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Wang Y, Wang H, Hu S, Nguchu BA, Zhang D, Chen S, Ji Y, Qiu B, Wang X. Sub-bundle based analysis reveals the role of human optic radiation in visual working memory. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26800. [PMID: 39093044 PMCID: PMC11295295 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26800] [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: 02/18/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
White matter (WM) functional activity has been reliably detected through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Previous studies have primarily examined WM bundles as unified entities, thereby obscuring the functional heterogeneity inherent within these bundles. Here, for the first time, we investigate the function of sub-bundles of a prototypical visual WM tract-the optic radiation (OR). We use the 7T retinotopy dataset from the Human Connectome Project (HCP) to reconstruct OR and further subdivide the OR into sub-bundles based on the fiber's termination in the primary visual cortex (V1). The population receptive field (pRF) model is then applied to evaluate the retinotopic properties of these sub-bundles, and the consistency of the pRF properties of sub-bundles with those of V1 subfields is evaluated. Furthermore, we utilize the HCP working memory dataset to evaluate the activations of the foveal and peripheral OR sub-bundles, along with LGN and V1 subfields, during 0-back and 2-back tasks. We then evaluate differences in 2bk-0bk contrast between foveal and peripheral sub-bundles (or subfields), and further examine potential relationships between 2bk-0bk contrast and 2-back task d-prime. The results show that the pRF properties of OR sub-bundles exhibit standard retinotopic properties and are typically similar to the properties of V1 subfields. Notably, activations during the 2-back task consistently surpass those under the 0-back task across foveal and peripheral OR sub-bundles, as well as LGN and V1 subfields. The foveal V1 displays significantly higher 2bk-0bk contrast than peripheral V1. The 2-back task d-prime shows strong correlations with 2bk-0bk contrast for foveal and peripheral OR fibers. These findings demonstrate that the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signals of OR sub-bundles encode high-fidelity visual information, underscoring the feasibility of assessing WM functional activity at the sub-bundle level. Additionally, the study highlights the role of OR in the top-down processes of visual working memory beyond the bottom-up processes for visual information transmission. Conclusively, this study innovatively proposes a novel paradigm for analyzing WM fiber tracts at the individual sub-bundle level and expands understanding of OR function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanming Wang
- Medical Imaging Center, Department of Electronic Engineering and Information ScienceUniversity of Science and Technology of ChinaHefeiChina
| | - Huan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of BiophysicsChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Sheng Hu
- Medical Imaging Center, Department of Electronic Engineering and Information ScienceUniversity of Science and Technology of ChinaHefeiChina
| | - Benedictor Alexander Nguchu
- Medical Imaging Center, Department of Electronic Engineering and Information ScienceUniversity of Science and Technology of ChinaHefeiChina
| | - Du Zhang
- Medical Imaging Center, Department of Electronic Engineering and Information ScienceUniversity of Science and Technology of ChinaHefeiChina
| | - Shishuo Chen
- Medical Imaging Center, Department of Electronic Engineering and Information ScienceUniversity of Science and Technology of ChinaHefeiChina
| | - Yang Ji
- Medical Imaging Center, Department of Electronic Engineering and Information ScienceUniversity of Science and Technology of ChinaHefeiChina
| | - Bensheng Qiu
- Medical Imaging Center, Department of Electronic Engineering and Information ScienceUniversity of Science and Technology of ChinaHefeiChina
- Institute of Artificial IntelligenceHefei Comprehensive National Science CenterHefeiChina
| | - Xiaoxiao Wang
- Medical Imaging Center, Department of Electronic Engineering and Information ScienceUniversity of Science and Technology of ChinaHefeiChina
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Li M, Gao Y, Lawless RD, Xu L, Zhao Y, Schilling KG, Ding Z, Anderson AW, Landman BA, Gore JC. Changes in white matter functional networks across late adulthood. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1204301. [PMID: 37455933 PMCID: PMC10347529 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1204301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The aging brain is characterized by decreases in not only neuronal density but also reductions in myelinated white matter (WM) fibers that provide the essential foundation for communication between cortical regions. Age-related degeneration of WM has been previously characterized by histopathology as well as T2 FLAIR and diffusion MRI. Recent studies have consistently shown that BOLD (blood oxygenation level dependent) effects in WM are robustly detectable, are modulated by neural activities, and thus represent a complementary window into the functional organization of the brain. However, there have been no previous systematic studies of whether or how WM BOLD signals vary with normal aging. We therefore performed a comprehensive quantification of WM BOLD signals across scales to evaluate their potential as indicators of functional changes that arise with aging. Methods By using spatial independent component analysis (ICA) of BOLD signals acquired in a resting state, WM voxels were grouped into spatially distinct functional units. The functional connectivities (FCs) within and among those units were measured and their relationships with aging were assessed. On a larger spatial scale, a graph was reconstructed based on the pair-wise connectivities among units, modeling the WM as a complex network and producing a set of graph-theoretical metrics. Results The spectral powers that reflect the intensities of BOLD signals were found to be significantly affected by aging across more than half of the WM units. The functional connectivities (FCs) within and among those units were found to decrease significantly with aging. We observed a widespread reduction of graph-theoretical metrics, suggesting a decrease in the ability to exchange information between remote WM regions with aging. Discussion Our findings converge to support the notion that WM BOLD signals in specific regions, and their interactions with other regions, have the potential to serve as imaging markers of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muwei Li
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Yurui Gao
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Richard D. Lawless
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Lyuan Xu
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Yu Zhao
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Kurt G. Schilling
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Zhaohua Ding
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Adam W. Anderson
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Bennett A. Landman
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - John C. Gore
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
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Zovetti N, Bellani M, Chowdury A, Alessandrini F, Zoccatelli G, Perlini C, Ricciardi GK, Marzi CA, Diwadkar VA, Brambilla P. Inefficient white matter activity in Schizophrenia evoked during intra and inter-hemispheric communication. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:449. [PMID: 36244980 PMCID: PMC9573867 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02200-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Intensive cognitive tasks induce inefficient regional and network responses in schizophrenia (SCZ). fMRI-based studies have naturally focused on gray matter, but appropriately titrated visuo-motor integration tasks reliably activate inter- and intra-hemispheric white matter pathways. Such tasks can assess network inefficiency without demanding intensive cognitive effort. Here, we provide the first application of this framework to the study of white matter functional responses in SCZ. Event-related fMRI data were acquired from 28 patients (nine females, mean age 43.3, ±11.7) and 28 age- and gender-comparable controls (nine females, mean age 42.1 ± 10.1), using the Poffenberger paradigm, a rapid visual detection task used to induce intra- (ipsi-lateral visual and motor cortex) or inter-hemispheric (contra-lateral visual and motor cortex) transfer. fMRI data were pre- and post-processed to reliably isolate activations in white matter, using probabilistic tractography-based white matter tracts. For intra- and inter-hemispheric transfer conditions, SCZ evinced hyper-activations in longitudinal and transverse white matter tracts, with hyper-activation in sub-regions of the corpus callosum primarily observed during inter-hemispheric transfer. Evidence for the functional inefficiency of white matter was observed in conjunction with small (~50 ms) but significant increases in response times. Functional inefficiencies in SCZ are (1) observable in white matter, with the degree of inefficiency contextually related to task-conditions, and (2) are evoked by simple detection tasks without intense cognitive processing. These cumulative results while expanding our understanding of this dys-connection syndrome, also extend the search of biomarkers beyond the traditional realm of fMRI studies of gray matter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niccolò Zovetti
- grid.5611.30000 0004 1763 1124Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Marcella Bellani
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
| | - Asadur Chowdury
- grid.254444.70000 0001 1456 7807Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI USA
| | - Franco Alessandrini
- grid.411475.20000 0004 1756 948XNeuroradiology Department, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata di Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Giada Zoccatelli
- grid.411475.20000 0004 1756 948XNeuroradiology Department, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata di Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Cinzia Perlini
- grid.5611.30000 0004 1763 1124Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Clinical Psychology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Giuseppe K. Ricciardi
- Pathology and Diagnostics, Section of Neuroradiology, Hospital Trust Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Carlo A. Marzi
- grid.5611.30000 0004 1763 1124Physiology and Psychology Section, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy ,National Institute of Neuroscience, Verona, Italy
| | - Vaibhav A. Diwadkar
- grid.254444.70000 0001 1456 7807Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI USA
| | - Paolo Brambilla
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy. .,Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
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Latency structure of BOLD signals within white matter in resting-state fMRI. Magn Reson Imaging 2022; 89:58-69. [PMID: 34999161 PMCID: PMC9851671 DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2021.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Previous studies have demonstrated that BOLD signals in gray matter in resting-state functional MRI (RSfMRI) have variable time lags, representing apparent propagations of fMRI BOLD signals in gray matter. We complemented existing findings and explored the corresponding variations of signal latencies in white matter. METHODS We used data from the Brain Genomics Superstruct Project, consisting of 1412 subjects (both sexes included) and divided the dataset into ten equal groups to study both the patterns and reproducibility of latency estimates within white matter. We constructed latency matrices by computing cross-covariances between voxel pairs. We also applied a clustering analysis to identify functional networks within white matter, based on which latency analysis was also performed to investigate lead/lag relationship at network level. A dataset consisting of various sensory states (eyes closed, eyes open and eyes open with fixation) was also included to examine the relationship between latency structure and different states. RESULTS Projections of voxel latencies from the latency matrices were highly correlated (average Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.89) across the subgroups, confirming the reproducibility and structure of signal lags in white matter. Analysis of latencies within and between networks revealed a similar pattern of inter- and intra-network communication to that reported for gray matter. Moreover, a dominant direction, from inferior to superior regions, of BOLD signal propagation was revealed by higher resolution clustering. The variations of lag structure within white matter are associated with different sensory states. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide additional insight into the character and roles of white matter BOLD signals in brain functions.
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Power spectra reveal distinct BOLD resting-state time courses in white matter. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2103104118. [PMID: 34716261 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2103104118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurate characterization of the time courses of blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signal changes is crucial for the analysis and interpretation of functional MRI data. While several studies have shown that white matter (WM) exhibits distinct BOLD responses evoked by tasks, there have been no comprehensive investigations into the time courses of spontaneous signal fluctuations in WM. We measured the power spectra of the resting-state time courses in a set of regions within WM identified as showing synchronous signals using independent components analysis. In each component, a clear separation between voxels into two categories was evident, based on their power spectra: one group exhibited a single peak, and the other had an additional peak at a higher frequency. Their groupings are location specific, and their distributions reflect unique neurovascular and anatomical configurations. Importantly, the two categories of voxels differed in their engagement in functional integration, revealed by differences in the number of interregional connections based on the two categories separately. Taken together, these findings suggest WM signals are heterogeneous in nature and depend on local structural-vascular-functional associations.
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