The primary aim of the Developmental Neuroimaging Core is to serve the interdisciplinary and translationalresearch needs and goals of the DDRC. Advances in human and animal neuroimaging techniques provide theunique ability to gain insight into the neural circuitry and mechanisms underlying cognition, behavior and neuraldevelopment in typically developing individuals and those with neurodevelopmental disorders. The strengths ofin vivo neuroimaging techniques become particularly evident when included in longitudinal study designs thatare particularly well suited for understanding the trajectories of developmental disorders. Neuroimaging studiesoffer the additional possibility of teasing apart the heterogeneity in complex, behaviorally-definedneurodevelopmental disorders, by providing insights into potential brain phenotypes for these conditions.Even more advanced methods are available for imaging the brain in animals. Genetic studies ofneurodevelopmental disorders have led to the identification of a number of disease susceptibility genes andgenetic engineering approaches have enabled the creation of genetically altered cells and animals (mice). Invivomultiphoton imaging of these animal and cellular models provides a unique avenue to study distinctaspects of nervous system development and function relevant to neurodevelopmental disorders. Whileconventional confocal microscopy can be used for high-resolution imaging of fluorescent labeling in fixedtissue, multiphoton laser imaging enables visualization and quantification of XFP filled neurons, glia, and axonsin brain slices, or intact brains. Novel scanner technology and acquisition technology has also enabled thestudy of brain development in animal models via MRI, specifically for non-human primates and rodents.In 2002, the Developmental Neuroimaging Core (DNC)was established in response to the ever-increasingdemand for structural and dynamic neuroimaging inhumans and animals, and confocal and multiphotonimaging in animals. The DNC is of central importance tothe research efforts of the DDRC. Our mission was tocreate a translational developmental neuroimaging corethat would integrate science and research across cellularand systems levels of investigations, and facilitateinterdisciplinary collaborations to address the needs ofour DDRC investigators (Figure 1). Acquisition of datausing magnetic resonance imaging and high-resolutionmicroscopy, and the subsequent image analysis capacitynecessary to analyze such data, requires a level ofinvestment beyond the means of most individualinvestigators. Furthermore, this capacity can only beused fully with the assistance of a team of researchscientists with extensive training and establishedexpertise in the range of techniques required for modernneuroimaging approaches.To realize this mission, the core has been specificallyconfigured to promote translational science and to forgeinterdisciplinary collaborations. During the past 5 years,the image analysis and tool development expertise ofinvestigators in the MRI component of the DNC (codirectedby Drs. Belger and Styner), and the cellularimaging expertise and infrastructure of the CMIcomponent (co-directed by Drs. Polleux and Peterson), combined with the extensive expertise in imageprocessing and graphics in computer science, have led to three major accomplishments: Translational neuroimaging research has flourished: The confocal and multiphoton components and theMRI components have developed and implemented new image processing tools for studyingneurodevelopmental mechanisms from the cellular to the systemic level. As such, the DNC providessupport for the development and implementation of imaging and image analysis methods that bridgeresearch at the cellular level with research at the systems level, as applied to the studies ofneurodevelopmental mechanisms and processes in humans, primates, rodents, and drosophila. Interdisciplinary collaborations have been forged between basic scientists, clinicians and computerscientists; integrating skills and expertise across disciplines and between previously divergent areas ofscience and scientists. Groundbreaking tool developments and research advances have been made in the imaging of earlybrain development.This core has been structured to satisfy the criteria for the development and organization of cores described inthe Introductory Overview. As such, the core services are of critical importance to the maximum number ofinvestigators representing cutting-edge, high-quality scientific practice. The core services are cost-effective, asthey provide access to unique computational resources and personnel expertise not available through othercampus resources and that would be prohibitively expensive for individual DDRC investigators to develop orsupport through their own research grants. The DNC advances and promotes interdisciplinary and translationalresearch, consistent with the mission of the Center. This Core further leverages existing University resourcesby partnering with other relevant Centers/Departments with key relationships to the DDRC (e.g., UNCNC,Psychiatry, Radiology, BRIG). In addition to providing research services, this core has a generative role: itcreates new imaging methods, knowledge and image analysis tools otherwise not available to investigators inthe Center, such as automated methods for diffusion tensor imaging based analysis, subcortical structuresegmentation and cortical thickness analysis for both human and animal brain MRI data, from birth to age 4.This generative role is facilitated by the close interactions between the computer scientists, neuroanatomistsand clinical researchers associated with the DNC. By providing support to both human and animal imagingstudies this Core integrates methods within and across cores, to produce a whole that is substantially greaterthan the sum of the individual parts. The core integrates the expertise of clinical imaging researchers, statisticalanalysts, MR physicists, computer scientists, neuroanatomists and behavioral researchers, for the conduct ofhuman neuroimaging. It further integrates image processing expertise available for human in vivo imageanalysis, for application to multiphoton/confocal microscopy. Finally, the DNC cost-effectively extends existingresources and improves research quality, by providing training (e.g.. training in image processing software forneuroimaging etc.) to DDRC investigators and laboratory staff.
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| Klusek, Jessica; Ruber, Alexis; Roberts, Jane E (2018) Impaired eye contact in the FMR1 premutation is not associated with social anxiety or the broad autism phenotype. Clin Neuropsychol 32:1337-1352 |
| Harrop, Clare; Jones, Desiree; Zheng, Shuting et al. (2018) Circumscribed Interests and Attention in Autism: The Role of Biological Sex. J Autism Dev Disord 48:3449-3459 |
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| Lyu, Ilwoo; Perdomo, Jonathan; Yapuncich, Gabriel S et al. (2018) Group-wise Shape Correspondence of Variable and Complex Objects. Proc SPIE Int Soc Opt Eng 10574: |
| Nowell, Sallie W; Watson, Linda R; Faldowski, Richard A et al. (2018) An Initial Psychometric Evaluation of the Joint Attention Protocol. J Autism Dev Disord 48:1932-1944 |
| Jha, Shaili C; Xia, Kai; Schmitt, James Eric et al. (2018) Genetic influences on neonatal cortical thickness and surface area. Hum Brain Mapp 39:4998-5013 |
| Barstein, Jamie; Martin, Gary E; Lee, Michelle et al. (2018) A Duck Wearing Boots?! Pragmatic Language Strategies for Repairing Communication Breakdowns Across Genetically Based Neurodevelopmental Disabilities. J Speech Lang Hear Res 61:1440-1454 |
| Woodbury-Smith, Marc; Paterson, Andrew D; O'Connor, Irene et al. (2018) A genome-wide linkage study of autism spectrum disorder and the broad autism phenotype in extended pedigrees. J Neurodev Disord 10:20 |
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