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Báez-Yáñez MG, Siero JCW, Curcic V, van Osch MJP, Petridou N. On the influence of the vascular architecture on Gradient Echo and Spin Echo BOLD fMRI signals across cortical depth: a simulation approach based on realistic 3D vascular networks. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.30.596593. [PMID: 38853905 PMCID: PMC11160811 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.30.596593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
GE-BOLD contrast stands out as the predominant technique in functional MRI experiments for its high sensitivity and straightforward implementation. GE-BOLD exhibits rather similar sensitivity to vessels independent of their size at submillimeter resolution studies like those examining cortical columns and laminae. However, the presence of nonspecific macrovascular contributions poses a challenge to accurately isolate neuronal activity. SE-BOLD increases specificity towards small vessels, thereby enhancing its specificity to neuronal activity, due to the effective suppression of extravascular contributions caused by macrovessels with its refocusing pulse. However, even SE-BOLD measurements may not completely remove these macrovascular contributions. By simulating hemodynamic signals across cortical depth, we gain insights into vascular contributions to the laminar BOLD signal. In this study, we employed four realistic 3D vascular models to simulate oxygen saturation states in various vascular compartments, aiming to characterize both intravascular and extravascular contributions to GE and SE signals, and corresponding BOLD signal changes, across cortical depth at 7T. Simulations suggest that SE-BOLD cannot completely reduce the macrovascular contribution near the pial surface. Simulations also show that both the specificity and signal amplitude of BOLD signals at 7T depend on the spatial arrangement of large vessels throughout cortical depth and on the pial surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Gilberto Báez-Yáñez
- Translational Neuroimaging Group, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Jeroen C W Siero
- Translational Neuroimaging Group, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Vanja Curcic
- Translational Neuroimaging Group, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Matthias J P van Osch
- C.J. Gorter MRI Center, Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Natalia Petridou
- Translational Neuroimaging Group, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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Báez-Yáñez MG, Schellekens W, Bhogal AA, Roefs ECA, van Osch MJP, Siero JCW, Petridou N. A fully synthetic three-dimensional human cerebrovascular model based on histological characteristics to investigate the hemodynamic fingerprint of the layer BOLD fMRI signal formation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.24.595716. [PMID: 38826311 PMCID: PMC11142244 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.24.595716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Recent advances in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) at ultra-high field (≥7 tesla), novel hardware, and data analysis methods have enabled detailed research on neurovascular function, such as cortical layer-specific activity, in both human and nonhuman species. A widely used fMRI technique relies on the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal. BOLD fMRI offers insights into brain function by measuring local changes in cerebral blood volume, cerebral blood flow, and oxygen metabolism induced by increased neuronal activity. Despite its potential, interpreting BOLD fMRI data is challenging as it is only an indirect measurement of neuronal activity. Computational modeling can help interpret BOLD data by simulating the BOLD signal formation. Current developments have focused on realistic 3D vascular models based on rodent data to understand the spatial and temporal BOLD characteristics. While such rodent-based vascular models highlight the impact of the angioarchitecture on the BOLD signal amplitude, anatomical differences between the rodent and human vasculature necessitate the development of human-specific models. Therefore, a computational framework integrating human cortical vasculature, hemodynamic changes, and biophysical properties is essential. Here, we present a novel computational approach: a three-dimensional VAscular MOdel based on Statistics (3D VAMOS), enabling the investigation of the hemodynamic fingerprint of the BOLD signal within a model encompassing a fully synthetic human 3D cortical vasculature and hemodynamics. Our algorithm generates microvascular and macrovascular architectures based on morphological and topological features from the literature on human cortical vasculature. By simulating specific oxygen saturation states and biophysical interactions, our framework characterizes the intravascular and extravascular signal contributions across cortical depth and voxel-wise levels for gradient-echo and spin-echo readouts. Thereby, the 3D VAMOS computational framework demonstrates that using human characteristics significantly affects the BOLD fingerprint, making it an essential step in understanding the fundamental underpinnings of layer-specific fMRI experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Gilberto Báez-Yáñez
- Translational Neuroimaging Group, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Wouter Schellekens
- Translational Neuroimaging Group, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud UMC, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Alex A Bhogal
- Translational Neuroimaging Group, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Emiel C A Roefs
- C.J. Gorter MRI Center, Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Matthias J P van Osch
- C.J. Gorter MRI Center, Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Jeroen C W Siero
- Translational Neuroimaging Group, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Natalia Petridou
- Translational Neuroimaging Group, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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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.
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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
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Báez-Yáñez MG, Siero JCW, Petridou N. A mechanistic computational framework to investigate the hemodynamic fingerprint of the blood oxygenation level-dependent signal. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2023; 36:e5026. [PMID: 37643645 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.5026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is one of the most used imaging techniques to map brain activity or to obtain clinical information about human cortical vasculature, in both healthy and disease conditions. Nevertheless, BOLD fMRI is an indirect measurement of brain functioning triggered by neurovascular coupling. The origin of the BOLD signal is quite complex, and the signal formation thus depends, among other factors, on the topology of the cortical vasculature and the associated hemodynamic changes. To understand the hemodynamic evolution of the BOLD signal response in humans, it is beneficial to have a computational framework available that virtually resembles the human cortical vasculature, and simulates hemodynamic changes and corresponding MRI signal changes via interactions of intrinsic biophysical and magnetic properties of the tissues. To this end, we have developed a mechanistic computational framework that simulates the hemodynamic fingerprint of the BOLD signal based on a statistically defined, three-dimensional, vascular model that approaches the human cortical vascular architecture. The microvasculature is approximated through a Voronoi tessellation method and the macrovasculature is adapted from two-photon microscopy mice data. Using this computational framework, we simulated hemodynamic changes-cerebral blood flow, cerebral blood volume, and blood oxygen saturation-induced by virtual arterial dilation. Then we computed local magnetic field disturbances generated by the vascular topology and the corresponding blood oxygen saturation changes. This mechanistic computational framework also considers the intrinsic biophysical and magnetic properties of nearby tissue, such as water diffusion and relaxation properties, resulting in a dynamic BOLD signal response. The proposed mechanistic computational framework provides an integrated biophysical model that can offer better insights regarding the spatial and temporal properties of the BOLD signal changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Gilberto Báez-Yáñez
- Department of Radiology, Centre for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen C W Siero
- Department of Radiology, Centre for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging Amsterdam, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Natalia Petridou
- Department of Radiology, Centre for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Heij J, Raimondo L, Siero JCW, Dumoulin SO, van der Zwaag W, Knapen T. A selection and targeting framework of cortical locations for line-scanning fMRI. Hum Brain Mapp 2023; 44:5471-5484. [PMID: 37608563 PMCID: PMC10543358 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Depth-resolved functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is an emerging field growing in popularity given the potential of separating signals from different computational processes in cerebral cortex. Conventional acquisition schemes suffer from low spatial and temporal resolutions. Line-scanning methods allow depth-resolved fMRI by sacrificing spatial coverage to sample blood oxygenated level-dependent (BOLD) responses at ultra-high temporal and spatial resolution. For neuroscience applications, it is critical to be able to place the line accurately to (1) sample the right neural population and (2) target that neural population with tailored stimuli or tasks. To this end, we devised a multi-session framework where a target cortical location is selected based on anatomical and functional properties. The line is then positioned according to this information in a separate second session, and we tailor the experiment to focus on the target location. Anatomically, the precision of the line placement was confirmed by projecting a nominal representation of the acquired line back onto the surface. Functional estimates of neural selectivities in the line, as quantified by a visual population-receptive field model, resembled the target selectivities well for most subjects. This functional precision was quantified in detail by estimating the distance between the visual field location of the targeted vertex and the location in visual cortex (V1) that most closely resembled the line-scanning estimates; this distance was on average ~5.5 mm. Given the dimensions of the line, differences in acquisition, session, and stimulus design, this validates that line-scanning can be used to probe local neural sensitivities across sessions. In summary, we present an accurate framework for line-scanning MRI; we believe such a framework is required to harness the full potential of line-scanning and maximize its utility. Furthermore, this approach bridges canonical fMRI experiments with electrophysiological experiments, which in turn allows novel avenues for studying human physiology non-invasively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jurjen Heij
- Spinoza Centre for NeuroimagingAmsterdamNetherlands
- Department of Computational Cognitive Neuroscience and NeuroimagingNetherlands Institute for NeuroscienceAmsterdamNetherlands
- Department of Experimental and Applied PsychologyVU UniversityAmsterdamNetherlands
| | - Luisa Raimondo
- Spinoza Centre for NeuroimagingAmsterdamNetherlands
- Department of Computational Cognitive Neuroscience and NeuroimagingNetherlands Institute for NeuroscienceAmsterdamNetherlands
- Department of Experimental and Applied PsychologyVU UniversityAmsterdamNetherlands
| | - Jeroen C. W. Siero
- Spinoza Centre for NeuroimagingAmsterdamNetherlands
- Department of Computational Cognitive Neuroscience and NeuroimagingNetherlands Institute for NeuroscienceAmsterdamNetherlands
- Department of RadiologyUniversity Medical Center UtrechtUtrechtthe Netherlands
| | - Serge O. Dumoulin
- Spinoza Centre for NeuroimagingAmsterdamNetherlands
- Department of Computational Cognitive Neuroscience and NeuroimagingNetherlands Institute for NeuroscienceAmsterdamNetherlands
- Department of Experimental and Applied PsychologyVU UniversityAmsterdamNetherlands
- Department of Experimental PsychologyUtrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Wietske van der Zwaag
- Spinoza Centre for NeuroimagingAmsterdamNetherlands
- Department of Computational Cognitive Neuroscience and NeuroimagingNetherlands Institute for NeuroscienceAmsterdamNetherlands
| | - Tomas Knapen
- Spinoza Centre for NeuroimagingAmsterdamNetherlands
- Department of Computational Cognitive Neuroscience and NeuroimagingNetherlands Institute for NeuroscienceAmsterdamNetherlands
- Department of Experimental and Applied PsychologyVU UniversityAmsterdamNetherlands
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6
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Dresbach S, Huber LR, Gulban OF, Goebel R. Layer-fMRI VASO with short stimuli and event-related designs at 7 T. Neuroimage 2023; 279:120293. [PMID: 37562717 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Layers and columns are the dominant processing units in the human (neo)cortex at the mesoscopic scale. While the blood oxygenation dependent (BOLD) signal has a high detection sensitivity, it is biased towards unwanted signals from large draining veins at the cortical surface. The additional fMRI contrast of vascular space occupancy (VASO) has the potential to augment the neuroscientific interpretability of layer-fMRI results by means of capturing complementary information of locally specific changes in cerebral blood volume (CBV). Specifically, VASO is not subject to unwanted sensitivity amplifications of large draining veins. Because of constrained sampling efficiency, it has been mainly applied in combination with efficient block task designs and long trial durations. However, to study cognitive processes in neuroscientific contexts, or probe vascular reactivity, short stimulation periods are often necessary. Here, we developed a VASO acquisition procedure with a short acquisition period and sub-millimeter resolution. During visual event-related stimulation, we show reliable responses in visual cortices within a reasonable number of trials (∼20). Furthermore, the short TR and high spatial specificity of our VASO implementation enabled us to show differences in laminar reactivity and onset times. Finally, we explore the generalizability to a different stimulus modality (somatosensation). With this, we showed that CBV-sensitive VASO provides the means to capture layer-specific haemodynamic responses with high spatio-temporal resolution and is able to be used with event-related paradigms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Dresbach
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.
| | - Laurentius Renzo Huber
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands; National Institute of Health, Bethesda, DC, USA
| | - Omer Faruk Gulban
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands; Brain Innovation, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Rainer Goebel
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands; Brain Innovation, Maastricht, Netherlands
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7
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Liu ZQ, Shafiei G, Baillet S, Misic B. Spatially heterogeneous structure-function coupling in haemodynamic and electromagnetic brain networks. Neuroimage 2023; 278:120276. [PMID: 37451374 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The relationship between structural and functional connectivity in the brain is a key question in connectomics. Here we quantify patterns of structure-function coupling across the neocortex, by comparing structural connectivity estimated using diffusion MRI with functional connectivity estimated using both neurophysiological (MEG-based) and haemodynamic (fMRI-based) recordings. We find that structure-function coupling is heterogeneous across brain regions and frequency bands. The link between structural and functional connectivity is generally stronger in multiple MEG frequency bands compared to resting state fMRI. Structure-function coupling is greater in slower and intermediate frequency bands compared to faster frequency bands. We also find that structure-function coupling systematically follows the archetypal sensorimotor-association hierarchy, as well as patterns of laminar differentiation, peaking in granular layer IV. Finally, structure-function coupling is better explained using structure-informed inter-regional communication metrics than using structural connectivity alone. Collectively, these results place neurophysiological and haemodynamic structure-function relationships in a common frame of reference and provide a starting point for a multi-modal understanding of structure-function coupling in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen-Qi Liu
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montréal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
| | - Golia Shafiei
- Lifespan Informatics and Neuroimaging Center (PennLINC), Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sylvain Baillet
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montréal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
| | - Bratislav Misic
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montréal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, Canada.
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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: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [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.
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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.
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9
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Pais-Roldán P, Yun SD, Palomero-Gallagher N, Shah NJ. Cortical depth-dependent human fMRI of resting-state networks using EPIK. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1151544. [PMID: 37274214 PMCID: PMC10232833 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1151544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Recent laminar-fMRI studies have substantially improved understanding of the evoked cortical responses in multiple sub-systems; in contrast, the laminar component of resting-state networks spread over the whole brain has been less studied due to technical limitations. Animal research strongly suggests that the supragranular layers of the cortex play a critical role in maintaining communication within the default mode network (DMN); however, whether this is true in this and other human cortical networks remains unclear. Methods Here, we used EPIK, which offers unprecedented coverage at sub-millimeter resolution, to investigate cortical broad resting-state dynamics with depth specificity in healthy volunteers. Results Our results suggest that human DMN connectivity is primarily supported by intermediate and superficial layers of the cortex, and furthermore, the preferred cortical depth used for communication can vary from one network to another. In addition, the laminar connectivity profile of some networks showed a tendency to change upon engagement in a motor task. In line with these connectivity changes, we observed that the amplitude of the low-frequency-fluctuations (ALFF), as well as the regional homogeneity (ReHo), exhibited a different laminar slope when subjects were either performing a task or were in a resting state (less variation among laminae, i.e., lower slope, during task performance compared to rest). Discussion The identification of varied laminar profiles concerning network connectivity, ALFF, and ReHo, observed across two brain states (task vs. rest) has major implications for the characterization of network-related diseases and suggests the potential diagnostic value of laminar fMRI in psychiatric disorders, e.g., to differentiate the cortical dynamics associated with disease stages linked, or not linked, to behavioral changes. The evaluation of laminar-fMRI across the brain encompasses computational challenges; nonetheless, it enables the investigation of a new dimension of the human neocortex, which may be key to understanding neurological disorders from a novel perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Pais-Roldán
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine 4, Medical Imaging Physics, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Seong Dae Yun
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine 4, Medical Imaging Physics, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Nicola Palomero-Gallagher
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine 1, Structural and Functional Organisation of the Brain, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- C. and O. Vogt Institute for Brain Research, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - N. Jon Shah
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine 4, Medical Imaging Physics, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine 11, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, JARA, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- JARA–BRAIN–Translational Medicine, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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10
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Bates S, Dumoulin SO, Folkers PJM, Formisano E, Goebel R, Haghnejad A, Helmich RC, Klomp D, van der Kolk AG, Li Y, Nederveen A, Norris DG, Petridou N, Roell S, Scheenen TWJ, Schoonheim MM, Voogt I, Webb A. A vision of 14 T MR for fundamental and clinical science. MAGMA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2023; 36:211-225. [PMID: 37036574 PMCID: PMC10088620 DOI: 10.1007/s10334-023-01081-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We outline our vision for a 14 Tesla MR system. This comprises a novel whole-body magnet design utilizing high temperature superconductor; a console and associated electronic equipment; an optimized radiofrequency coil setup for proton measurement in the brain, which also has a local shim capability; and a high-performance gradient set. RESEARCH FIELDS The 14 Tesla system can be considered a 'mesocope': a device capable of measuring on biologically relevant scales. In neuroscience the increased spatial resolution will anatomically resolve all layers of the cortex, cerebellum, subcortical structures, and inner nuclei. Spectroscopic imaging will simultaneously measure excitatory and inhibitory activity, characterizing the excitation/inhibition balance of neural circuits. In medical research (including brain disorders) we will visualize fine-grained patterns of structural abnormalities and relate these changes to functional and molecular changes. The significantly increased spectral resolution will make it possible to detect (dynamic changes in) individual metabolites associated with pathological pathways including molecular interactions and dynamic disease processes. CONCLUSIONS The 14 Tesla system will offer new perspectives in neuroscience and fundamental research. We anticipate that this initiative will usher in a new era of ultra-high-field MR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steve Bates
- Tesla Engineering Ltd., Water Lane, Storrington, West Sussex, RH20 3EA, UK
| | - Serge O Dumoulin
- Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Computational Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Experimental and Applied Psychology, Vrije University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Elia Formisano
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Maastricht Brain Imaging Centre (MBIC), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Rainer Goebel
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Maastricht Brain Imaging Centre (MBIC), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Rick C Helmich
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Center of Expertise for Parkinson and Movement Disorders, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Dennis Klomp
- Radiology Department, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anja G van der Kolk
- Department of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Yi Li
- Independent Researcher, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Aart Nederveen
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - David G Norris
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
- Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Zollverein, Kokereiallee 7, Building C84, 45141, Essen, Germany.
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology (CNPH), Faculty Science and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.
| | - Natalia Petridou
- Radiology Department, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Stefan Roell
- Neoscan Solutions GmbH, Joseph-von-Fraunhofer-Str. 6, 39106, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Tom W J Scheenen
- Department of Medical Imaging, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Menno M Schoonheim
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, MS Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Location VUmc, P.O. Box 7057, 1007 MB, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ingmar Voogt
- Wavetronica, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Andrew Webb
- Department of Radiology, C.J. Gorter MRI Centre, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands
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11
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Jääskeläinen IP, Glerean E, Klucharev V, Shestakova A, Ahveninen J. Do sparse brain activity patterns underlie human cognition? Neuroimage 2022; 263:119633. [PMID: 36115589 PMCID: PMC10921366 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulating multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) results from fMRI studies suggest that information is represented in fingerprint patterns of activations and deactivations during perception, emotions, and cognition. We postulate that these fingerprint patterns might reflect neuronal-population level sparse code documented in two-photon calcium imaging studies in animal models, i.e., information represented in specific and reproducible ensembles of a few percent of active neurons amidst widespread inhibition in neural populations. We suggest that such representations constitute a fundamental organizational principle via interacting across multiple levels of brain hierarchy, thus giving rise to perception, emotions, and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iiro P Jääskeläinen
- Brain and Mind Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University School of Science, Espoo, Finland; International Laboratory of Social Neurobiology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, HSE University, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Enrico Glerean
- Brain and Mind Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University School of Science, Espoo, Finland; International Laboratory of Social Neurobiology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, HSE University, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Vasily Klucharev
- International Laboratory of Social Neurobiology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, HSE University, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Anna Shestakova
- International Laboratory of Social Neurobiology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, HSE University, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Jyrki Ahveninen
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Athinoula A Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown, MA, United States
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12
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Akbari A, Bollmann S, Ali TS, Barth M. Modelling the depth-dependent VASO and BOLD responses in human primary visual cortex. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 44:710-726. [PMID: 36189837 PMCID: PMC9842911 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) using a blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) contrast is a common method for studying human brain function noninvasively. Gradient-echo (GRE) BOLD is highly sensitive to the blood oxygenation change in blood vessels; however, the spatial signal specificity can be degraded due to signal leakage from activated lower layers to superficial layers in depth-dependent (also called laminar or layer-specific) fMRI. Alternatively, physiological variables such as cerebral blood volume using the VAscular-Space-Occupancy (VASO) contrast have shown higher spatial specificity compared to BOLD. To better understand the physiological mechanisms such as blood volume and oxygenation changes and to interpret the measured depth-dependent responses, models are needed which reflect vascular properties at this scale. For this purpose, we extended and modified the "cortical vascular model" previously developed to predict layer-specific BOLD signal changes in human primary visual cortex to also predict a layer-specific VASO response. To evaluate the model, we compared the predictions with experimental results of simultaneous VASO and BOLD measurements in a group of healthy participants. Fitting the model to our experimental data provided an estimate of CBV change in different vascular compartments upon neural activity. We found that stimulus-evoked CBV change mainly occurs in small arterioles, capillaries, and intracortical arteries and that the contribution from venules and ICVs is smaller. Our results confirm that VASO is less susceptible to large vessel effects compared to BOLD, as blood volume changes in intracortical arteries did not substantially affect the resulting depth-dependent VASO profiles, whereas depth-dependent BOLD profiles showed a bias towards signal contributions from intracortical veins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atena Akbari
- Centre for Advanced ImagingUniversity of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
| | - Saskia Bollmann
- Centre for Advanced ImagingUniversity of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
| | - Tonima S. Ali
- Centre for Advanced ImagingUniversity of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
| | - Markus Barth
- Centre for Advanced ImagingUniversity of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia,ARC Training Centre for Innovation in Biomedical Imaging TechnologyThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia,School of Information Technology and Electrical EngineeringThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
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13
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Lacy TC, Robinson PA, Aquino KM, Pang JC. Cortical depth-dependent modeling of visual hemodynamic responses. J Theor Biol 2021; 535:110978. [PMID: 34952032 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2021.110978] [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: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
A physiologically based three-dimensional (3D) hemodynamic model is developed to predict the experimentally observed blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) responses versus the cortical depth induced by visual stimuli. Prior 2D approximations are relaxed in order to analyze 3D blood flow dynamics as a function of cortical depth. Comparison of the predictions with experimental data for evoked stimuli demonstrates that the full 3D model performs at least as well as previous approaches while remaining parsimonious. In particular, the 3D model requires significantly fewer assumptions and model parameters than previous models such that there is no longer need to define depth-specific parameter values for spatial spreading, peak amplitude, and hemodynamic velocity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas C Lacy
- School of Physics, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Center for Integrative Brain Function, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Peter A Robinson
- School of Physics, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Center for Integrative Brain Function, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kevin M Aquino
- School of Physics, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; The Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, and Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - James C Pang
- The Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, and Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Victoria, Australia; QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Australia.
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14
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Polimeni JR, Lewis LD. Imaging faster neural dynamics with fast fMRI: A need for updated models of the hemodynamic response. Prog Neurobiol 2021; 207:102174. [PMID: 34525404 PMCID: PMC8688322 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2021.102174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Fast fMRI enables the detection of neural dynamics over timescales of hundreds of milliseconds, suggesting it may provide a new avenue for studying subsecond neural processes in the human brain. The magnitudes of these fast fMRI dynamics are far greater than predicted by canonical models of the hemodynamic response. Several studies have established nonlinear properties of the hemodynamic response that have significant implications for fast fMRI. We first review nonlinear properties of the hemodynamic response function that may underlie fast fMRI signals. We then illustrate the breakdown of canonical hemodynamic response models in the context of fast neural dynamics. We will then argue that the canonical hemodynamic response function is not likely to reflect the BOLD response to neuronal activity driven by sparse or naturalistic stimuli or perhaps to spontaneous neuronal fluctuations in the resting state. These properties suggest that fast fMRI is capable of tracking surprisingly fast neuronal dynamics, and we discuss the neuroscientific questions that could be addressed using this approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan R Polimeni
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA; Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Laura D Lewis
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
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15
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Fracasso A, Dumoulin SO, Petridou N. Point-spread function of the BOLD response across columns and cortical depth in human extra-striate cortex. Prog Neurobiol 2021; 207:102187. [PMID: 34798198 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2021.102187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Columns and layers are fundamental organizational units of the brain. Well known examples of cortical columns are the ocular dominance columns (ODCs) in primary visual cortex and the column-like stripe-based arrangement in the second visual area V2. The spatial scale of columns and layers is beyond the reach of conventional neuroimaging, but the advent of high field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners (UHF, 7 Tesla and above) has opened the possibility to acquire data at this spatial scale, in-vivo and non-invasively in humans. The most prominent non-invasive technique to measure brain function is blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) fMRI, measuring brain activity indirectly, via changes in hemodynamics. A key determinant of the ability of high-resolution BOLD fMRI to accurately resolve columns and layers is the point-spread function (PSF) of the BOLD response in relation to the spatial extent of neuronal activity. In this study we take advantage of the stripe-based arrangement present in visual area V2, coupled with sub-millimetre anatomical and gradient-echo BOLD (GE BOLD) acquisition at 7 T to obtain PSF estimates and along cortical depth in human participants. Results show that the BOLD PSF is maximal in the superficial part of the cortex (1.78 mm), and it decreases with increasing cortical depth (0.83 mm close to white matter).
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Fracasso
- University of Glasgow, Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom.
| | - Serge O Dumoulin
- Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Spinoza Center for Neuroimaging, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Experimental and Applied Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Natalia Petridou
- Department of Radiology, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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16
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Raimondo L, Knapen T, Oliveira ĹAF, Yu X, Dumoulin SO, van der Zwaag W, Siero JCW. A line through the brain: implementation of human line-scanning at 7T for ultra-high spatiotemporal resolution fMRI. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2021; 41:2831-2843. [PMID: 34415208 PMCID: PMC8756483 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x211037266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a widely used tool in neuroscience to detect neurally evoked responses, e.g. the blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signal. Typically, BOLD fMRI has millimeter spatial resolution and temporal resolution of one to few seconds. To study the sub-millimeter structures and activity of the cortical gray matter, the field needs an fMRI method with high spatial and temporal resolution. Line-scanning fMRI achieves very high spatial resolution and high sampling rate, at the cost of a sacrifice in volume coverage. Here, we present a human line-scanning implementation on a 7T MRI system. First, we investigate the quality of the saturation pulses that suppress MR signal outside the line. Second, we established the best coil combination for reconstruction. Finally, we applied the line-scanning method in the occipital lobe during a visual stimulation task, showing BOLD responses along cortical depth, every 250 µm with a 200 ms repetition time (TR). We found a good correspondence of t-statistics values with 2D gradient-echo echo planar imaging (GE-EPI) BOLD fMRI data with the same temporal resolution and voxel volume (R = 0.6 ± 0.2). In summary, we demonstrate the feasibility of line-scanning in humans and this opens line-scanning fMRI for applications in cognitive and clinical neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Raimondo
- Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Experimental and Applied Psychology, VU University, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Tomas Knapen
- Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Experimental and Applied Psychology, VU University, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Ĺcaro A F Oliveira
- Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Experimental and Applied Psychology, VU University, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Xin Yu
- MGH/MIT/HMS Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Serge O Dumoulin
- Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Experimental and Applied Psychology, VU University, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Experimental Psychology, 8125Utrecht University, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | | | - Jeroen C W Siero
- Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Radiology, Centre for Image Sciences, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
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17
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van Dijk JA, Fracasso A, Petridou N, Dumoulin SO. Laminar processing of numerosity supports a canonical cortical microcircuit in human parietal cortex. Curr Biol 2021; 31:4635-4640.e4. [PMID: 34418342 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.07.082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
As neural signals travel through the visual hierarchy, spatial precision decreases and specificity for stimulus features increases.1-4 A similar hierarchy has been found for laminar processing in V1, where information from the thalamus predominantly targets the central layers, while spatial precision decreases and feature specificity increases toward superficial and deeper layers.5-17 This laminar processing scheme is proposed to represent a canonical cortical microcircuit that is similar across the cortex.11,18-21 Here, we go beyond early visual cortex and investigate whether processing of numerosity (the set size of a group of items) across cortical depth in the parietal association cortex follows this hypothesis. Numerosity processing is implicated in many tasks such as multiple object tracking,22 mathematics,23-25 decision making,26 and dividing attention.27 Neurons in the parietal association cortex are tuned to numerosity, with both a preferred numerosity tuning and tuning width (i.e., specificity).28-30 We quantified preferred numerosity responses across cortical depth in the parietal association cortex with ultra-high field fMRI and population receptive field-based numerosity modeling.1,28,31 We find that numerosity responses sharpen, i.e., become increasingly specific, moving away from the central layers. This suggests that the laminar processing scheme for numerosity processing in the parietal cortex is similar to primary visual cortex, providing support for the canonical cortical microcircuit hypothesis beyond primary visual cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelle A van Dijk
- Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Alessio Fracasso
- Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QB, UK; Radiology Department, Imaging Division, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Natalia Petridou
- Radiology Department, Imaging Division, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Serge O Dumoulin
- Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Experimental and Applied Psychology, VU University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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18
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Raimondo L, Oliveira ĹAF, Heij J, Priovoulos N, Kundu P, Leoni RF, van der Zwaag W. Advances in resting state fMRI acquisitions for functional connectomics. Neuroimage 2021; 243:118503. [PMID: 34479041 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) is based on spontaneous fluctuations in the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal, which occur simultaneously in different brain regions, without the subject performing an explicit task. The low-frequency oscillations of the rs-fMRI signal demonstrate an intrinsic spatiotemporal organization in the brain (brain networks) that may relate to the underlying neural activity. In this review article, we briefly describe the current acquisition techniques for rs-fMRI data, from the most common approaches for resting state acquisition strategies, to more recent investigations with dedicated hardware and ultra-high fields. Specific sequences that allow very fast acquisitions, or multiple echoes, are discussed next. We then consider how acquisition methods weighted towards specific parts of the BOLD signal, like the Cerebral Blood Flow (CBF) or Volume (CBV), can provide more spatially specific network information. These approaches are being developed alongside the commonly used BOLD-weighted acquisitions. Finally, specific applications of rs-fMRI to challenging regions such as the laminae in the neocortex, and the networks within the large areas of subcortical white matter regions are discussed. We finish the review with recommendations for acquisition strategies for a range of typical applications of resting state fMRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Raimondo
- Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Experimental and Applied Psychology, VU University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ĺcaro A F Oliveira
- Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Experimental and Applied Psychology, VU University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jurjen Heij
- Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Experimental and Applied Psychology, VU University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Prantik Kundu
- Hyperfine Research Inc, Guilford, CT, United States; Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York, United States
| | - Renata Ferranti Leoni
- InBrain, Department of Physics, FFCLRP, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
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19
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Dowdle LT, Ghose G, Chen CCC, Ugurbil K, Yacoub E, Vizioli L. Statistical power or more precise insights into neuro-temporal dynamics? Assessing the benefits of rapid temporal sampling in fMRI. Prog Neurobiol 2021; 207:102171. [PMID: 34492308 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2021.102171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), a non-invasive and widely used human neuroimaging method, is most known for its spatial precision. However, there is a growing interest in its temporal sensitivity. This is despite the temporal blurring of neuronal events by the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal, the peak of which lags neuronal firing by 4-6 seconds. Given this, the goal of this review is to answer a seemingly simple question - "What are the benefits of increased temporal sampling for fMRI?". To answer this, we have combined fMRI data collected at multiple temporal scales, from 323 to 1000 milliseconds, with a review of both historical and contemporary temporal literature. After a brief discussion of technological developments that have rekindled interest in temporal research, we next consider the potential statistical and methodological benefits. Most importantly, we explore how fast fMRI can uncover previously unobserved neuro-temporal dynamics - effects that are entirely missed when sampling at conventional 1 to 2 second rates. With the intrinsic link between space and time in fMRI, this temporal renaissance also delivers improvements in spatial precision. Far from producing only statistical gains, the array of benefits suggest that the continued temporal work is worth the effort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan T Dowdle
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, 2021 6th St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, United States; Department of Neurosurgery, University of Minnesota, 500 SE Harvard St, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, United States; Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, 321 Church St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, United States.
| | - Geoffrey Ghose
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, 2021 6th St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, United States; Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, 321 Church St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, United States
| | - Clark C C Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Minnesota, 500 SE Harvard St, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, United States
| | - Kamil Ugurbil
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, 2021 6th St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, United States
| | - Essa Yacoub
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, 2021 6th St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, United States
| | - Luca Vizioli
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, 2021 6th St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, United States; Department of Neurosurgery, University of Minnesota, 500 SE Harvard St, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, United States.
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20
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Huber LR, Poser BA, Bandettini PA, Arora K, Wagstyl K, Cho S, Goense J, Nothnagel N, Morgan AT, van den Hurk J, Müller AK, Reynolds RC, Glen DR, Goebel R, Gulban OF. LayNii: A software suite for layer-fMRI. Neuroimage 2021; 237:118091. [PMID: 33991698 PMCID: PMC7615890 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
High-resolution fMRI in the sub-millimeter regime allows researchers to resolve brain activity across cortical layers and columns non-invasively. While these high-resolution data make it possible to address novel questions of directional information flow within and across brain circuits, the corresponding data analyses are challenged by MRI artifacts, including image blurring, image distortions, low SNR, and restricted coverage. These challenges often result in insufficient spatial accuracy of conventional analysis pipelines. Here we introduce a new software suite that is specifically designed for layer-specific functional MRI: LayNii. This toolbox is a collection of command-line executable programs written in C/C++ and is distributed opensource and as pre-compiled binaries for Linux, Windows, and macOS. LayNii is designed for layer-fMRI data that suffer from SNR and coverage constraints and thus cannot be straightforwardly analyzed in alternative software packages. Some of the most popular programs of LayNii contain 'layerification' and columnarization in the native voxel space of functional data as well as many other layer-fMRI specific analysis tasks: layer-specific smoothing, model-based vein mitigation of GE-BOLD data, quality assessment of artifact dominated sub-millimeter fMRI, as well as analyses of VASO data.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Benedikt A Poser
- MBIC, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, the Netherlands
| | | | - Kabir Arora
- MBIC, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, the Netherlands
| | - Konrad Wagstyl
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London, UK
| | - Shinho Cho
- CMRR, University of Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Rainer Goebel
- MBIC, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, the Netherlands; Brain Innovation, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Omer Faruk Gulban
- MBIC, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, the Netherlands; Brain Innovation, Maastricht, the Netherlands
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21
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Yang J, Huber L, Yu Y, Bandettini PA. Linking cortical circuit models to human cognition with laminar fMRI. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 128:467-478. [PMID: 34245758 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Laboratory animal research has provided significant knowledge into the function of cortical circuits at the laminar level, which has yet to be fully leveraged towards insights about human brain function on a similar spatiotemporal scale. The use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in conjunction with neural models provides new opportunities to gain important insights from current knowledge. During the last five years, human studies have demonstrated the value of high-resolution fMRI to study laminar-specific activity in the human brain. This is mostly performed at ultra-high-field strengths (≥ 7 T) and is known as laminar fMRI. Advancements in laminar fMRI are beginning to open new possibilities for studying questions in basic cognitive neuroscience. In this paper, we first review recent methodological advances in laminar fMRI and describe recent human laminar fMRI studies. Then, we discuss how the use of laminar fMRI can help bridge the gap between cortical circuit models and human cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- 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, MD, USA.
| | - Laurentius Huber
- MR-Methods Group, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Yinghua Yu
- 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, MD, USA
| | - Peter A Bandettini
- Section on Functional Imaging Methods, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Functional MRI Core Facility, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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22
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Li Q, Pasquini L, Del Ferraro G, Gene M, Peck KK, Makse HA, Holodny AI. Monolingual and bilingual language networks in healthy subjects using functional MRI and graph theory. Sci Rep 2021; 11:10568. [PMID: 34012006 PMCID: PMC8134560 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90151-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Bilingualism requires control of multiple language systems, and may lead to architectural differences in language networks obtained from clinical fMRI tasks. Emerging connectivity metrics such as k-core may capture these differences, highlighting crucial network components based on resiliency. We investigated the influence of bilingualism on clinical fMRI language tasks and characterized bilingual networks using connectivity metrics to provide a patient care benchmark. Sixteen right-handed subjects (mean age 42-years; nine males) without neurological history were included: eight native English-speaking monolinguals and eight native Spanish-speaking (L1) bilinguals with acquired English (L2). All subjects underwent fMRI with gold-standard clinical language tasks. Starting from active clusters on fMRI, we inferred the persistent functional network across subjects and ran centrality measures to characterize differences. Our results demonstrated a persistent network "core" consisting of Broca's area, the pre-supplementary motor area, and the premotor area. K-core analysis showed that Wernicke's area was engaged by the "core" with weaker connection in L2 than L1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiongge Li
- grid.254250.40000 0001 2264 7145Levich Institute and Physics Department, City College of New York, New York, NY 10031 USA ,grid.253482.a0000 0001 0170 7903Department of Physics, Graduate Center of City University of New York, New York, NY 10016 USA ,grid.21107.350000 0001 2171 9311Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
| | - Luca Pasquini
- grid.51462.340000 0001 2171 9952Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065 USA ,grid.7841.aNeuroradiology Unit, NESMOS Department, Sant’Andrea Hospital, La Sapienza University, 00189 Rome, RM Italy
| | - Gino Del Ferraro
- grid.254250.40000 0001 2264 7145Levich Institute and Physics Department, City College of New York, New York, NY 10031 USA ,grid.51462.340000 0001 2171 9952Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065 USA ,grid.137628.90000 0004 1936 8753Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003 USA
| | - Madeleine Gene
- grid.51462.340000 0001 2171 9952Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065 USA
| | - Kyung K. Peck
- grid.51462.340000 0001 2171 9952Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065 USA ,grid.51462.340000 0001 2171 9952Department of Medical Physics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065 USA
| | - Hernán A. Makse
- grid.254250.40000 0001 2264 7145Levich Institute and Physics Department, City College of New York, New York, NY 10031 USA
| | - Andrei I. Holodny
- grid.51462.340000 0001 2171 9952Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065 USA ,grid.137628.90000 0004 1936 8753New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016 USA ,grid.5386.8000000041936877XDepartment of Neuroscience, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10065 USA
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23
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Fracasso A, Dumoulin SO, Petridou N. Point-spread function of the BOLD response across columns and cortical depth in human extra-striate cortex. Prog Neurobiol 2021; 202:102034. [PMID: 33741401 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2021.102034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2020] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Columns and layers are fundamental organizational units of the brain. Well known examples of cortical columns are the ocular dominance columns (ODCs) in primary visual cortex and the column-like stripe-based arrangement in the second visual area V2. The spatial scale of columns and layers is beyond the reach of conventional neuroimaging, but the advent of high field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners (UHF, 7 T and above) has opened the possibility to acquire data at this spatial scale, in-vivo and non-invasively in humans. The most prominent non-invasive technique to measure brain function is blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) fMRI, measuring brain activity indirectly, via changes in hemodynamics. A key determinant of the ability of high-resolution BOLD fMRI to accurately resolve columns and layers is the point-spread function (PSF) of the BOLD response in relation to the spatial extent of neuronal activity. In this study we take advantage of the stripe-based arrangement present in visual area V2, coupled with sub-millimetre anatomical and gradient-echo BOLD (GE BOLD) acquisition at 7 T to obtain PSF estimates and along cortical depth in human participants. Results show that the BOLD PSF is maximal in the superficial part of the cortex (1.78 mm), and it decreases with increasing cortical depth (0.83 mm close to white matter).
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Fracasso
- University of Glasgow, Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom.
| | - Serge O Dumoulin
- Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Spinoza Center for Neuroimaging, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Experimental and Applied Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Natalia Petridou
- Department of Radiology, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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24
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van Dijk JA, Fracasso A, Petridou N, Dumoulin SO. Validating Linear Systems Analysis for Laminar fMRI: Temporal Additivity for Stimulus Duration Manipulations. Brain Topogr 2021; 34:88-101. [PMID: 33210193 PMCID: PMC7803719 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-020-00808-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Advancements in ultra-high field (7 T and higher) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners have made it possible to investigate both the structure and function of the human brain at a sub-millimeter scale. As neuronal feedforward and feedback information arrives in different layers, sub-millimeter functional MRI has the potential to uncover information processing between cortical micro-circuits across cortical depth, i.e. laminar fMRI. For nearly all conventional fMRI analyses, the main assumption is that the relationship between local neuronal activity and the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signal adheres to the principles of linear systems theory. For laminar fMRI, however, directional blood pooling across cortical depth stemming from the anatomy of the cortical vasculature, potentially violates these linear system assumptions, thereby complicating analysis and interpretation. Here we assess whether the temporal additivity requirement of linear systems theory holds for laminar fMRI. We measured responses elicited by viewing stimuli presented for different durations and evaluated how well the responses to shorter durations predicted those elicited by longer durations. We find that BOLD response predictions are consistently good predictors for observed responses, across all cortical depths, and in all measured visual field maps (V1, V2, and V3). Our results suggest that the temporal additivity assumption for linear systems theory holds for laminar fMRI. We thus show that the temporal additivity assumption holds across cortical depth for sub-millimeter gradient-echo BOLD fMRI in early visual cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelle A van Dijk
- Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Alessio Fracasso
- Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QB, UK
- Radiology Department, Imaging Division, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Natalia Petridou
- Radiology Department, Imaging Division, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Serge O Dumoulin
- Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Experimental and Applied Psychology, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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25
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Weldon KB, Olman CA. Forging a path to mesoscopic imaging success with ultra-high field functional magnetic resonance imaging. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 376:20200040. [PMID: 33190599 PMCID: PMC7741029 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies with ultra-high field (UHF, 7+ Tesla) technology enable the acquisition of high-resolution images. In this work, we discuss recent achievements in UHF fMRI at the mesoscopic scale, on the order of cortical columns and layers, and examine approaches to addressing common challenges. As researchers push to smaller and smaller voxel sizes, acquisition and analysis decisions have greater potential to degrade spatial accuracy, and UHF fMRI data must be carefully interpreted. We consider the impact of acquisition decisions on the spatial specificity of the MR signal with a representative dataset with 0.8 mm isotropic resolution. We illustrate the trade-offs in contrast with noise ratio and spatial specificity of different acquisition techniques and show that acquisition blurring can increase the effective voxel size by as much as 50% in some dimensions. We further describe how different sources of degradations to spatial resolution in functional data may be characterized. Finally, we emphasize that progress in UHF fMRI depends not only on scientific discovery and technical advancement, but also on informal discussions and documentation of challenges researchers face and overcome in pursuit of their goals. This article is part of the theme issue 'Key relationships between non-invasive functional neuroimaging and the underlying neuronal activity'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly B Weldon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.,Center for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Cheryl A Olman
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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26
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Gravel N, Renken RJ, Harvey BM, Deco G, Cornelissen FW, Gilson M. Propagation of BOLD Activity Reveals Task-dependent Directed Interactions Across Human Visual Cortex. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:5899-5914. [PMID: 32577717 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
It has recently been shown that large-scale propagation of blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) activity is constrained by anatomical connections and reflects transitions between behavioral states. It remains to be seen, however, if the propagation of BOLD activity can also relate to the brain's anatomical structure at a more local scale. Here, we hypothesized that BOLD propagation reflects structured neuronal activity across early visual field maps. To explore this hypothesis, we characterize the propagation of BOLD activity across V1, V2, and V3 using a modeling approach that aims to disentangle the contributions of local activity and directed interactions in shaping BOLD propagation. It does so by estimating the effective connectivity (EC) and the excitability of a noise-diffusion network to reproduce the spatiotemporal covariance structure of the data. We apply our approach to 7T fMRI recordings acquired during resting state (RS) and visual field mapping (VFM). Our results reveal different EC interactions and changes in cortical excitability in RS and VFM, and point to a reconfiguration of feedforward and feedback interactions across the visual system. We conclude that the propagation of BOLD activity has functional relevance, as it reveals directed interactions and changes in cortical excitability in a task-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás Gravel
- Neural Dynamics of Visual Cognition Group, Department of Education and Psychology, Freie University Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany.,Laboratory of Experimental Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Remco J Renken
- Laboratory of Experimental Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands.,Cognitive Neuroscience Center, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ben M Harvey
- Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Gustavo Deco
- Center for Brain and Cognition, Computational Neuroscience Group, Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08018 Barcelona, Spain.,Institució Catalana de la Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.,School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, VIC 3800 Melbourne, Australia
| | - Frans W Cornelissen
- Laboratory of Experimental Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Matthieu Gilson
- Center for Brain and Cognition, Computational Neuroscience Group, Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08018 Barcelona, Spain
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27
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Hendriks AD, D'Agata F, Raimondo L, Schakel T, Geerts L, Luijten PR, Klomp DW, Petridou N. Pushing functional MRI spatial and temporal resolution further: High-density receive arrays combined with shot-selective 2D CAIPIRINHA for 3D echo-planar imaging at 7 T. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2020; 33:e4281. [PMID: 32128898 PMCID: PMC7187278 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.4281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
To be able to examine dynamic and detailed brain functions, the spatial and temporal resolution of 7 T MRI needs to improve. In this study, it was investigated whether submillimeter multishot 3D EPI fMRI scans, acquired with high-density receive arrays, can benefit from a 2D CAIPIRINHA sampling pattern, in terms of noise amplification (g-factor), temporal SNR and fMRI sensitivity. High-density receive arrays were combined with a shot-selective 2D CAIPIRINHA implementation for multishot 3D EPI sequences at 7 T. In this implementation, in contrast to conventional inclusion of extra kz gradient blips, specific EPI shots are left out to create a CAIPIRINHA shift and reduction of scan time. First, the implementation of the CAIPIRINHA sequence was evaluated with a standard receive setup by acquiring submillimeter whole brain T2 *-weighted anatomy images. Second, the CAIPIRINHA sequence was combined with high-density receive arrays to push the temporal resolution of submillimeter 3D EPI fMRI scans of the visual cortex. Results show that the shot-selective 2D CAIPIRINHA sequence enables a reduction in scan time for 0.5 mm isotropic 3D EPI T2 *-weighted anatomy scans by a factor of 4 compared with earlier reports. The use of the 2D CAIPIRINHA implementation in combination with high-density receive arrays, enhances the image quality of submillimeter 3D EPI scans of the visual cortex at high acceleration as compared to conventional SENSE. Both the g-factor and temporal SNR improved, resulting in a method that is more sensitive to the fMRI signal. Using this method, it is possible to acquire submillimeter single volume 3D EPI scans of the visual cortex in a subsecond timeframe. Overall, high-density receive arrays in combination with shot-selective 2D CAIPIRINHA for 3D EPI scans prove to be valuable for reducing the scan time of submillimeter MRI acquisitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arjan D. Hendriks
- Department of RadiologyCenter for Image Sciences, University Medical Center UtrechtUtrechtthe Netherlands
| | - Federico D'Agata
- Department of RadiologyCenter for Image Sciences, University Medical Center UtrechtUtrechtthe Netherlands
- Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of TurinTurinItaly
| | - Luisa Raimondo
- Department of RadiologyCenter for Image Sciences, University Medical Center UtrechtUtrechtthe Netherlands
- Spinoza Centre for NeuroimagingAmsterdamthe Netherlands
| | - Tim Schakel
- Department of RadiologyCenter for Image Sciences, University Medical Center UtrechtUtrechtthe Netherlands
| | | | - Peter R. Luijten
- Department of RadiologyCenter for Image Sciences, University Medical Center UtrechtUtrechtthe Netherlands
| | - Dennis W.J. Klomp
- Department of RadiologyCenter for Image Sciences, University Medical Center UtrechtUtrechtthe Netherlands
| | - Natalia Petridou
- Department of RadiologyCenter for Image Sciences, University Medical Center UtrechtUtrechtthe Netherlands
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28
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Finn ES, Huber L, Jangraw DC, Molfese PJ, Bandettini PA. Layer-dependent activity in human prefrontal cortex during working memory. Nat Neurosci 2019; 22:1687-1695. [PMID: 31551596 PMCID: PMC6764601 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-019-0487-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Working memory involves storing and/or manipulating previously encoded information over a short-term delay period, which is typically followed by a behavioral response based on the remembered information. Although working memory tasks often engage dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, few studies have investigated whether their subprocesses are localized to different cortical depths in this region, and none have done so in humans. Here we use high-resolution functional MRI to interrogate the layer specificity of neural activity during different periods of a delayed-response task in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. We detect activity time courses that follow the hypothesized patterns: namely, superficial layers are preferentially active during the delay period, specifically in trials requiring manipulation (rather than mere maintenance) of information held in working memory, and deeper layers are preferentially active during the response. Results demonstrate that layer-specific functional MRI can be used in higher-order brain regions to noninvasively map cognitive processing in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily S Finn
- Section on Functional Imaging Methods, Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
| | - Laurentius Huber
- Section on Functional Imaging Methods, Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- MR-Methods Group, Maastricht Brain Imaging Center, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - David C Jangraw
- Section on Functional Imaging Methods, Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Peter J Molfese
- Section on Functional Imaging Methods, Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Peter A Bandettini
- Section on Functional Imaging Methods, Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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