability by exploring similarities and differences in regions of activation during participants’ performance of identical tasks twice on the same day. Each participant demonstrated high intra-subject reliability, with response decrements typical of task familiarity. Differences between participants included greater left hemisphere perilesional activation in the individual with better response to C-ViC training. This study provides fMRI reliability in chronic nonfluent aphasia, and adds to evidence supporting differences in individual cortical reorganization in aphasia recovery. PMID:15706052

Evaluating Dynamic Bivariate Correlations in Resting-state fMRI: A comparison study and a new approach

PubMed Central

Lindquist, Martin A.; Xu, Yuting; Nebel, Mary Beth; Caffo, Brain S.

2014-01-01

To date, most functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) studies have assumed that the functional connectivity (FC) between time series from distinct brain regions is constant across time. However, recently, there has been increased interest in quantifying possible dynamic changes in FC during fMRI experiments, as it is thought this may provide insight into the fundamental workings of brain networks. In this work we focus on the specific problem of estimating the dynamic behavior of pair-wise correlations between time courses extracted from two different regions of the brain. We critique the commonly used sliding-windows technique, and discuss some alternative methods used to model volatility in the finance literature that could also prove useful in the neuroimaging setting. In particular, we focus on the Dynamic Conditional Correlation (DCC) model, which provides a model-based approach towards estimating dynamic correlations. We investigate the properties of several techniques in a series of simulation studies and find that DCC achieves the best overall balance between sensitivity and specificity in detecting dynamic changes in correlations. We also investigate its scalability beyond the bivariate case to demonstrate its utility for studying dynamic correlations between more than two brain regions. Finally, we illustrate its performance in an application to test-retest resting state fMRI data. PMID:24993894

Effects of testosterone on visuospatial function and verbal fluency in postmenopausal women: results from a functional magnetic resonance imaging pilot study.

PubMed

Davis, Susan R; Davison, Sonia L; Gavrilescu, Maria; Searle, Karissa; Gogos, Andrea; Rossell, Susan L; Egan, Gary F; Bell, Robin J

2014-04-01

This study aims to investigate the effects of testosterone on cognitive performance during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in healthy estrogen-treated postmenopausal women. This was an open-label study in which postmenopausal women on nonoral estrogen therapy were treated with transdermal testosterone for 26 weeks. Women performed tests of verbal fluency (number of words) and mental rotation (reaction time and accuracy) during pretreatment and posttreatment fMRI. Blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal intensity was measured during fMRI tasks. Nine women with a mean (SD) age of 55.4 (3.8) years completed the study. Twenty-six weeks of testosterone therapy was associated with significant decreases in BOLD intensity during the mental rotation task in the right superior parietal, left inferior parietal, and left precuneus regions, and during the verbal fluency task in the left inferior frontal gyrus, left lingual gyrus, and medial frontal gyrus (all P < 0.05), with no change in task performance, accuracy, or speed. Testosterone therapy is associated with reduced BOLD signal activation in key anatomical areas during fMRI verbal fluency and visuospatial tasks in healthy estrogen-treated postmenopausal women. Our interpretation is that testosterone therapy facilitates preservation of cognitive function with less neuronal recruitment.

The effect of ageing on fMRI: Correction for the confounding effects of vascular reactivity evaluated by joint fMRI and MEG in 335 adults.

PubMed

Tsvetanov, Kamen A; Henson, Richard N A; Tyler, Lorraine K; Davis, Simon W; Shafto, Meredith A; Taylor, Jason R; Williams, Nitin; Cam-Can; Rowe, James B

2015-06-01

In functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) research one is typically interested in neural activity. However, the blood-oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signal is a composite of both neural and vascular activity. As factors such as age or medication may alter vascular function, it is essential to account for changes in neurovascular coupling when investigating neurocognitive functioning with fMRI. The resting-state fluctuation amplitude (RSFA) in the fMRI signal (rsfMRI) has been proposed as an index of vascular reactivity. The RSFA compares favourably with other techniques such as breath-hold and hypercapnia, but the latter are more difficult to perform in some populations, such as older adults. The RSFA is therefore a candidate for use in adjusting for age-related changes in vascular reactivity in fMRI studies. The use of RSFA is predicated on its sensitivity to vascular rather than neural factors; however, the extent to which each of these factors contributes to RSFA remains to be characterized. The present work addressed these issues by comparing RSFA (i.e., rsfMRI variability) to proxy measures of (i) cardiovascular function in terms of heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) and (ii) neural activity in terms of resting state magnetoencephalography (rsMEG). We derived summary scores of RSFA, a sensorimotor task BOLD activation, cardiovascular function and rsMEG variability for 335 healthy older adults in the population-based Cambridge Centre for Ageing and Neuroscience cohort (Cam-CAN; www.cam-can.com). Mediation analysis revealed that the effects of ageing on RSFA were significantly mediated by vascular factors, but importantly not by the variability in neuronal activity. Furthermore, the converse effects of ageing on the rsMEG variability were not mediated by vascular factors. We then examined the effect of RSFA scaling of task-based BOLD in the sensorimotor task. The scaling analysis revealed that much of the effects of age on task-based activation studies with fMRI do not survive correction for changes in vascular reactivity, and are likely to have been overestimated in previous fMRI studies of ageing. The results from the mediation analysis demonstrate that RSFA is modulated by measures of vascular function and is not driven solely by changes in the variance of neural activity. Based on these findings we propose that the RSFA scaling method is articularly useful in large scale and longitudinal neuroimaging studies of ageing, or with frail participants, where alternative measures of vascular reactivity are impractical. © 2015 The Authors Human Brain Mapping Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The effect of ageing on fMRI: Correction for the confounding effects of vascular reactivity evaluated by joint fMRI and MEG in 335 adults

PubMed Central

Henson, Richard N. A.; Tyler, Lorraine K.; Davis, Simon W.; Shafto, Meredith A.; Taylor, Jason R.; Williams, Nitin; Cam‐CAN; Rowe, James B.

2015-01-01

Abstract In functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) research one is typically interested in neural activity. However, the blood‐oxygenation level‐dependent (BOLD) signal is a composite of both neural and vascular activity. As factors such as age or medication may alter vascular function, it is essential to account for changes in neurovascular coupling when investigating neurocognitive functioning with fMRI. The resting‐state fluctuation amplitude (RSFA) in the fMRI signal (rsfMRI) has been proposed as an index of vascular reactivity. The RSFA compares favourably with other techniques such as breath‐hold and hypercapnia, but the latter are more difficult to perform in some populations, such as older adults. The RSFA is therefore a candidate for use in adjusting for age‐related changes in vascular reactivity in fMRI studies. The use of RSFA is predicated on its sensitivity to vascular rather than neural factors; however, the extent to which each of these factors contributes to RSFA remains to be characterized. The present work addressed these issues by comparing RSFA (i.e., rsfMRI variability) to proxy measures of (i) cardiovascular function in terms of heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) and (ii) neural activity in terms of resting state magnetoencephalography (rsMEG). We derived summary scores of RSFA, a sensorimotor task BOLD activation, cardiovascular function and rsMEG variability for 335 healthy older adults in the population‐based Cambridge Centre for Ageing and Neuroscience cohort (Cam‐CAN; www.cam-can.com). Mediation analysis revealed that the effects of ageing on RSFA were significantly mediated by vascular factors, but importantly not by the variability in neuronal activity. Furthermore, the converse effects of ageing on the rsMEG variability were not mediated by vascular factors. We then examined the effect of RSFA scaling of task‐based BOLD in the sensorimotor task. The scaling analysis revealed that much of the effects of age on task‐based activation studies with fMRI do not survive correction for changes in vascular reactivity, and are likely to have been overestimated in previous fMRI studies of ageing. The results from the mediation analysis demonstrate that RSFA is modulated by measures of vascular function and is not driven solely by changes in the variance of neural activity. Based on these findings we propose that the RSFA scaling method is articularly useful in large scale and longitudinal neuroimaging studies of ageing, or with frail participants, where alternative measures of vascular reactivity are impractical. Hum Brain Mapp 36:2248–2269, 2015. © 2015 The Authors Human Brain Mapping Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:25727740

Multivariate pattern analysis of fMRI: the early beginnings.

PubMed

Haxby, James V

2012-08-15

In 2001, we published a paper on the representation of faces and objects in ventral temporal cortex that introduced a new method for fMRI analysis, which subsequently came to be called multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA). MVPA now refers to a diverse set of methods that analyze neural responses as patterns of activity that reflect the varying brain states that a cortical field or system can produce. This paper recounts the circumstances and events that led to the original study and later developments and innovations that have greatly expanded this approach to fMRI data analysis, leading to its widespread application. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Altered functional connectivity in early Alzheimer's disease: a resting-state fMRI study.

PubMed

Wang, Kun; Liang, Meng; Wang, Liang; Tian, Lixia; Zhang, Xinqing; Li, Kuncheng; Jiang, Tianzi

2007-10-01

Previous studies have led to the proposal that patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) may have disturbed functional connectivity between different brain regions. Furthermore, recent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have also shown that low-frequency (<0.08 Hz) fluctuations (LFF) of the blood oxygenation level-dependent signals were abnormal in several brain areas of AD patients. However, few studies have investigated disturbed LFF connectivity in AD patients. By using resting-state fMRI, this study sought to investigate the abnormal functional connectivities throughout the entire brain of early AD patients, and analyze the global distribution of these abnormalities. For this purpose, the authors divided the whole brain into 116 regions and identified abnormal connectivities by comparing the correlation coefficients of each pair. Compared with healthy controls, AD patients had decreased positive correlations between the prefrontal and parietal lobes, but increased positive correlations within the prefrontal lobe, parietal lobe, and occipital lobe. The AD patients also had decreased negative correlations (closer to zero) between two intrinsically anti-correlated networks that had previously been found in the resting brain. By using resting-state fMRI, our results supported previous studies that have reported an anterior-posterior disconnection phenomenon and increased within-lobe functional connectivity in AD patients. In addition, the results also suggest that AD may disturb the correlation/anti-correlation effect in the two intrinsically anti-correlated networks. Wiley-Liss, Inc.

OdorMapComparer: an application for quantitative analyses and comparisons of fMRI brain odor maps.

PubMed

Liu, Nian; Xu, Fuqiang; Miller, Perry L; Shepherd, Gordon M

2007-01-01

Brain odor maps are reconstructed flat images that describe the spatial activity patterns in the glomerular layer of the olfactory bulbs in animals exposed to different odor stimuli. We have developed a software application, OdorMapComparer, to carry out quantitative analyses and comparisons of the fMRI odor maps. This application is an open-source window program that first loads two odor map images being compared. It allows image transformations including scaling, flipping, rotating, and warping so that the two images can be appropriately aligned to each other. It performs simple subtraction, addition, and average of signals in the two images. It also provides comparative statistics including the normalized correlation (NC) and spatial correlation coefficient. Experimental studies showed that the rodent fMRI odor maps for aliphatic aldehydes displayed spatial activity patterns that are similar in gross outlines but somewhat different in specific subregions. Analyses with OdorMapComparer indicate that the similarity between odor maps decreases with increasing difference in the length of carbon chains. For example, the map of butanal is more closely related to that of pentanal (with a NC = 0.617) than to that of octanal (NC = 0.082), which is consistent with animal behavioral studies. The study also indicates that fMRI odor maps are statistically odor-specific and repeatable across both the intra- and intersubject trials. OdorMapComparer thus provides a tool for quantitative, statistical analyses and comparisons of fMRI odor maps in a fashion that is integrated with the overall odor mapping techniques.

The Cognitive Neuroscience of Sign Language: Engaging Undergraduate Students' Critical Thinking Skills Using the Primary Literature.

PubMed

Stevens, Courtney

2015-01-01

This article presents a modular activity on the neurobiology of sign language that engages undergraduate students in reading and analyzing the primary functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) literature. Drawing on a seed empirical article and subsequently published critique and rebuttal, students are introduced to a scientific debate concerning the functional significance of right-hemisphere recruitment observed in some fMRI studies of sign language processing. The activity requires minimal background knowledge and is not designed to provide students with a specific conclusion regarding the debate. Instead, the activity and set of articles allow students to consider key issues in experimental design and analysis of the primary literature, including critical thinking regarding the cognitive subtractions used in blocked-design fMRI studies, as well as possible confounds in comparing results across different experimental tasks. By presenting articles representing different perspectives, each cogently argued by leading scientists, the readings and activity also model the type of debate and dialogue critical to science, but often invisible to undergraduate science students. Student self-report data indicate that undergraduates find the readings interesting and that the activity enhances their ability to read and interpret primary fMRI articles, including evaluating research design and considering alternate explanations of study results. As a stand-alone activity completed primarily in one 60-minute class block, the activity can be easily incorporated into existing courses, providing students with an introduction both to the analysis of empirical fMRI articles and to the role of debate and critique in the field of neuroscience.

Different brain activation under left and right ventricular stimulation: an fMRI study in anesthetized rats.

PubMed

Suzuki, Hideaki; Sumiyoshi, Akira; Kawashima, Ryuta; Shimokawa, Hiroaki

2013-01-01

Myocardial ischemia in the anterior wall of the left ventricule (LV) and in the inferior wall and/or right ventricle (RV) shows different manifestations that can be explained by the different innervations of cardiac afferent nerves. However, it remains unclear whether information from different areas of the heart, such as the LV and RV, are differently processed in the brain. In this study, we investigated the brain regions that process information from the LV or RV using cardiac electrical stimulation and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in anesthetized rats because the combination of these two approaches cannot be used in humans. An electrical stimulation catheter was inserted into the LV or RV (n = 12 each). Brain fMRI scans were recorded during LV or RV stimulation (9 Hz and 0.3 ms width) over 10 blocks consisting of alternating periods of 2 mA for 30 sec followed by 0.2 mA for 60 sec. The validity of fMRI signals was confirmed by first and second-level analyses and temporal profiles. Increases in fMRI signals were observed in the anterior cingulate cortex and the right somatosensory cortex under LV stimulation. In contrast, RV stimulation activated the right somatosensory cortex, which was identified more anteriorly compared with LV stimulation but did not activate the anterior cingulate cortex. This study provides the first evidence for differences in brain activation under LV and RV stimulation. These different brain processes may be associated with different clinical manifestations between anterior wall and inferoposterior wall and/or RV myocardial ischemia.

Feasibility of using fMRI to study mothers responding to infant cries.

PubMed

Lorberbaum, J P; Newman, J D; Dubno, J R; Horwitz, A R; Nahas, Z; Teneback, C C; Bloomer, C W; Bohning, D E; Vincent, D; Johnson, M R; Emmanuel, N; Brawman-Mintzer, O; Book, S W; Lydiard, R B; Ballenger, J C; George, M S

1999-01-01

While parenting is a universal human behavior, its neuroanatomic basis is currently unknown. Animal data suggest that the cingulate may play an important function in mammalian parenting behavior. For example, in rodents cingulate lesions impair maternal behavior. Here, in an attempt to understand the brain basis of human maternal behavior, we had mothers listen to recorded infant cries and white noise control sounds while they underwent functional MRI (fMRI) of the brain. We hypothesized that mothers would show significantly greater cingulate activity during the cries compared to the control sounds. Of 7 subjects scanned, 4 had fMRI data suitable for analysis. When fMRI data were averaged for these 4 subjects, the anterior cingulate and right medial prefrontal cortex were the only brain regions showing statistically increased activity with the cries compared to white noise control sounds (cluster analysis with one-tailed z-map threshold of P < 0.001 and spatial extent threshold of P < 0.05). These results demonstrate the feasibility of using fMRI to study brain activity in mothers listening to infant cries and that the anterior cingulate may be involved in mothers listening to crying babies. We are currently replicating this study in a larger group of mothers. Future work in this area may help (1) unravel the functional neuroanatomy of the parent-infant bond and (2) examine whether markers of this bond, such as maternal brain response to infant crying, can predict maternal style (i.e., child neglect), offspring temperament, or offspring depression or anxiety.

Spatially Regularized Machine Learning for Task and Resting-state fMRI

PubMed Central

Song, Xiaomu; Panych, Lawrence P.; Chen, Nan-kuei

2015-01-01

Background Reliable mapping of brain function across sessions and/or subjects in task- and resting-state has been a critical challenge for quantitative fMRI studies although it has been intensively addressed in the past decades. New Method A spatially regularized support vector machine (SVM) technique was developed for the reliable brain mapping in task- and resting-state. Unlike most existing SVM-based brain mapping techniques, which implement supervised classifications of specific brain functional states or disorders, the proposed method performs a semi-supervised classification for the general brain function mapping where spatial correlation of fMRI is integrated into the SVM learning. The method can adapt to intra- and inter-subject variations induced by fMRI nonstationarity, and identify a true boundary between active and inactive voxels, or between functionally connected and unconnected voxels in a feature space. Results The method was evaluated using synthetic and experimental data at the individual and group level. Multiple features were evaluated in terms of their contributions to the spatially regularized SVM learning. Reliable mapping results in both task- and resting-state were obtained from individual subjects and at the group level. Comparison with Existing Methods A comparison study was performed with independent component analysis, general linear model, and correlation analysis methods. Experimental results indicate that the proposed method can provide a better or comparable mapping performance at the individual and group level. Conclusions The proposed method can provide accurate and reliable mapping of brain function in task- and resting-state, and is applicable to a variety of quantitative fMRI studies. PMID:26470627

The Cognitive Neuroscience of Sign Language: Engaging Undergraduate Students’ Critical Thinking Skills Using the Primary Literature

PubMed Central

Stevens, Courtney

2015-01-01

This article presents a modular activity on the neurobiology of sign language that engages undergraduate students in reading and analyzing the primary functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) literature. Drawing on a seed empirical article and subsequently published critique and rebuttal, students are introduced to a scientific debate concerning the functional significance of right-hemisphere recruitment observed in some fMRI studies of sign language processing. The activity requires minimal background knowledge and is not designed to provide students with a specific conclusion regarding the debate. Instead, the activity and set of articles allow students to consider key issues in experimental design and analysis of the primary literature, including critical thinking regarding the cognitive subtractions used in blocked-design fMRI studies, as well as possible confounds in comparing results across different experimental tasks. By presenting articles representing different perspectives, each cogently argued by leading scientists, the readings and activity also model the type of debate and dialogue critical to science, but often invisible to undergraduate science students. Student self-report data indicate that undergraduates find the readings interesting and that the activity enhances their ability to read and interpret primary fMRI articles, including evaluating research design and considering alternate explanations of study results. As a stand-alone activity completed primarily in one 60-minute class block, the activity can be easily incorporated into existing courses, providing students with an introduction both to the analysis of empirical fMRI articles and to the role of debate and critique in the field of neuroscience. PMID:26557797

The temporal change in the cortical activations due to salty and sweet tastes in humans: fMRI and time-intensity sensory evaluation.

PubMed

Nakamura, Yuko; Goto, Tazuko K; Tokumori, Kenji; Yoshiura, Takashi; Kobayashi, Koji; Nakamura, Yasuhiko; Honda, Hiroshi; Ninomiya, Yuzo; Yoshiura, Kazunori

2012-04-18

It remains unclear how the cerebral cortex of humans perceives taste temporally, and whether or not such objective data about the brain show a correlation with the current widely used conventional methods of taste-intensity sensory evaluation. The aim of this study was to investigate the difference in the time-intensity profile between salty and sweet tastes in the human brain. The time-intensity profiles of functional MRI (fMRI) data of the human taste cortex were analyzed using finite impulse response analysis for a direct interpretation in terms of the peristimulus time signal. Also, time-intensity sensory evaluations for tastes were performed under the same condition as fMRI to confirm the reliability of the temporal profile in the fMRI data. The time-intensity profile for the brain activations due to a salty taste changed more rapidly than those due to a sweet taste in the human brain cortex and was also similar to the time-intensity sensory evaluation, confirming the reliability of the temporal profile of the fMRI data. In conclusion, the time-intensity profile using finite impulse response analysis for fMRI data showed that there was a temporal difference in the neural responses between salty and sweet tastes over a given period of time. This indicates that there might be taste-specific temporal profiles of activations in the human brain.

The physics of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buxton, Richard B.

2013-09-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a methodology for detecting dynamic patterns of activity in the working human brain. Although the initial discoveries that led to fMRI are only about 20 years old, this new field has revolutionized the study of brain function. The ability to detect changes in brain activity has a biophysical basis in the magnetic properties of deoxyhemoglobin, and a physiological basis in the way blood flow increases more than oxygen metabolism when local neural activity increases. These effects translate to a subtle increase in the local magnetic resonance signal, the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) effect, when neural activity increases. With current techniques, this pattern of activation can be measured with resolution approaching 1 mm3 spatially and 1 s temporally. This review focuses on the physical basis of the BOLD effect, the imaging methods used to measure it, the possible origins of the physiological effects that produce a mismatch of blood flow and oxygen metabolism during neural activation, and the mathematical models that have been developed to understand the measured signals. An overarching theme is the growing field of quantitative fMRI, in which other MRI methods are combined with BOLD methods and analyzed within a theoretical modeling framework to derive quantitative estimates of oxygen metabolism and other physiological variables. That goal is the current challenge for fMRI: to move fMRI from a mapping tool to a quantitative probe of brain physiology.

The physics of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

PubMed Central

Buxton, Richard B

2015-01-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a methodology for detecting dynamic patterns of activity in the working human brain. Although the initial discoveries that led to fMRI are only about 20 years old, this new field has revolutionized the study of brain function. The ability to detect changes in brain activity has a biophysical basis in the magnetic properties of deoxyhemoglobin, and a physiological basis in the way blood flow increases more than oxygen metabolism when local neural activity increases. These effects translate to a subtle increase in the local magnetic resonance signal, the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) effect, when neural activity increases. With current techniques, this pattern of activation can be measured with resolution approaching 1 mm3 spatially and 1 s temporally. This review focuses on the physical basis of the BOLD effect, the imaging methods used to measure it, the possible origins of the physiological effects that produce a mismatch of blood flow and oxygen metabolism during neural activation, and the mathematical models that have been developed to understand the measured signals. An overarching theme is the growing field of quantitative fMRI, in which other MRI methods are combined with BOLD methods and analyzed within a theoretical modeling framework to derive quantitative estimates of oxygen metabolism and other physiological variables. That goal is the current challenge for fMRI: to move fMRI from a mapping tool to a quantitative probe of brain physiology. PMID:24006360

The physics of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

PubMed

Buxton, Richard B

2013-09-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a methodology for detecting dynamic patterns of activity in the working human brain. Although the initial discoveries that led to fMRI are only about 20 years old, this new field has revolutionized the study of brain function. The ability to detect changes in brain activity has a biophysical basis in the magnetic properties of deoxyhemoglobin, and a physiological basis in the way blood flow increases more than oxygen metabolism when local neural activity increases. These effects translate to a subtle increase in the local magnetic resonance signal, the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) effect, when neural activity increases. With current techniques, this pattern of activation can be measured with resolution approaching 1 mm(3) spatially and 1 s temporally. This review focuses on the physical basis of the BOLD effect, the imaging methods used to measure it, the possible origins of the physiological effects that produce a mismatch of blood flow and oxygen metabolism during neural activation, and the mathematical models that have been developed to understand the measured signals. An overarching theme is the growing field of quantitative fMRI, in which other MRI methods are combined with BOLD methods and analyzed within a theoretical modeling framework to derive quantitative estimates of oxygen metabolism and other physiological variables. That goal is the current challenge for fMRI: to move fMRI from a mapping tool to a quantitative probe of brain physiology.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)-aided therapeutics of Chinese speech area-related lesions: screening of fMRI-stimulating mode and its clinical applications.

PubMed

Wu, Nan; Xie, Bing; Wu, Guo-Cai; Lan, Chuan; Wang, Jian; Feng, Hua

2010-01-01

Language area-related lesion is a serious issue in neurosurgery. Removing the lesion in the language area and at the same time preserving language functions is a great challenge. In this study, we aimed to screen functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) based task types suitable for activation of Broca and Wernicke areas in Chinese population, characterize lesion properties of functional area of Chinese language in brain, and assess the potential of fMRI-guided neuronavigation in clinical applications. Blood oxygen level-dependent fMRI has been used to localize language area prior to operation. We carried out extensive fMRI analyses and conducted operation on patients with lesions in speech area. fMRI tests revealed that the reciting task in Chinese can steadily activate the Broca area, and paragraph comprehension task in Chinese can effectively activate the Wernicke area. Cortical stimulation of patients when being awake during operation validated the sensitivity and accuracy of fMRI. The safe distance between language activation area and removal of the lesion in language area was determined to be about 10 mm. Further investigation suggested that navigation of fMRI combined with diffuse tensor imaging can decrease the incidence of postoperative dysfunction and increase the success rate for complete removal of lesion. Taken together, these findings may be helpful to clinical therapy for language area-related lesions.

Sequential Dictionary Learning From Correlated Data: Application to fMRI Data Analysis.

PubMed

Seghouane, Abd-Krim; Iqbal, Asif

2017-03-22

Sequential dictionary learning via the K-SVD algorithm has been revealed as a successful alternative to conventional data driven methods such as independent component analysis (ICA) for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data analysis. fMRI datasets are however structured data matrices with notions of spatio-temporal correlation and temporal smoothness. This prior information has not been included in the K-SVD algorithm when applied to fMRI data analysis. In this paper we propose three variants of the K-SVD algorithm dedicated to fMRI data analysis by accounting for this prior information. The proposed algorithms differ from the K-SVD in their sparse coding and dictionary update stages. The first two algorithms account for the known correlation structure in the fMRI data by using the squared Q, R-norm instead of the Frobenius norm for matrix approximation. The third and last algorithm account for both the known correlation structure in the fMRI data and the temporal smoothness. The temporal smoothness is incorporated in the dictionary update stage via regularization of the dictionary atoms obtained with penalization. The performance of the proposed dictionary learning algorithms are illustrated through simulations and applications on real fMRI data.

Role of the parahippocampal cortex in memory for the configuration but not the identity of objects: converging evidence from patients with selective thermal lesions and fMRI.

PubMed

Bohbot, Véronique D; Allen, John J B; Dagher, Alain; Dumoulin, Serge O; Evans, Alan C; Petrides, Michael; Kalina, Miroslav; Stepankova, Katerina; Nadel, Lynn

2015-01-01

The parahippocampal cortex and hippocampus are brain structures known to be involved in memory. However, the unique contribution of the parahippocampal cortex remains unclear. The current study investigates memory for object identity and memory of the configuration of objects in patients with small thermo-coagulation lesions to the hippocampus or the parahippocampal cortex. Results showed that in contrast to control participants and patients with damage to the hippocampus leaving the parahippocampal cortex intact, patients with lesions that included the right parahippocampal cortex (RPH) were severely impaired on a task that required learning the spatial configuration of objects on a computer screen; these patients, however, were not impaired at learning the identity of objects. Conversely, we found that patients with lesions to the right hippocampus (RH) or left hippocampus (LH), sparing the parahippocampal cortex, performed just as well as the control participants. Furthermore, they were not impaired on the object identity task. In the functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) experiment, healthy young adults performed the same tasks. Consistent with the findings of the lesion study, the fMRI results showed significant activity in the RPH in the memory for the spatial configuration condition, but not memory for object identity. Furthermore, the pattern of fMRI activity measured in the baseline control conditions decreased specifically in the parahippocampal cortex as a result of the experimental task, providing evidence for task specific repetition suppression. In summary, while our previous studies demonstrated that the hippocampus is critical to the construction of a cognitive map, both the lesion and fMRI studies have shown an involvement of the RPH for learning spatial configurations of objects but not object identity, and that this takes place independent of the hippocampus.

Functional-anatomic study of episodic retrieval using fMRI. I. Retrieval effort versus retrieval success.

PubMed

Buckner, R L; Koutstaal, W; Schacter, D L; Wagner, A D; Rosen, B R

1998-04-01

A number of recent functional imaging studies have identified brain areas activated during tasks involving episodic memory retrieval. The identification of such areas provides a foundation for targeted hypotheses regarding the more specific contributions that these areas make to episodic retrieval. As a beginning effort toward such an endeavor, whole-brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to examine 14 subjects during episodic word recognition in a block-designed fMRI experiment. Study conditions were manipulated by presenting either shallow or deep encoding tasks. This manipulation yielded two recognition conditions that differed with regard to retrieval effort and retrieval success: shallow encoding yielded low levels of recognition success with high levels of retrieval effort, and deep encoding yielded high levels of recognition success with low levels of effort. Many brain areas were activated in common by these two recognition conditions compared to a low-level fixation condition, including left and right prefrontal regions often detected during PET episodic retrieval paradigms (e.g., R. L. Buckner et al., 1996, J. Neurosci. 16, 6219-6235) thereby generalizing these findings to fMRI. Characterization of the activated regions in relation to the separate recognition conditions showed (1) bilateral anterior insular regions and a left dorsal prefrontal region were more active after shallow encoding, when retrieval demanded greatest effort, and (2) right anterior prefrontal cortex, which has been implicated in episodic retrieval, was most active during successful retrieval after deep encoding. We discuss these findings in relation to component processes involved in episodic retrieval and in the context of a companion study using event-related fMRI.

Identifying patients with Alzheimer's disease using resting-state fMRI and graph theory.

PubMed

Khazaee, Ali; Ebrahimzadeh, Ata; Babajani-Feremi, Abbas

2015-11-01

Study of brain network on the basis of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has provided promising results to investigate changes in connectivity among different brain regions because of diseases. Graph theory can efficiently characterize different aspects of the brain network by calculating measures of integration and segregation. In this study, we combine graph theoretical approaches with advanced machine learning methods to study functional brain network alteration in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Support vector machine (SVM) was used to explore the ability of graph measures in diagnosis of AD. We applied our method on the resting-state fMRI data of twenty patients with AD and twenty age and gender matched healthy subjects. The data were preprocessed and each subject's graph was constructed by parcellation of the whole brain into 90 distinct regions using the automated anatomical labeling (AAL) atlas. The graph measures were then calculated and used as the discriminating features. Extracted network-based features were fed to different feature selection algorithms to choose most significant features. In addition to the machine learning approach, statistical analysis was performed on connectivity matrices to find altered connectivity patterns in patients with AD. Using the selected features, we were able to accurately classify patients with AD from healthy subjects with accuracy of 100%. Results of this study show that pattern recognition and graph of brain network, on the basis of the resting state fMRI data, can efficiently assist in the diagnosis of AD. Classification based on the resting-state fMRI can be used as a non-invasive and automatic tool to diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Copyright © 2015 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. All rights reserved.

A Forced-Attention Dichotic Listening fMRI Study on 113 Subjects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kompus, Kristiina; Specht, Karsten; Ersland, Lars; Juvodden, Hilde T.; van Wageningen, Heidi; Hugdahl, Kenneth; Westerhausen, Rene

2012-01-01

We report fMRI and behavioral data from 113 subjects on attention and cognitive control using a variant of the classic dichotic listening paradigm with pairwise presentations of consonant-vowel syllables. The syllable stimuli were presented in a block-design while subjects were in the MR scanner. The subjects were instructed to pay attention to…

Optimization of Blocked Designs in fMRI Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maus, Barbel; van Breukelen, Gerard J. P.; Goebel, Rainer; Berger, Martijn P. F.

2010-01-01

Blocked designs in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) are useful to localize functional brain areas. A blocked design consists of different blocks of trials of the same stimulus type and is characterized by three factors: the length of blocks, i.e., number of trials per blocks, the ordering of task and rest blocks, and the time between…

Functional Connectivity in an fMRI Study of Semantic and Phonological Processes and the Effect of L-Dopa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tivarus, Madalina E.; Hillier, Ashleigh; Schmalbrock, Petra; Beversdorf, David Q.

2008-01-01

We describe an fMRI experiment examining the functional connectivity (FC) between regions of the brain associated with semantic and phonological processing. We wished to explore whether L-Dopa administration affects the interaction between language network components in semantic and phonological categorization tasks, as revealed by FC. We…

Mild Jugular Compression Collar Ameliorated Changes in Brain Activation of Working Memory after One Soccer Season in Female High School Athletes.

PubMed

Yuan, Weihong; Dudley, Jonathan; Barber Foss, Kim D; Ellis, Jonathan D; Thomas, Staci; Galloway, Ryan T; DiCesare, Christopher A; Leach, James L; Adams, Janet; Maloney, Thomas; Gadd, Brooke; Smith, David; Epstein, Jeff N; Grooms, Dustin R; Logan, Kelsey; Howell, David R; Altaye, Mekibib; Myer, Gregory D

2018-06-01

Recent neuroimaging studies have suggested that repetitive subconcussive head impacts, even after only one sport season, may lead to pre- to post-season structural and functional alterations in male high school football athletes. However, data on female athletes are limited. In the current investigation, we aimed to (1) assess the longitudinal pre- to post-season changes in functional MRI (fMRI) of working memory and working memory performance, (2) quantify the association between the pre- to post-season change in fMRI of working memory and the exposure to head impact and working memory performance, and (3) assess whether wearing a neck collar designed to reduce intracranial slosh via mild compression of the jugular veins can ameliorate the changes in fMRI brain activation observed in the female high school athletes who did not wear collars after a full soccer season. A total of 48 female high school soccer athletes (age range: 14.00-17.97 years) were included in the study. These athletes were assigned to the non-collar group (n = 21) or to the collar group (n = 27). All athletes undewent MRI at both pre-season and post-season. In each session, a fMRI verbal N-Back task was used to engage working memory. A significant pre- to post-season increase in fMRI blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal was demonstrated when performing the N-back working memory task in the non-collar group but not in the collar group, despite the comparable exposure to head impacts during the season between the two groups. The collar group demonstrated significantly smaller pre- to post-season change in fMRI BOLD signal than the non-collar group, suggesting a potential protective effect from the collar device. Significant correlations were also found between the pre- to post-season increase in fMRI brain activation and the decrease in task accuracy in the non-collar group, indicating an association between the compensatory mechanism in underlying neurophysiology and the alteration in the behavioral outcomes.

Linear Discriminant Analysis Achieves High Classification Accuracy for the BOLD fMRI Response to Naturalistic Movie Stimuli

PubMed Central

Mandelkow, Hendrik; de Zwart, Jacco A.; Duyn, Jeff H.

2016-01-01

Naturalistic stimuli like movies evoke complex perceptual processes, which are of great interest in the study of human cognition by functional MRI (fMRI). However, conventional fMRI analysis based on statistical parametric mapping (SPM) and the general linear model (GLM) is hampered by a lack of accurate parametric models of the BOLD response to complex stimuli. In this situation, statistical machine-learning methods, a.k.a. multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA), have received growing attention for their ability to generate stimulus response models in a data-driven fashion. However, machine-learning methods typically require large amounts of training data as well as computational resources. In the past, this has largely limited their application to fMRI experiments involving small sets of stimulus categories and small regions of interest in the brain. By contrast, the present study compares several classification algorithms known as Nearest Neighbor (NN), Gaussian Naïve Bayes (GNB), and (regularized) Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) in terms of their classification accuracy in discriminating the global fMRI response patterns evoked by a large number of naturalistic visual stimuli presented as a movie. Results show that LDA regularized by principal component analysis (PCA) achieved high classification accuracies, above 90% on average for single fMRI volumes acquired 2 s apart during a 300 s movie (chance level 0.7% = 2 s/300 s). The largest source of classification errors were autocorrelations in the BOLD signal compounded by the similarity of consecutive stimuli. All classifiers performed best when given input features from a large region of interest comprising around 25% of the voxels that responded significantly to the visual stimulus. Consistent with this, the most informative principal components represented widespread distributions of co-activated brain regions that were similar between subjects and may represent functional networks. In light of these results, the combination of naturalistic movie stimuli and classification analysis in fMRI experiments may prove to be a sensitive tool for the assessment of changes in natural cognitive processes under experimental manipulation. PMID:27065832

Dominance of layer-specific microvessel dilation in contrast-enhanced high-resolution fMRI: Comparison between hemodynamic spread and vascular architecture with CLARITY.

PubMed

Poplawsky, Alexander John; Fukuda, Mitsuhiro; Kang, Bok-Man; Kim, Jae Hwan; Suh, Minah; Kim, Seong-Gi

2017-08-16

Contrast-enhanced cerebral blood volume-weighted (CBVw) fMRI response peaks are specific to the layer of evoked synaptic activity (Poplawsky et al., 2015), but the spatial resolution limit of CBVw fMRI is unknown. In this study, we measured the laminar spread of the CBVw fMRI evoked response in the external plexiform layer (EPL, 265 ± 65 μm anatomical thickness, mean ± SD, n = 30 locations from 5 rats) of the rat olfactory bulb during electrical stimulation of the lateral olfactory tract and examined its potential vascular source. First, we obtained the evoked CBVw fMRI responses with a 55 × 55 μm 2 in-plane resolution and a 500-μm thickness at 9.4 T, and found that the fMRI signal peaked predominantly in the inner half of EPL (136 ± 54 μm anatomical thickness). The mean full-width at half-maximum of these fMRI peaks was 347 ± 102 μm and the functional spread was approximately 100 or 200 μm when the effects of the laminar thicknesses of EPL or inner EPL were removed, respectively. Second, we visualized the vascular architecture of EPL from a different rat using a Clear Lipid-exchanged Anatomically Rigid Imaging/immunostaining-compatible Tissue hYdrogel (CLARITY)-based tissue preparation method and confocal microscopy. Microvascular segments with an outer diameter of <11 μm accounted for 64.3% of the total vascular volume within EPL and had a mean segment length of 55 ± 40 μm (n = 472). Additionally, vessels that crossed the EPL border had a mean segment length outside of EPL equal to 73 ± 61 μm (n = 28), which is comparable to half of the functional spread (50-100 μm). Therefore, we conclude that dilation of these microvessels, including capillaries, likely dominate the CBVw fMRI response and that the biological limit of the fMRI spatial resolution is approximately the average length of 1-2 microvessel segments, which may be sufficient for examining sublaminar circuits. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phonological awareness predicts activation patterns for print and speech

PubMed Central

Frost, Stephen J.; Landi, Nicole; Mencl, W. Einar; Sandak, Rebecca; Fulbright, Robert K.; Tejada, Eleanor T.; Jacobsen, Leslie; Grigorenko, Elena L.; Constable, R. Todd; Pugh, Kenneth R.

2009-01-01

Using fMRI, we explored the relationship between phonological awareness (PA), a measure of metaphonological knowledge of the segmental structure of speech, and brain activation patterns during processing of print and speech in young readers from six to ten years of age. Behavioral measures of PA were positively correlated with activation levels for print relative to speech tokens in superior temporal and occipito-temporal regions. Differences between print-elicited activation levels in superior temporal and inferior frontal sites were also correlated with PA measures with the direction of the correlation depending on stimulus type: positive for pronounceable pseudowords and negative for consonant strings. These results support and extend the many indications in the behavioral and neurocognitive literature that PA is a major component of skill in beginning readers and point to a developmental trajectory by which written language engages areas originally shaped by speech for learners on the path toward successful literacy acquisition. PMID:19306061

[Functional magnetic resonance imaging: a critical analysis of its technical, statistical and theoretical implications in human neuroscience].

PubMed

González-García, C; Tudela, P; Ruz, M

2014-04-01

The use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has represented an important step forward for the neurosciences. Nevertheless, it has also been subject to rather a lot of criticism. To study the most widespread criticism against fMRI, so that researchers who are starting to use it may know the different elements that must be taken into account to be able to take a suitable approach to this technique. The fact that fMRI allows brain activity to be observed makes it a very attractive and useful tool, and its use has grown exponentially since the last decade of the 20th century. At the same time, criticism against its use has become especially fierce. Most of this scepticism can be classified into aspects related with the technique and physiology, the analysis of data and their theoretical interpretation. In this study we will review the main arguments defended in each of these three areas, as well as looking at whether they are well-founded or not. Additionally, this work is also intended as a reference for novel researchers when it comes to identifying elements that must be taken into account as they approach fMRI. Despite the fact that fMRI is one of the most interesting options for observing the brain available today, its correct utilisation requires a great deal of control and knowledge. Even so, today most of the criticism it receives no longer has any solid foundation on which to stand.

Functional MRI in the Investigation of Blast-Related Traumatic Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Graner, John; Oakes, Terrence R.; French, Louis M.; Riedy, Gerard

2012-01-01

This review focuses on the application of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to the investigation of blast-related traumatic brain injury (bTBI). Relatively little is known about the exact mechanisms of neurophysiological injury and pathological and functional sequelae of bTBI. Furthermore, in mild bTBI, standard anatomical imaging techniques (MRI and computed tomography) generally fail to show focal lesions and most of the symptoms present as subjective clinical functional deficits. Therefore, an objective test of brain functionality has great potential to aid in patient diagnosis and provide a sensitive measurement to monitor disease progression and treatment. The goal of this review is to highlight the relevant body of blast-related TBI literature and present suggestions and considerations in the development of fMRI studies for the investigation of bTBI. The review begins with a summary of recent bTBI publications followed by discussions of various elements of blast-related injury. Brief reviews of some fMRI techniques that focus on mental processes commonly disrupted by bTBI, including working memory, selective attention, and emotional processing, are presented in addition to a short review of resting state fMRI. Potential strengths and weaknesses of these approaches as regards bTBI are discussed. Finally, this review presents considerations that must be made when designing fMRI studies for bTBI populations, given the heterogeneous nature of bTBI and its high rate of comorbidity with other physical and psychological injuries. PMID:23460082

An fMRI study of somatosensory-implicated acupuncture points in stable somatosensory stroke patients.

PubMed

Li, Geng; Jack, Clifford R; Yang, Edward S

2006-11-01

To assess differences in brain responses between stroke patients and controls to tactile and electrical acupuncture stimulation using functional MRI (fMRI). A total of 12 male, clinically stable stroke patients with left side somatosensory deficits, and 12 age-matched male control subjects were studied. fMRI was performed with two different paradigms; namely, tactile stimuli and electrical stimulation at acupuncture points LI4 and LI11 on the affected side of the body. fMRI data were analyzed using SPM99. Tactile stimulation in both patients and controls produced significant activation in primary and secondary sensory and motor cortical areas and cerebellum. Greater activation was present in patients than controls in the somatosensory cortex with both the tactile task and the acupuncture point (acupoint) stimulation. Activation was greater during the tactile task than the acupuncture stimulation in patients and normal controls. Differences observed between patients and controls on both tasks may indicate compensatory over recruitment of neocortical areas involved in somatosensory perception in the stroke patients. The observed differences between patients and controls on the acupoint stimulation task may also indicate that stimulation of acupoints used therapeutically to enhance recovery from stroke, selectively activates areas thought to be involved in mediating recovery from stroke via functional plasticity. fMRI of acupoint stimulation may illustrate the functional substrate of the therapeutically beneficial effect of acupuncture in stroke rehabilitation. Copyright (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Task-related fMRI in hemiplegic cerebral palsy-A systematic review.

PubMed

Gaberova, Katerina; Pacheva, Iliyana; Ivanov, Ivan

2018-04-27

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is used widely to study reorganization after early brain injuries. Unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP) is an appealing model for studying brain plasticity by fMRI. To summarize the results of task-related fMRI studies in UCP in order to get better understanding of the mechanism of neuroplasticity of the developing brain and its reorganization potential and better translation of this knowledge to clinical practice. A systematic search was conducted on the PubMed database by keywords: "cerebral palsy", "congenital hemiparesis", "unilateral", "Magnetic resonance imaging" , "fMRI", "reorganization", and "plasticity" The exclusion criteria were as follows: case reports; reviews; studies exploring non-UCP patients; and studies with results of rehabilitation. We found 7 articles investigated sensory tasks; 9 studies-motor tasks; 12 studies-speech tasks. Ipsilesional reorganization is dominant in sensory tasks (in 74/77 patients), contralesional-in only 3/77. In motor tasks, bilateral activation is found in 64/83, only contralesional-in 11/83, and only ipsilesional-8/83. Speech perception is bilateral in 35/51, only or dominantly ipsilesional (left-sided) in 8/51, and dominantly contralesional (right-sided) in 8/51. Speech production is only or dominantly contralesional (right-sided) in 88/130, bilateral-26/130, and only or dominantly ipsilesional (left-sided)-in 16/130. The sensory system is the most "rigid" to reorganization probably due to absence of ipsilateral (contralesional) primary somatosensory representation. The motor system is more "flexible" due to ipsilateral (contralesional) motor pathways. The speech perception and production show greater flexibility resulting in more bilateral or contralateral activation. The models of reorganization are variable, depending on the development and function of each neural system and the extent and timing of the damage. The plasticity patterns may guide therapeutic intervention and prognostics, thus proving the fruitiness of the translational approach in neurosciences. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.