The objectives of this proposal are: i) to optimize and validate positron emission tomography (PET) activation techniques as a method of functional brain mapping in single subjects, and 2) to apply these techniques to better understand processes of sensory-motor integration in the human. PET studies will use radioactively labeled water as a means of measuring regional changes in blood flow in response to behavioral tasks. The methodologic aspects of this proposal will focus on improvements in signal-to-noise ratios by using better imaging protocols, development of more accurate statistical models for analyzing data from individual subjects, and independent validation of PET findings by comparing the results with those obtained using other methods of functional evaluation. The objective of these methodologic investigations is to develop functional brain imaging as a valid, rigorous tool for the study of normal and abnormal brain physiology in individual subjects. The objective of the neuroscientific component of the proposal is to use this tool to better understand sensory-motor integration in the human. Initial studies will map sensory-motor processes in normal subjects as a function of the sensory input modality and the motor output modality. Participation of the parietal lobe in sensory-motor tasks will be of particular interest, but the demonstration of one or more widespread cortical networks involved in sensory-motor integration is anticipated. Further studies will examine the -lateralization of sensory-motor processing in normal subjects to look for evidence of hemispheric asymmetries. During the final two years of the proposal, patients with sensory-motor deficits and/or with lesions in brain structures normally involved in sensory-motor integration will be studied. Multimodal integration of clinical observations, functional imaging studies, anatomic imaging studies, and electrophysiologic measurements will be utilized in normal subjects and in patients to further clarify the relationship between brain structure and function.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Clinical Investigator Award (CIA) (K08)
Project #
1K08NS001646-01
Application #
3084795
Study Section
NST-2 Subcommittee (NST)
Project Start
1993-09-01
Project End
1998-08-31
Budget Start
1993-09-01
Budget End
1994-08-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
1993
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California Los Angeles
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
119132785
City
Los Angeles
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90095
Thompson, P M; Mega, M S; Woods, R P et al. (2001) Cortical change in Alzheimer's disease detected with a disease-specific population-based brain atlas. Cereb Cortex 11:1-16
Thompson, P M; Woods, R P; Mega, M S et al. (2000) Mathematical/computational challenges in creating deformable and probabilistic atlases of the human brain. Hum Brain Mapp 9:81-92
Woods, R P; Dapretto, M; Sicotte, N L et al. (1999) Creation and use of a Talairach-compatible atlas for accurate, automated, nonlinear intersubject registration, and analysis of functional imaging data. Hum Brain Mapp 8:73-9
Woods, R P; Grafton, S T; Watson, J D et al. (1998) Automated image registration: II. Intersubject validation of linear and nonlinear models. J Comput Assist Tomogr 22:153-65
Woods, R P; Grafton, S T; Holmes, C J et al. (1998) Automated image registration: I. General methods and intrasubject, intramodality validation. J Comput Assist Tomogr 22:139-52
Iacoboni, M; Woods, R P; Mazziotta, J C (1998) Bimodal (auditory and visual) left frontoparietal circuitry for sensorimotor integration and sensorimotor learning. Brain 121 ( Pt 11):2135-43
Grafton, S T; Fagg, A H; Woods, R P et al. (1996) Functional anatomy of pointing and grasping in humans. Cereb Cortex 6:226-37
Woods, R P (1996) Modeling for intergroup comparisons of imaging data. Neuroimage 4:S84-94
Maquet, P; Lejeune, H; Pouthas, V et al. (1996) Brain activation induced by estimation of duration: a PET study. Neuroimage 3:119-26
Iacoboni, M; Woods, R P; Mazziotta, J C (1996) Brain-behavior relationships: evidence from practice effects in spatial stimulus-response compatibility. J Neurophysiol 76:321-31

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