1
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Jia K, Goebel R, Kourtzi Z. Ultra-High Field Imaging of Human Visual Cognition. Annu Rev Vis Sci 2023; 9:479-500. [PMID: 37137282 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-vision-111022-123830] [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] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the key methodology for mapping the functions of the human brain in a noninvasive manner, is limited by low temporal and spatial resolution. Recent advances in ultra-high field (UHF) fMRI provide a mesoscopic (i.e., submillimeter resolution) tool that allows us to probe laminar and columnar circuits, distinguish bottom-up versus top-down pathways, and map small subcortical areas. We review recent work demonstrating that UHF fMRI provides a robust methodology for imaging the brain across cortical depths and columns that provides insights into the brain's organization and functions at unprecedented spatial resolution, advancing our understanding of the fine-scale computations and interareal communication that support visual cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Jia
- Department of Neurobiology, Affiliated Mental Health Center & Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-machine Intelligence, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom;
| | - Rainer Goebel
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Zoe Kourtzi
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom;
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2
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Northall A, Doehler J, Weber M, Vielhaber S, Schreiber S, Kuehn E. Layer-specific vulnerability is a mechanism of topographic map aging. Neurobiol Aging 2023; 128:17-32. [PMID: 37141729 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2023.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Topographic maps form a critical feature of cortical organization, yet are poorly described with respect to their microstructure in the living aging brain. We acquired quantitative structural and functional 7T-MRI data from younger and older adults to characterize layer-wise topographic maps of the primary motor cortex (M1). Using parcellation-inspired techniques, we show that quantitative T1 and Quantitative Susceptibility Maps values of the hand, face, and foot areas differ significantly, revealing microstructurally distinct cortical fields in M1. We show that these fields are distinct in older adults and that myelin borders between them do not degenerate. We further show that the output layer 5 of M1 shows a particular vulnerability to age-related increased iron, while layer 5 and the superficial layer show increased diamagnetic substance, likely reflecting calcifications. Taken together, we provide a novel 3D model of M1 microstructure, where body parts form distinct structural units, but layers show specific vulnerability toward increased iron and calcium in older adults. Our findings have implications for understanding sensorimotor organization and aging, in addition to topographic disease spread.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Northall
- Institute for Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.
| | - Juliane Doehler
- Institute for Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
| | - Miriam Weber
- Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
| | - Stefan Vielhaber
- Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
| | - Stefanie Schreiber
- Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany; Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS) Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
| | - Esther Kuehn
- Institute for Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany; Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS) Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany; Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Tübingen, Germany
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3
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Bracht T, Walther S, Breit S, Mertse N, Federspiel A, Meyer A, Soravia LM, Wiest R, Denier N. Distinct and shared patterns of brain plasticity during electroconvulsive therapy and treatment as usual in depression: an observational multimodal MRI-study. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:6. [PMID: 36627288 PMCID: PMC9832014 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02304-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a highly effective treatment for depression. Previous studies point to ECT-induced volume increase in the hippocampi and amygdalae, and to increase in cortical thickness. However, it is unclear if these neuroplastic changes are associated with treatment response. This observational study aimed to address this research question by comparing neuroplasticity between patients with depression receiving ECT and patients with depression that respond to treatment as usual (TAU-responders). Twenty ECT-patients (16 major depressive disorder (MDD), 4 depressed bipolar disorder), 20 TAU-responders (20 MDD) and 20 healthy controls (HC) were scanned twice with multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (structure: MP2RAGE; perfusion: arterial spin labeling). ECT-patients were scanned before and after an ECT-index series (ECT-group). TAU-responders were scanned during a depressive episode and following remission or treatment response. Volumes and cerebral blood flow (CBF) of the hippocampi and amygdalae, and global mean cortical thickness were compared between groups. There was a significant group × time interaction for hippocampal and amygdalar volumes, CBF in the hippocampi and global mean cortical thickness. Hippocampal and amygdalar enlargements and CBF increase in the hippocampi were observed in the ECT-group but neither in TAU-responders nor in HC. Increase in global mean cortical thickness was observed in the ECT-group and in TAU-responders but not in HC. The co-occurrence of increase in global mean cortical thickness in both TAU-responders and in ECT-patients may point to a shared mechanism of antidepressant response. This was not the case for subcortical volume and CBF increase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Bracht
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. .,Translational Imaging Center (TIC), Swiss Institute for Translational and Entrepreneurial Medicine, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Sebastian Walther
- grid.5734.50000 0001 0726 5157Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland ,Translational Imaging Center (TIC), Swiss Institute for Translational and Entrepreneurial Medicine, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sigrid Breit
- grid.5734.50000 0001 0726 5157Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland ,Translational Imaging Center (TIC), Swiss Institute for Translational and Entrepreneurial Medicine, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Mertse
- grid.5734.50000 0001 0726 5157Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland ,Translational Imaging Center (TIC), Swiss Institute for Translational and Entrepreneurial Medicine, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Federspiel
- grid.5734.50000 0001 0726 5157Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland ,Translational Imaging Center (TIC), Swiss Institute for Translational and Entrepreneurial Medicine, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Agnes Meyer
- grid.5734.50000 0001 0726 5157Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Leila M. Soravia
- grid.5734.50000 0001 0726 5157Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland ,Translational Imaging Center (TIC), Swiss Institute for Translational and Entrepreneurial Medicine, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Roland Wiest
- Translational Imaging Center (TIC), Swiss Institute for Translational and Entrepreneurial Medicine, Bern, Switzerland ,grid.5734.50000 0001 0726 5157Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Niklaus Denier
- grid.5734.50000 0001 0726 5157Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland ,Translational Imaging Center (TIC), Swiss Institute for Translational and Entrepreneurial Medicine, Bern, Switzerland
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4
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Sereno MI, Sood MR, Huang RS. Topological Maps and Brain Computations From Low to High. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 16:787737. [PMID: 35747394 PMCID: PMC9210993 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.787737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
We first briefly summarize data from microelectrode studies on visual maps in non-human primates and other mammals, and characterize differences among the features of the approximately topological maps in the three main sensory modalities. We then explore the almost 50% of human neocortex that contains straightforward topological visual, auditory, and somatomotor maps by presenting a new parcellation as well as a movie atlas of cortical area maps on the FreeSurfer average surface, fsaverage. Third, we review data on moveable map phenomena as well as a recent study showing that cortical activity during sensorimotor actions may involve spatially locally coherent traveling wave and bump activity. Finally, by analogy with remapping phenomena and sensorimotor activity, we speculate briefly on the testable possibility that coherent localized spatial activity patterns might be able to ‘escape’ from topologically mapped cortex during ‘serial assembly of content’ operations such as scene and language comprehension, to form composite ‘molecular’ patterns that can move across some cortical areas and possibly return to topologically mapped cortex to generate motor output there.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin I. Sereno
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, London, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Martin I. Sereno,
| | - Mariam Reeny Sood
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ruey-Song Huang
- Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, Macao SAR, China
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5
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Düzel E, Costagli M, Donatelli G, Speck O, Cosottini M. Studying Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with 7-T magnetic resonance. Eur Radiol Exp 2021; 5:36. [PMID: 34435242 PMCID: PMC8387546 DOI: 10.1186/s41747-021-00221-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Ultra-high-field (UHF) magnetic resonance (MR) scanners, that is, equipment operating at static magnetic field of 7 tesla (7 T) and above, enable the acquisition of data with greatly improved signal-to-noise ratio with respect to conventional MR systems (e.g., scanners operating at 1.5 T and 3 T). The change in tissue relaxation times at UHF offers the opportunity to improve tissue contrast and depict features that were previously inaccessible. These potential advantages come, however, at a cost: in the majority of UHF-MR clinical protocols, potential drawbacks may include signal inhomogeneity, geometrical distortions, artifacts introduced by patient respiration, cardiac cycle, and motion. This article reviews the 7 T MR literature reporting the recent studies on the most widespread neurodegenerative diseases: Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emrah Düzel
- Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany. .,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany. .,University College London, London, UK.
| | - Mauro Costagli
- IRCCS Stella Maris, Pisa, Italy.,University of Genoa, Genova, Italy
| | - Graziella Donatelli
- Fondazione Imago 7, Pisa, Italy.,Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Pisana, Pisa, Italy
| | - Oliver Speck
- Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Mirco Cosottini
- Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Pisana, Pisa, Italy.,University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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6
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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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7
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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: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [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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8
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Liu P, Chrysidou A, Doehler J, Hebart MN, Wolbers T, Kuehn E. The organizational principles of de-differentiated topographic maps in somatosensory cortex. eLife 2021; 10:e60090. [PMID: 34003108 PMCID: PMC8186903 DOI: 10.7554/elife.60090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Topographic maps are a fundamental feature of cortex architecture in the mammalian brain. One common theory is that the de-differentiation of topographic maps links to impairments in everyday behavior due to less precise functional map readouts. Here, we tested this theory by characterizing de-differentiated topographic maps in primary somatosensory cortex (SI) of younger and older adults by means of ultra-high resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging together with perceptual finger individuation and hand motor performance. Older adults' SI maps showed similar amplitude and size to younger adults' maps, but presented with less representational similarity between distant fingers. Larger population receptive field sizes in older adults' maps did not correlate with behavior, whereas reduced cortical distances between D2 and D3 related to worse finger individuation but better motor performance. Our data uncover the drawbacks of a simple de-differentiation model of topographic map function, and motivate the introduction of feature-based models of cortical reorganization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Liu
- Institute for Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University MagdeburgMagdeburgGermany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)MagdeburgGermany
| | - Anastasia Chrysidou
- Institute for Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University MagdeburgMagdeburgGermany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)MagdeburgGermany
| | - Juliane Doehler
- Institute for Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University MagdeburgMagdeburgGermany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)MagdeburgGermany
| | - Martin N Hebart
- Vision and Computational Cognition Group, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain SciencesLeipzigGermany
| | - Thomas Wolbers
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)MagdeburgGermany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS) MagdeburgMagdeburgGermany
| | - Esther Kuehn
- Institute for Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University MagdeburgMagdeburgGermany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)MagdeburgGermany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS) MagdeburgMagdeburgGermany
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9
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Uludag K, Havlicek M. Determining laminar neuronal activity from BOLD fMRI using a generative model. Prog Neurobiol 2021; 207:102055. [PMID: 33930519 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2021.102055] [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: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Laminar fMRI using the BOLD contrast enables the non-invasive investigation of mesoscopic functional circuits in the human brain. However, the laminar neuronal activity is spatiotemporally biased in the observed cortical depth profiles of the BOLD signal. In this study, we propose a generative fMRI signal model, comprehensively covering the relationship between cortical depth-dependent changes in excitatory and inhibitory neuronal activity with the sampling of the BOLD signal with finite voxels. The generative model allowed us to investigate pertinent questions regarding the accuracy of the laminar BOLD signal relative to the neuronal activity, and we found that: a) condition differences in laminar BOLD signals may be more reflective of neuronal activity than single condition BOLD signal depth profiles; b) angular dependence of the BOLD signal induces significant signal variability, which can mask underlying activity profiles; c) even if only three neuronal depths are of interest, more BOLD signal depths should be considered in the analysis. In addition, we recommend that the laminar BOLD data should be displayed using the centroid method to appreciate its spatial distribution in the original resolution. Finally, we showed that Bayesian model inversion of the generative model can improve sensitivity and specificity of assessing depth-dependent neuronal changes both for steady-state and dynamically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamil Uludag
- Techna Institute & Koerner Scientist in MR Imaging, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada; Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science & Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
| | - Martin Havlicek
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
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10
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Reply to 'Topographical layer imaging as a tool to track neurodegenerative disease spread in M1'. Nat Rev Neurosci 2021; 22:69. [PMID: 33154582 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-020-00405-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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11
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Schreiber S, Northall A, Weber M, Vielhaber S, Kuehn E. Topographical layer imaging as a tool to track neurodegenerative disease spread in M1. Nat Rev Neurosci 2021; 22:68-69. [PMID: 33154581 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-020-00404-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Schreiber
- Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.
| | - Alicia Northall
- Institute for Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Miriam Weber
- Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Vielhaber
- Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Esther Kuehn
- Institute for Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
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12
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Aqil M, Atasoy S, Kringelbach ML, Hindriks R. Graph neural fields: A framework for spatiotemporal dynamical models on the human connectome. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1008310. [PMID: 33507899 PMCID: PMC7872285 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Tools from the field of graph signal processing, in particular the graph Laplacian operator, have recently been successfully applied to the investigation of structure-function relationships in the human brain. The eigenvectors of the human connectome graph Laplacian, dubbed "connectome harmonics", have been shown to relate to the functionally relevant resting-state networks. Whole-brain modelling of brain activity combines structural connectivity with local dynamical models to provide insight into the large-scale functional organization of the human brain. In this study, we employ the graph Laplacian and its properties to define and implement a large class of neural activity models directly on the human connectome. These models, consisting of systems of stochastic integrodifferential equations on graphs, are dubbed graph neural fields, in analogy with the well-established continuous neural fields. We obtain analytic predictions for harmonic and temporal power spectra, as well as functional connectivity and coherence matrices, of graph neural fields, with a technique dubbed CHAOSS (shorthand for Connectome-Harmonic Analysis Of Spatiotemporal Spectra). Combining graph neural fields with appropriate observation models allows for estimating model parameters from experimental data as obtained from electroencephalography (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG), or functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). As an example application, we study a stochastic Wilson-Cowan graph neural field model on a high-resolution connectome graph constructed from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and structural MRI data. We show that the model equilibrium fluctuations can reproduce the empirically observed harmonic power spectrum of resting-state fMRI data, and predict its functional connectivity, with a high level of detail. Graph neural fields natively allow the inclusion of important features of cortical anatomy and fast computations of observable quantities for comparison with multimodal empirical data. They thus appear particularly suitable for modelling whole-brain activity at mesoscopic scales, and opening new potential avenues for connectome-graph-based investigations of structure-function relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Aqil
- Department of Mathematics, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Selen Atasoy
- Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Center for Music in the Brain, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Morten L. Kringelbach
- Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Center for Music in the Brain, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Rikkert Hindriks
- Department of Mathematics, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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13
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de Hollander G, van der Zwaag W, Qian C, Zhang P, Knapen T. Ultra-high field fMRI reveals origins of feedforward and feedback activity within laminae of human ocular dominance columns. Neuroimage 2020; 228:117683. [PMID: 33385565 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Ultra-high field MRI can functionally image the cerebral cortex of human subjects at the submillimeter scale of cortical columns and laminae. Here, we investigate both in concert, by imaging ocular dominance columns (ODCs) in primary visual cortex (V1) across different cortical depths. We ensured that putative ODC patterns in V1 (a) are stable across runs, sessions, and scanners located in different continents, (b) have a width (~1.3 mm) expected from post-mortem and animal work and (c) are absent at the retinotopic location of the blind spot. We then dissociated the effects of bottom-up thalamo-cortical input and attentional feedback processes on activity in V1 across cortical depth. Importantly, the separation of bottom-up information flows into ODCs allowed us to validly compare attentional conditions while keeping the stimulus identical throughout the experiment. We find that, when correcting for draining vein effects and using both model-based and model-free approaches, the effect of monocular stimulation is largest at deep and middle cortical depths. Conversely, spatial attention influences BOLD activity exclusively near the pial surface. Our findings show that simultaneous interrogation of columnar and laminar dimensions of the cortical fold can dissociate thalamocortical inputs from top-down processing, and allow the investigation of their interactions without any stimulus manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilles de Hollander
- Department of Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Zurich Center for Neuroeconomics (ZNE), Department of Economics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, Royal Academy of Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Wietske van der Zwaag
- Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, Royal Academy of Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Chencan Qian
- Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Tomas Knapen
- Department of Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, Royal Academy of Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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14
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Kuehn E, Pleger B. Encoding schemes in somatosensation: From micro- to meta-topography. Neuroimage 2020; 223:117255. [PMID: 32800990 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Encoding schemes are systematic large-scale arrangements that convert incoming sensory information into a format required for further information processing. The increased spatial resolution of brain images obtained with ultra-high field magnetic resonance imaging at 7 T (7T-MRI) and above increases the granularity and precision of processing units that mediate the link between neuronal encoding and functional readouts. Here, these new developments are reviewed with a focus on human tactile encoding schemes derived from small-scale processing units (in the order of 0.5-5 mm) that are relevant for theoretical and practical concepts of somatosensory encoding and cortical plasticity. Precisely, we review recent approaches to characterize meso-scale maps, layer units, and cortical fields in the sensorimotor cortex of the living human brain and discuss their impact on theories of perception, motor control, topographic encoding, and cortical plasticity. Finally, we discuss concepts on the integration of small-scale processing units into functional networks that span multiple topographic maps and multiple cortical areas. Novel research areas are highlighted that may help to bridge the gap between cortical microstructure and meta-topographic models on brain anatomy and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Kuehn
- Institute for Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, 39120, Germany; Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS) Magdeburg, Magdeburg 39120, Germany.
| | - Burkhard Pleger
- Department of Neurology, BG University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum 44789, Germany
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15
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Stoll S, Finlayson NJ, Schwarzkopf DS. Topographic signatures of global object perception in human visual cortex. Neuroimage 2020; 220:116926. [PMID: 32442640 PMCID: PMC7573540 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Our visual system readily groups dynamic fragmented input into global objects. How the brain represents global object perception remains however unclear. To address this question, we recorded brain responses using functional magnetic resonance imaging whilst observers viewed a dynamic bistable stimulus that could either be perceived globally (i.e., as a grouped and coherently moving shape) or locally (i.e., as ungrouped and incoherently moving elements). We further estimated population receptive fields and used these to back-project the brain activity measured during stimulus perception into visual space via a searchlight procedure. Global perception resulted in universal suppression of responses in lower visual cortex accompanied by wide-spread enhancement in higher object-sensitive cortex. However, follow-up experiments indicated that higher object-sensitive cortex is suppressed if global perception lacks shape grouping, and that grouping-related suppression can be diffusely confined to stimulated sites and accompanied by background enhancement once stimulus size is reduced. These results speak to a non-generic involvement of higher object-sensitive cortex in perceptual grouping and point to an enhancement-suppression mechanism mediating the perception of figure and ground. Lower visual cortex activity to grouped vs ungrouped dynamic stimuli is suppressed. When grouping a shape, activity in higher object-sensitive cortex is enhanced. Without shape grouping, activity in higher object-sensitive cortex is suppressed. Grouping-related suppression can be diffusely confined to stimulated cortical sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Stoll
- Experimental Psychology, University College London, 26 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AP, UK.
| | - Nonie J Finlayson
- Experimental Psychology, University College London, 26 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AP, UK
| | - D Samuel Schwarzkopf
- Experimental Psychology, University College London, 26 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AP, UK
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16
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Lawrence SJD, Norris DG, de Lange FP. Dissociable laminar profiles of concurrent bottom-up and top-down modulation in the human visual cortex. eLife 2019; 8:e44422. [PMID: 31063127 PMCID: PMC6538372 DOI: 10.7554/elife.44422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent developments in human neuroimaging make it possible to non-invasively measure neural activity from different cortical layers. This can potentially reveal not only which brain areas are engaged by a task, but also how. Specifically, bottom-up and top-down responses are associated with distinct laminar profiles. Here, we measured lamina-resolved fMRI responses during a visual task designed to induce concurrent bottom-up and top-down modulations via orthogonal manipulations of stimulus contrast and feature-based attention. BOLD responses were modulated by both stimulus contrast (bottom-up) and by engaging feature-based attention (top-down). Crucially, these effects operated at different cortical depths: Bottom-up modulations were strongest in the middle cortical layer and weaker in deep and superficial layers, while top-down modulations were strongest in the superficial layers. As such, we demonstrate that laminar activity profiles can discriminate between concurrent top-down and bottom-up processing, and are diagnostic of how a brain region is activated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel JD Lawrence
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and BehaviourRadboud University NijmegenNijmegenNetherlands
| | - David G Norris
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and BehaviourRadboud University NijmegenNijmegenNetherlands
- Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance ImagingUniversity Duisburg-EssenEssenGermany
| | - Floris P de Lange
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and BehaviourRadboud University NijmegenNijmegenNetherlands
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