scholarly journals Arterial blood contrast (ABC) enabled by magnetization transfer (MT): a novel MRI technique for enhancing the measurement of brain activation changes

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenni Schulz ◽  
Zahra Fazal ◽  
Riccardo Metere ◽  
José P. Marques ◽  
David G. Norris
Keyword(s):  
Image Quality ◽  
Magnetization Transfer ◽  
Brain Activation ◽  
Functional Brain Imaging ◽  
Blood Oxygenation ◽  
Acquisition Time ◽  
Measured Signal ◽  
Arterial Blood ◽  
Oxygenation Level ◽  
Spatial Specificity

AbstractFunctional brain imaging in humans is almost exclusively performed using blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) contrast. This typically requires a period of tens of milliseconds after excitation of the spin system to achieve maximum contrast, leading to inefficient use of acquisition time, reduced image quality, and inhomogeneous sensitivity throughout the cortex. We utilise magnetisation transfer to suppress the signal differentially from grey matter relative to blood so that the local increase in blood volume associated with brain activation (mainly occurring in the arterioles and capillaries) will increase the measured signal. Arterial blood contrast (ABC) is additive to the residual BOLD effect, but will have its maximum value at the time of excitation. We measured brain activation using combined ABC and residual BOLD contrast at different times post-excitation and compared this to BOLD data acquired under otherwise identical conditions. We conclude that using ABC and measuring shortly after excitation gives comparable sensitivity to standard BOLD but will provide greater efficiency, spatial specificity, improved image quality, and lower inter-subject variability. ABC offers new perspectives for performing functional MRI.

scholarly journals BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN NEUROIMAGING AND NEURONAL PHYSIOLOGY

2011 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dae-Shik Kim ◽  
Kamil Ugurbil
Keyword(s):  
Functional Mri ◽  
Functional Neuroimaging ◽  
Explanatory Power ◽  
Blood Oxygenation ◽  
Functional Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Neural Correlate ◽  
Neuroimaging Data ◽  
Oxygenation Level ◽  
Spatial Specificity ◽  
Neuronal Physiology

Despite the fact that blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have become ubiquitous and are of ever increasing importance for clinical and basic neurosciences, the fundamental relationships between BOLD and the underlying neuronal physiology are not understood. This raises severe concerns about the validity of BOLD contrast per se, and the conceptual frameworks currently employed in interpreting cognitive neuroimaging data. In order to expand the explanatory power of functional MRI data, several crucial questions will have to be addressed. The two most important questions are: First, what is the ultimate spatial resolution of fMRI?, secondly, what is the "neural correlate" of functional MRI? This article attempts to compile a series of results from our and other laboratories, suggesting that both the questions of "spatial specificity" and "neural correlate" might be within the reach of a tentative solution, thus finally bridging the gap between functional neuroimaging and neuronal physiology.

scholarly journals Modelling the depth-dependent VASO and BOLD responses in human primary visual cortex

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atena Akbari ◽  
Saskia Bollmann ◽  
Tonima Ali ◽  
Markus Barth
Keyword(s):  
Visual Cortex ◽  
Blood Volume ◽  
Primary Visual Cortex ◽  
Cerebral Blood Volume ◽  
Blood Oxygenation ◽  
Physiological Variables ◽  
Oxygenation Level ◽  
Signal Specificity ◽  
Experimental Findings ◽  
Spatial Specificity

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) using blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) contrast is a common method for studying human brain function non-invasively. Gradient-echo (GRE) BOLD is highly sensitive to the blood oxygenation change in blood vessels; however, the signal specificity can be degraded due to signal leakage from the activated lower layers to the superficial layers in depth-dependent (also called laminar or layer-specific) fMRI. Alternatively, physiological variables such as cerebral blood volume using VAscular-Space-Occupancy (VASO) measurements have shown higher spatial specificity compared to BOLD. To better understand the physiological mechanisms (e.g., blood volume and oxygenation change) and to interpret the measured depth-dependent responses we need models that reflect vascular properties at this scale. For this purpose, we adapted a cortical vascular model previously developed to predict the layer-specific BOLD signal change in human primary visual cortex to also predict 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 findings provided an estimate of CBV change in different vascular compartments upon neural activity. We found that stimulus-evoked CBV changes mainly occur in intracortical arteries as well as small arterioles and capillaries and that the contribution from venules is small for a long stimulus (~30 sec). Our results confirm the notion that VASO contrast is less susceptible to large vessel effects compared to BOLD.

Functional neuroimaging studies in mood disorders

2006 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 88-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morgan Haldane ◽  
Sophia Frangou
Keyword(s):  
Mood Disorders ◽  
Functional Neuroimaging ◽  
Bipolar Depression ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Functional Brain Imaging ◽  
Blood Oxygenation ◽  
Affective States ◽  
Functional Changes ◽  
Oxygenation Level ◽  
Future Work

Background:Our understanding of the neural circuitry involved in mood disorders is rapidly expanding through the ever-increasing application of functional brain imaging techniques.Objectives:A selective review of functional neuroimaging studies in patients with primary mood disorders was undertaken in order to identify points of commonality and controversy in the existing literature.Methods:Articles published between 1980 and July 2005 were identified using a range of keywords from relevant on-line databases and key journals.Results:Increased activity within limbic regions has been consistently associated with depressive states and may also be present in manic states too. Dorsal and ventral prefrontal regions appear compromised as suggested by emerging evidence of cortical inefficiency within prefrontal regions or reductions in their connectivity with limbic areas. Most of the functional changes observed are at least partly reversible following clinical remission although deficits in prefrontal regions may be state-related.Conclusions:Despite the use of disparate functional imaging modalities, there is a convergence of findings, and the results described do not appear to differ between unipolar and bipolar depression. However, further data are required in order to fully determine the functional changes occurring during manic states. Future work will also need to elucidate the effects of medication, the utility of specific cognitive tasks, and blood oxygenation level-dependent interactions within these affective states.

scholarly journals Time-dependent spatial specificity of high-resolution fMRI: insights into mesoscopic neurovascular coupling

2020 ◽  
Vol 376 (1815) ◽  
pp. 20190623
Author(s):  
Mitsuhiro Fukuda ◽  
Alexander J. Poplawsky ◽  
Seong-Gi Kim
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Neuronal Activity ◽  
Cerebral Blood Volume ◽  
Functional Neuroimaging ◽  
Neurovascular Coupling ◽  
Blood Oxygenation ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
True Location ◽  
Oxygenation Level ◽  
Spatial Specificity

High-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is becoming increasingly popular because of the growing availability of ultra-high magnetic fields which are capable of improving sensitivity and spatial resolution. However, it is debatable whether increased spatial resolutions for haemodynamic-based techniques, like fMRI, can accurately detect the true location of neuronal activity. We have addressed this issue in functional columns and layers of animals with haemoglobin-based optical imaging and different fMRI contrasts, such as blood oxygenation level-dependent, cerebral blood flow and cerebral blood volume fMRI. In this review, we describe empirical evidence primarily from our own studies on how well these fMRI signals are spatially specific to the neuronally active site and discuss insights into neurovascular coupling at the mesoscale. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Key relationships between non-invasive functional neuroimaging and the underlying neuronal activity’.

scholarly journals Sub-Millimetre Resolution Laminar Fmri Using Arterial Spin Labelling in Humans at 7 T

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sriranga Kashyap ◽  
Dimo Ivanov ◽  
Martin Havlicek ◽  
Laurentius Huber ◽  
Benedikt A. Poser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Oxygenation ◽  
Arterial Spin Labelling ◽  
Bold Signal ◽  
Neuronal Activation ◽  
High Magnetic Field Strength ◽  
Amplitude Increase ◽  
Oxygenation Level ◽  
Flow Through ◽  
Spatial Specificity ◽  
Spin Labelling

ABSTRACTLaminar fMRI at ultra-high magnetic field strength is typically carried out using the Blood Oxygenation Level-Dependent (BOLD) contrast. Despite its unrivalled sensitivity to detecting activation, the BOLD contrast is limited in its spatial specificity due to signals stemming from intra-cortical ascending and pial veins. Alternatively, regional changes in perfusion (i.e., cerebral blood flow through tissue) are colocalised to neuronal activation, which can be non-invasively measured using arterial spin labelling (ASL) MRI. In addition, ASL provides a quantitative marker of neuronal activation in terms of perfusion signal, which is simultaneously acquired along with the BOLD signal. However, ASL for laminar imaging is challenging due to the lower SNR of the perfusion signal and higher RF power deposition i.e., specific absorption rate (SAR) of ASL sequences. In the present study, we present for the first time in humans, isotropic sub-millimetre spatial resolution functional perfusion images using Flow-sensitive Alternating Inversion Recovery (FAIR) ASL with a 3D-EPI readout at 7T. We show that robust statistical activation maps can be obtained with perfusion-weighting in a single session. We observed the characteristic BOLD amplitude increase towards the superficial laminae, and, in apparent discrepancy, the relative perfusion profile shows a decrease of the amplitude and the absolute perfusion profile a much smaller increase towards the cortical surface. Considering the draining vein effect on the BOLD signal using model-based spatial ‘convolution’, we show that the empirically measured perfusion and BOLD profiles are, in fact, consistent with each other. This study demonstrates that laminar perfusion fMRI in humans is feasible at 7T and that caution must be exercised when interpreting BOLD signal laminar profiles as direct representation of the cortical distribution of neuronal activity.

scholarly journals Sub-millimetre resolution laminar fMRI using Arterial Spin Labelling in humans at 7 T

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. e0250504
Author(s):  
Sriranga Kashyap ◽  
Dimo Ivanov ◽  
Martin Havlicek ◽  
Laurentius Huber ◽  
Benedikt A. Poser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Oxygenation ◽  
Arterial Spin Labelling ◽  
Bold Signal ◽  
Neuronal Activation ◽  
High Magnetic Field Strength ◽  
Amplitude Increase ◽  
Oxygenation Level ◽  
Flow Through ◽  
Spatial Specificity ◽  
Spin Labelling

Laminar fMRI at ultra-high magnetic field strength is typically carried out using the Blood Oxygenation Level-Dependent (BOLD) contrast. Despite its unrivalled sensitivity to detecting activation, the BOLD contrast is limited in its spatial specificity due to signals stemming from intra-cortical ascending and pial veins. Alternatively, regional changes in perfusion (i.e., cerebral blood flow through tissue) are colocalised to neuronal activation, which can be non-invasively measured using Arterial Spin Labelling (ASL) MRI. In addition, ASL provides a quantitative marker of neuronal activation in terms of perfusion signal, which is simultaneously acquired along with the BOLD signal. However, ASL for laminar imaging is challenging due to the lower SNR of the perfusion signal and higher RF power deposition i.e., specific absorption rate (SAR) of ASL sequences. In the present study, we present for the first time in humans, isotropic sub-millimetre spatial resolution functional perfusion images using Flow-sensitive Alternating Inversion Recovery (FAIR) ASL with a 3D-EPI readout at 7 T. We show that robust statistical activation maps can be obtained with perfusion-weighting in a single session. We observed the characteristic BOLD amplitude increase towards the superficial laminae, and, in apparent discrepancy, the relative perfusion profile shows a decrease of the amplitude and the absolute perfusion profile a much smaller increase towards the cortical surface. Considering the draining vein effect on the BOLD signal using model-based spatial “convolution”, we show that the empirically measured perfusion and BOLD profiles are, in fact, consistent with each other. This study demonstrates that laminar perfusion fMRI in humans is feasible at 7 T and that caution must be exercised when interpreting BOLD signal laminar profiles as direct representation of the cortical distribution of neuronal activity.

scholarly journals Validating Linear Systems Analysis for Laminar fMRI: Temporal Additivity for Stimulus Duration Manipulations

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jelle A. van Dijk ◽  
Alessio Fracasso ◽  
Natalia Petridou ◽  
Serge O. Dumoulin
Keyword(s):  
Systems Theory ◽  
Linear Systems ◽  
Blood Oxygenation ◽  
Ultra High Field ◽  
Feedback Information ◽  
Oxygenation Level ◽  
Early Visual Cortex ◽  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Mri ◽  
And Function ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractAdvancements 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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