1
|
Wu D, Kang L, Li H, Ba R, Cao Z, Liu Q, Tan Y, Zhang Q, Li B, Yuan J. Developing an AI-empowered head-only ultra-high-performance gradient MRI system for high spatiotemporal neuroimaging. Neuroimage 2024; 290:120553. [PMID: 38403092 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in neuroscience requires high-resolution MRI to decipher the structural and functional details of the brain. Developing a high-performance gradient system is an ongoing effort in the field to facilitate high spatial and temporal encoding. Here, we proposed a head-only gradient system NeuroFrontier, dedicated for neuroimaging with an ultra-high gradient strength of 650 mT/m and 600 T/m/s. The proposed system features in 1) ultra-high power of 7MW achieved by running two gradient power amplifiers using a novel paralleling method; 2) a force/torque balanced gradient coil design with a two-step mechanical structure that allows high-efficiency and flexible optimization of the peripheral nerve stimulation; 3) a high-density integrated RF system that is miniaturized and customized for the head-only system; 4) an AI-empowered compressed sensing technique that enables ultra-fast acquisition of high-resolution images and AI-based acceleration in q-t space for diffusion MRI (dMRI); and 5) a prospective head motion correction technique that effectively corrects motion artifacts in real-time with 3D optical tracking. We demonstrated the potential advantages of the proposed system in imaging resolution, speed, and signal-to-noise ratio for 3D structural MRI (sMRI), functional MRI (fMRI) and dMRI in neuroscience applications of submillimeter layer-specific fMRI and dMRI. We also illustrated the unique strength of this system for dMRI-based microstructural mapping, e.g., enhanced lesion contrast at short diffusion-times or high b-values, and improved estimation accuracy for cellular microstructures using diffusion-time-dependent dMRI or for neurite microstructures using q-space approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dan Wu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; Innovation Center for Smart Medical Technologies & Devices, Binjiang Institute of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Liyi Kang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; Innovation Center for Smart Medical Technologies & Devices, Binjiang Institute of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Haotian Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ruicheng Ba
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zuozhen Cao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qian Liu
- United Imaging Healthcare Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Yingchao Tan
- United Imaging Healthcare Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Qinwei Zhang
- Beijing United Imaging Research Institute of Intelligent Imaging, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Li
- United Imaging Healthcare Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianmin Yuan
- United Imaging Healthcare Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Perez-Diaz O, Góngora D, González-Mora JL, Rubia K, Barrós-Loscertales A, Hernández SE. Enhanced amygdala-anterior cingulate white matter structural connectivity in Sahaja Yoga Meditators. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0301283. [PMID: 38547155 PMCID: PMC10977753 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To study the white matter connections between anterior cingulate cortex, anterior insula and amygdala as key regions of the frontal-limbic network that have been related to meditation. DESIGN Twenty experienced practitioners of Sahaja Yoga Meditation and twenty nonmeditators matched on age, gender and education level, were scanned using Diffusion Weighted Imaging, using a 3T scanner, and their white matter connectivity was compared using diffusion tensor imaging analyses. RESULTS There were five white matter fiber paths in which meditators showed a larger number of tracts, two of them connecting the same area in both hemispheres: the left and right amygdalae and the left and right anterior insula; and the other three connecting left anterior cingulate with the right anterior insula, the right amygdala and the left amygdala. On the other hand, non-meditators showed larger number of tracts in two paths connecting the left anterior insula with the left amygdala, and the left anterior insula with the left anterior cingulate. CONCLUSIONS The study shows that long-term practice of Sahaja Yoga Meditation is associated with larger white matter tracts strengthening interhemispheric connections between limbic regions and connections between cingulo-amygdalar and cingulo-insular brain regions related to top-down attentional and emotional processes as well as between top-down control functions that could potentially be related to the witness state perceived through the state of mental silence promoted with this meditation. On the other hand, reduced connectivity strength in left anterior insula in the meditation group could be associated to reduced emotional processing affecting top-down processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Perez-Diaz
- Instituto Universitario de Neurociencia, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Daylín Góngora
- Department of Microeconomics and Public Economics, Maastricht University School of Business and Economics & Maastricht University - Center of Neuroeconomics, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - José L González-Mora
- Instituto Universitario de Neurociencia, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Katya Rubia
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alfonso Barrós-Loscertales
- Departamento de Psicología Básica, Clínica y Psicobiología, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón de la Plana, Castellón, Spain
| | - Sergio Elías Hernández
- Instituto Universitario de Neurociencia, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Perera Molligoda Arachchige AS, Garner AK. Seven Tesla MRI in Alzheimer's disease research: State of the art and future directions: A narrative review. AIMS Neurosci 2023; 10:401-422. [PMID: 38188012 PMCID: PMC10767068 DOI: 10.3934/neuroscience.2023030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Seven tesla magnetic resonance imaging (7T MRI) is known to offer a superior spatial resolution and a signal-to-noise ratio relative to any other non-invasive imaging technique and provides the possibility for neuroimaging researchers to observe disease-related structural changes, which were previously only apparent on post-mortem tissue analyses. Alzheimer's disease is a natural and widely used subject for this technology since the 7T MRI allows for the anticipation of disease progression, the evaluation of secondary prevention measures thought to modify the disease trajectory, and the identification of surrogate markers for treatment outcome. In this editorial, we discuss the various neuroimaging biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease that have been studied using 7T MRI, which include morphological alterations, molecular characterization of cerebral T2*-weighted hypointensities, the evaluation of cerebral microbleeds and microinfarcts, biochemical changes studied with MR spectroscopy, as well as some other approaches. Finally, we discuss the limitations of the 7T MRI regarding imaging Alzheimer's disease and we provide our outlook for the future.
Collapse
|
4
|
Grogans SE, Bliss-Moreau E, Buss KA, Clark LA, Fox AS, Keltner D, Cowen AS, Kim JJ, Kragel PA, MacLeod C, Mobbs D, Naragon-Gainey K, Fullana MA, Shackman AJ. The nature and neurobiology of fear and anxiety: State of the science and opportunities for accelerating discovery. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 151:105237. [PMID: 37209932 PMCID: PMC10330657 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Fear and anxiety play a central role in mammalian life, and there is considerable interest in clarifying their nature, identifying their biological underpinnings, and determining their consequences for health and disease. Here we provide a roundtable discussion on the nature and biological bases of fear- and anxiety-related states, traits, and disorders. The discussants include scientists familiar with a wide variety of populations and a broad spectrum of techniques. The goal of the roundtable was to take stock of the state of the science and provide a roadmap to the next generation of fear and anxiety research. Much of the discussion centered on the key challenges facing the field, the most fruitful avenues for future research, and emerging opportunities for accelerating discovery, with implications for scientists, funders, and other stakeholders. Understanding fear and anxiety is a matter of practical importance. Anxiety disorders are a leading burden on public health and existing treatments are far from curative, underscoring the urgency of developing a deeper understanding of the factors governing threat-related emotions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shannon E Grogans
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Eliza Bliss-Moreau
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Kristin A Buss
- Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
| | - Lee Anna Clark
- Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Andrew S Fox
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Dacher Keltner
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | | | - Jeansok J Kim
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Philip A Kragel
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Colin MacLeod
- Centre for the Advancement of Research on Emotion, School of Psychological Science, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Dean Mobbs
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA; Computation and Neural Systems Program, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Kristin Naragon-Gainey
- School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Miquel A Fullana
- Adult Psychiatry and Psychology Department, Institute of Neurosciences, Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain; Imaging of Mood, and Anxiety-Related Disorders Group, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, CIBERSAM, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alexander J Shackman
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Maryland Neuroimaging Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Fernandez Pujol C, Blundon EG, Dykstra AR. Laminar specificity of the auditory perceptual awareness negativity: A biophysical modeling study. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011003. [PMID: 37384802 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
How perception of sensory stimuli emerges from brain activity is a fundamental question of neuroscience. To date, two disparate lines of research have examined this question. On one hand, human neuroimaging studies have helped us understand the large-scale brain dynamics of perception. On the other hand, work in animal models (mice, typically) has led to fundamental insight into the micro-scale neural circuits underlying perception. However, translating such fundamental insight from animal models to humans has been challenging. Here, using biophysical modeling, we show that the auditory awareness negativity (AAN), an evoked response associated with perception of target sounds in noise, can be accounted for by synaptic input to the supragranular layers of auditory cortex (AC) that is present when target sounds are heard but absent when they are missed. This additional input likely arises from cortico-cortical feedback and/or non-lemniscal thalamic projections and targets the apical dendrites of layer-5 (L5) pyramidal neurons. In turn, this leads to increased local field potential activity, increased spiking activity in L5 pyramidal neurons, and the AAN. The results are consistent with current cellular models of conscious processing and help bridge the gap between the macro and micro levels of perception-related brain activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Fernandez Pujol
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth G Blundon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, United States of America
| | - Andrew R Dykstra
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Posner MI, Rothbart MK. Fifty Years Integrating Neurobiology and Psychology to Study Attention. Biol Psychol 2023; 180:108574. [PMID: 37148960 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
At the time of the start of Biological Psychology cognitive studies had developed approaches to measuring cognitive processes. However, linking these to the underlying biology in the typical human brain had hardly begun. A critical step came in 1988 when methods for imaging the human brain in cognitive tasks began. By 1990 it was possible to describe three brain networks that carried out the hypothesized cognitive functions outlined 20 years before. Their development was traced in infancy, first using age-appropriate tasks and later through resting state imaging. Imaging was applied to both voluntary and involuntary cued shifts of visual orienting in humans and primates, and a summary was presented in 2002. By 2008 these new imaging findings were used to test hypotheses about the genes involved in each network. Recently, studies of mice using optogenetics to control populations of neurons have brought us closer to a synthesis of how attention and memory networks operate together in human learning. Perhaps the coming years will bring us to an integrated theory of aspects of attention using data from all the levels that can illuminate these issues, thus fulfilling a key goal of the Journal.
Collapse
|
7
|
Kwon D. Brain imaging: fMRI advances make scans sharper and faster. Nature 2023; 617:640-642. [PMID: 37188760 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-023-01616-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
|
8
|
Gaglianese A, Fracasso A, Fernandes FG, Harvey B, Dumoulin SO, Petridou N. Mechanisms of speed encoding in the human middle temporal cortex measured by 7T fMRI. Hum Brain Mapp 2023; 44:2050-2061. [PMID: 36637226 PMCID: PMC9980888 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Perception of dynamic scenes in our environment results from the evaluation of visual features such as the fundamental spatial and temporal frequency components of a moving object. The ratio between these two components represents the object's speed of motion. The human middle temporal cortex hMT+ has a crucial biological role in the direct encoding of object speed. However, the link between hMT+ speed encoding and the spatiotemporal frequency components of a moving object is still under explored. Here, we recorded high resolution 7T blood oxygen level-dependent BOLD responses to different visual motion stimuli as a function of their fundamental spatial and temporal frequency components. We fitted each hMT+ BOLD response with a 2D Gaussian model allowing for two different speed encoding mechanisms: (1) distinct and independent selectivity for the spatial and temporal frequencies of the visual motion stimuli; (2) pure tuning for the speed of motion. We show that both mechanisms occur but in different neuronal groups within hMT+, with the largest subregion of the complex showing separable tuning for the spatial and temporal frequency of the visual stimuli. Both mechanisms were highly reproducible within participants, reconciling single cell recordings from MT in animals that have showed both encoding mechanisms. Our findings confirm that a more complex process is involved in the perception of speed than initially thought and suggest that hMT+ plays a primary role in the evaluation of the spatial features of the moving visual input.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Gaglianese
- The Laboratory for Investigative Neurophysiology (The LINE), Department of RadiologyUniversity Hospital Center and University of LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
- Department of Neurosurgery and Neurology, UMC Utrecht Brain CenterUniversity Medical CenterUtrechtNetherlands
- Department of Radiology, Center for Image SciencesUniversity Medical CenterUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Alessio Fracasso
- Department of Radiology, Center for Image SciencesUniversity Medical CenterUtrechtNetherlands
- University of GlasgowSchool of Psychology and NeuroscienceGlasgowUK
- Spinoza Center for NeuroimagingAmsterdamNetherlands
| | - Francisco G. Fernandes
- Department of Neurosurgery and Neurology, UMC Utrecht Brain CenterUniversity Medical CenterUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Ben Harvey
- Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz InstituteUtrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Serge O. Dumoulin
- Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz InstituteUtrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Natalia Petridou
- Department of Radiology, Center for Image SciencesUniversity Medical CenterUtrechtNetherlands
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Pujol CF, Blundon EG, Dykstra AR. Laminar Specificity of the Auditory Perceptual Awareness Negativity: A Biophysical Modeling Study. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023. [PMID: 36945469 PMCID: PMC10028885 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.06.531459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/10/2023]
Abstract
How perception of sensory stimuli emerges from brain activity is a fundamental question of neuroscience. To date, two disparate lines of research have examined this question. On one hand, human neuroimaging studies have helped us understand the large-scale brain dynamics of perception. On the other hand, work in animal models (mice, typically) has led to fundamental insight into the micro-scale neural circuits underlying perception. However, translating such fundamental insight from animal models to humans has been challenging. Here, using biophysical modeling, we show that the auditory awareness negativity (AAN), an evoked response associated with perception of target sounds in noise, can be accounted for by synaptic input to the supragranular layers of auditory cortex (AC) that is present when target sounds are heard but absent when they are missed. This additional input likely arises from cortico-cortical feedback and/or non-lemniscal thalamic projections and targets the apical dendrites of layer-V pyramidal neurons (PNs). In turn, this leads to increased local field potential activity, increased spiking activity in layer-V PNs, and the AAN. The results are consistent with current cellular models of conscious processing and help bridge the gap between the macro and micro levels of perception-related brain activity. Author Summary To date, our understanding of the brain basis of conscious perception has mostly been restricted to large-scale, network-level activity that can be measured non-invasively in human subjects. However, we lack understanding of how such network-level activity is supported by individual neurons and neural circuits. This is at least partially because conscious perception is difficult to study in experimental animals, where such detailed characterization of neural activity is possible. To address this gap, we used biophysical modeling to gain circuit-level insight into an auditory brain response known as the auditory awareness negativity (AAN). This response can be recorded non-invasively in humans and is associated with perceptual awareness of sounds of interest. Our model shows that the AAN likely arises from specific cortical layers and cell types. These data help bridge the gap between circuit- and network-level theories of consciousness, and could lead to new, targeted treatments for perceptual dysfunction and disorders of consciousness.
Collapse
|
10
|
Faes LK, De Martino F, Huber L(R. Cerebral blood volume sensitive layer-fMRI in the human auditory cortex at 7T: Challenges and capabilities. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280855. [PMID: 36758009 PMCID: PMC9910709 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of ultra high field fMRI signal readout strategies and contrasts has led to the possibility of imaging the human brain in vivo and non-invasively at increasingly higher spatial resolutions of cortical layers and columns. One emergent layer-fMRI acquisition method with increasing popularity is the cerebral blood volume sensitive sequence named vascular space occupancy (VASO). This approach has been shown to be mostly sensitive to locally-specific changes of laminar microvasculature, without unwanted biases of trans-laminar draining veins. Until now, however, VASO has not been applied in the technically challenging cortical area of the auditory cortex. Here, we describe the main challenges we encountered when developing a VASO protocol for auditory neuroscientific applications and the solutions we have adopted. With the resulting protocol, we present preliminary results of laminar responses to sounds and as a proof of concept for future investigations, we map the topographic representation of frequency preference (tonotopy) in the auditory cortex.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lonike K. Faes
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
| | - Federico De Martino
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiology, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Laurentius (Renzo) Huber
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Lankinen K, Ahlfors SP, Mamashli F, Blazejewska AI, Raij T, Turpin T, Polimeni JR, Ahveninen J. Cortical depth profiles of auditory and visual 7 T functional MRI responses in human superior temporal areas. Hum Brain Mapp 2023; 44:362-372. [PMID: 35980015 PMCID: PMC9842898 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Invasive neurophysiological studies in nonhuman primates have shown different laminar activation profiles to auditory vs. visual stimuli in auditory cortices and adjacent polymodal areas. Means to examine the underlying feedforward vs. feedback type influences noninvasively have been limited in humans. Here, using 1-mm isotropic resolution 3D echo-planar imaging at 7 T, we studied the intracortical depth profiles of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signals to brief auditory (noise bursts) and visual (checkerboard) stimuli. BOLD percent-signal-changes were estimated at 11 equally spaced intracortical depths, within regions-of-interest encompassing auditory (Heschl's gyrus, Heschl's sulcus, planum temporale, and posterior superior temporal gyrus) and polymodal (middle and posterior superior temporal sulcus) areas. Effects of differing BOLD signal strengths for auditory and visual stimuli were controlled via normalization and statistical modeling. The BOLD depth profile shapes, modeled with quadratic regression, were significantly different for auditory vs. visual stimuli in auditory cortices, but not in polymodal areas. The different depth profiles could reflect sensory-specific feedforward versus cross-sensory feedback influences, previously shown in laminar recordings in nonhuman primates. The results suggest that intracortical BOLD profiles can help distinguish between feedforward and feedback type influences in the human brain. Further experimental studies are still needed to clarify how underlying signal strength influences BOLD depth profiles under different stimulus conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kaisu Lankinen
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of RadiologyMassachusetts General HospitalCharlestownMassachusettsUSA
- Department of RadiologyHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Seppo P. Ahlfors
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of RadiologyMassachusetts General HospitalCharlestownMassachusettsUSA
- Department of RadiologyHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Fahimeh Mamashli
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of RadiologyMassachusetts General HospitalCharlestownMassachusettsUSA
- Department of RadiologyHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Anna I. Blazejewska
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of RadiologyMassachusetts General HospitalCharlestownMassachusettsUSA
- Department of RadiologyHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Tommi Raij
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of RadiologyMassachusetts General HospitalCharlestownMassachusettsUSA
- Department of RadiologyHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Tori Turpin
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of RadiologyMassachusetts General HospitalCharlestownMassachusettsUSA
| | - Jonathan R. Polimeni
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of RadiologyMassachusetts General HospitalCharlestownMassachusettsUSA
- Department of RadiologyHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Division of Health Sciences and TechnologyMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMassachusettsUSA
| | - Jyrki Ahveninen
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of RadiologyMassachusetts General HospitalCharlestownMassachusettsUSA
- Department of RadiologyHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Fiorini L, Di Russo F, Lucia S, Bianco V. Modality predictability modulation confirms the sensorial readiness function of the pre-stimulus activity in sensory brain areas. Cortex 2023; 159:193-204. [PMID: 36640619 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2022.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The auditory Positivity (aP) and the visual Negativity (vN) are recently discovered modality-specific event-related potential (ERP) components associated with sensory readiness, which seems promising to study anticipatory perception and attention. However, a crucial aspect of these waves remains to be determined since it is still unclear if these components are indeed related to sensory readiness or represent the result of stimulus predictably. Indeed, earlier studies found these components in tasks where stimuli were repeatedly presented uniquely in the same sensory modality. To disentangle this issue, we used an experimental design consisting of three passive tasks: a unimodal auditory condition, a unimodal visual condition, and an intermodal condition in which the visual and auditory stimuli were unpredictably alternated. Then, we compared the amplitudes of the aP and vN in the three conditions and performed correlation analyses between pre-stimulus and post-stimulus components. Crucially, results showed that in the intermodal condition the components still occur, but their amplitudes are decreased compared to unimodal condition, providing evidence that they are only partially dependent on the task and that expectancy might modulate them. This result is in line with the "modality-shift effect" costs phenomenon which can occur also for passive tasks even before stimulus presentation. In addition, the amplitude of the post-stimulus components correlated with pre-stimulus ERP. Collectively, the present study confirms that the aP and the vN reflect sensory readiness processes that "boost" post-stimulus auditory N1 and visual P1 components.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Linda Fiorini
- Dept. of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy; IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca, Italy.
| | - Francesco Di Russo
- Dept. of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy; IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefania Lucia
- Dept. of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Bianco
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Languages and Literatures, Communication, Education and Society, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Wu J, Wang C, Wang L, Wang Y, Yang J, Yan T, Suo D, Wang L, Liu X, Zhang J. Development of a Piezoelectric Actuated Tactile Stimulation Device for Population Receptive Field Mapping in Human Somatosensory Cortex With fMRI. J Magn Reson Imaging 2022; 56:1055-1065. [PMID: 35324031 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.28173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multichannel tactile stimulation devices is need to investigate human finger population receptive field (pRF) characteristics in the primary somatosensory cortex during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). PURPOSE To accurately characterize right-hand somatosensory representation based on the Bayesian pRF model. STUDY TYPE Prospective. POPULATION A water phantom and six healthy participants (four males, mean 23.8 years old). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE T1-weighted magnetization-prepared rapid gradient-echo, T2*-weighted echo planar imaging at 3 T. ASSESSMENT The piezoelectric actuated tactile stimulation device consisted of execution unit and control unit. The output performance of the device was measured by a laser displacement sensor. The effect of the device on images' signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was measured by phantom experiments. The activation representation arrangement order, relative volumes, and receptive field size of the right hand were assessed during the along-digits and cross-digits paradigms. STATISTICAL TESTS The normality of the data was tested by the Shapiro-Wilk method. A paired-sample t test was performed to test pRF characteristics for all digit pairings. The significance level was set to P = 0.05 (false discovery rate [FDR] correct). RESULTS Percussive stimulation provided by the piezoelectric actuated tactile stimulator had a stable displacement (2.64 mm) over a wide range of vibration frequencies (0-30 Hz). The output delay of the device was 1 millisecond. The device did not affect the image's SNR (without the device: SNR = 138.24 ± 7.87, temporal SNR [TSNR] = 440.03 ± 52.08. With the device: SNR = 138.06 ± 8.44, TSNR = 438.52 ± 56.38. PSNR = 0.88, PTSNR = 0.46). Representations of right-hand fingers showed the same arrangement order in both experiments (D1-D5 arranged along the central sulcus). However, the relative volumes of D3 showed significant differences in S1 (P = 0.003). Among four subareas, the relative volumes of D3 were significantly different in area 1 (P = 0.047). DATA CONCLUSION This developed stimulator, through experimental verification, could play a role in pRF mapping exploration. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jinglong Wu
- School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China.,Research Center for Medical Artificial Intelligence, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chenyu Wang
- Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Luyao Wang
- School of Life Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yutong Wang
- School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Jiajia Yang
- Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan.,Section on Functional Imaging Methods, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Tianyi Yan
- School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Dingjie Suo
- School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Li Wang
- School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Liu
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Yu Y, Huber L, Yang J, Fukunaga M, Chai Y, Jangraw DC, Chen G, Handwerker DA, Molfese PJ, Ejima Y, Sadato N, Wu J, Bandettini PA. Layer-specific activation in human primary somatosensory cortex during tactile temporal prediction error processing. Neuroimage 2021; 248:118867. [PMID: 34974114 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The human brain continuously generates predictions of incoming sensory input and calculates corresponding prediction errors from the perceived inputs to update internal predictions. In human primary somatosensory cortex (area 3b), different cortical layers are involved in receiving the sensory input and generation of error signals. It remains unknown, however, how the layers in the human area 3b contribute to the temporal prediction error processing. To investigate prediction error representation in the area 3b across layers, we acquired layer-specific functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data at 7T from human area 3b during a task of index finger poking with no-delay, short-delay and long-delay touching sequences. We demonstrate that all three tasks increased activity in both superficial and deep layers of area 3b compared to the random sensory input. The fMRI signal was differentially modulated solely in the deep layers rather than the superficial layers of area 3b by the delay time. Compared with the no-delay stimuli, activity was greater in the deep layers of area 3b during the short-delay stimuli but lower during the long-delay stimuli. This difference activity features in the superficial and deep layers suggest distinct functional contributions of area 3b layers to tactile temporal prediction error processing. The functional segregation in area 3b across layers may reflect that the excitatory and inhibitory interplay in the sensory cortex contributions to flexible communication between cortical layers or between cortical areas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yinghua Yu
- Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, 3-1-1 Tsushima-Naka, Kita-ku, Okayama 700-8530, Japan; Section on Functional Imaging Methods, National Institute of Mental Health, Building 10, 10 Center Dr Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| | - Laurentius Huber
- MR-Methods Group, MBIC, Cognitive Neuroscience Department, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Maastricht, Cognitive Neuroscience, Room 1.014, Oxfordlaan 55, 6229 EV Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Jiajia Yang
- Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, 3-1-1 Tsushima-Naka, Kita-ku, Okayama 700-8530, Japan; Section on Functional Imaging Methods, National Institute of Mental Health, Building 10, 10 Center Dr Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Masaki Fukunaga
- Division of Cerebral Research, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, 38 Nishigonaka, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585 Japan
| | - Yuhui Chai
- Section on Functional Imaging Methods, National Institute of Mental Health, Building 10, 10 Center Dr Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - David C Jangraw
- Section on Functional Imaging Methods, National Institute of Mental Health, Building 10, 10 Center Dr Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Gang Chen
- Scientific and Statistical Computational Core, National Institute of Mental Health, Building 10, 10 Center Dr Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Daniel A Handwerker
- Section on Functional Imaging Methods, National Institute of Mental Health, Building 10, 10 Center Dr Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Peter J Molfese
- Section on Functional Imaging Methods, National Institute of Mental Health, Building 10, 10 Center Dr Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Yoshimichi Ejima
- Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, 3-1-1 Tsushima-Naka, Kita-ku, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
| | - Norihiro Sadato
- Division of Cerebral Research, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, 38 Nishigonaka, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585 Japan
| | - Jinglong Wu
- Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, 3-1-1 Tsushima-Naka, Kita-ku, Okayama 700-8530, Japan; Beijing Institute of Technology, 5 South Zhongguancun Street, Hiadian District, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Peter A Bandettini
- Section on Functional Imaging Methods, National Institute of Mental Health, Building 10, 10 Center Dr Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Functional MRI Core Facility, National Institute of Mental Health, Building 10, 10 Center Dr Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| |
Collapse
|