Since its inception, functional MRI (fMRI) using blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) contrast has seen an explosive growth in its applications in basic and clinical neurosciences, and continues to be the dominant method in neuroimaging. However, BOLD imaging also suffers from dispersed spatial localizations and temporal delays due to hemodynamic modulations from vasculature of all sizes, and remains a somewhat qualitative assessment of neuronal functions. Continued effort has been made to improve the spatial localization and the temporal resolution within the BOLD contrast. In more recent years, completely independent contrasts based on neuroelectric activities have been proposed and developed, and have shown initial promises in applications in vitro and in vivo. In this proposal, we will integrate the advances of hemodynamic and neuroelectric imaging in the recent years, and develop a direct MRI approach with a central focus on drastically improving the sensitivity of the neuroelectric signal. Specifically, three complementing aims, with a common emphasis on achieving a much greater sensitivity, but also with individual focuses on innovative imaging hardware, imaging software and driven neuronal oscillations, are proposed to achieve a direct MRI of ionic neuroelectric activity. First, we will develop a new multi-mode parallel receive coil to achieve high-sensitivity, high-resolution, diffusion contrast imaging for improved spatial correspondence with cortical neuronal activities;Second, we will develop a spiral echo volume imaging (EVI) technique to further improve the imaging sensitivity;Third, we will develop direct MRI methodology of ionic neuroelectric activities using synchronized gradient oscillation and high-frequency driven visual stimulation, and in conjunction with advances in the previous aims, to further gain the much needed signal- to-noise ratio (SNR) by time-locked temporal averaging within the neuronally activated regions. We anticipate that our integrated approach will allow the highest sensitivity possible to measure ionic neuroelectric signals, characterize their spatial and temporal dependences, and move significantly toward a direct and sensitive fMRI methodology for imaging cortical neuroelectric activities in vivo.

Public Health Relevance

This project is based on an integrated approach to image cortical neuronal activities using hemodynamic and neuroelectric contrasts. We propose three specific aims to achieve this central objective, all with a central focus for a greatly improved sensitivity, but also with respective focuses on new imaging hardware, software and innovative neuronal activation paradigms. The advances from these three aims will enable time-locked detection of ionic neuroelectric currents with direct spatial and temporal specificity. We anticipate that our integrated approach will allow us to establish a solid technical foundation toward a sensitive, non-invasive, and more importantly, direct neuroimaging methodology.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01EB009483-04
Application #
8448584
Study Section
Neurotechnology Study Section (NT)
Program Officer
Liu, Guoying
Project Start
2010-07-01
Project End
2014-03-31
Budget Start
2013-04-01
Budget End
2014-03-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2013
Total Cost
$283,858
Indirect Cost
$100,310
Name
Duke University
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
044387793
City
Durham
State
NC
Country
United States
Zip Code
27705
Guhaniyogi, Shayan; Chu, Mei-Lan; Chang, Hing-Chiu et al. (2016) Motion immune diffusion imaging using augmented MUSE for high-resolution multi-shot EPI. Magn Reson Med 75:639-52
Li, Wei; Langkammer, Christian; Chou, Ying-Hui et al. (2015) Association between increased magnetic susceptibility of deep gray matter nuclei and decreased motor function in healthy adults. Neuroimage 105:45-52
Truong, Trong-Kha; Song, Allen W; Chen, Nan-Kuei (2015) Correction for Eddy Current-Induced Echo-Shifting Effect in Partial-Fourier Diffusion Tensor Imaging. Biomed Res Int 2015:185026
Avram, Alexandru V; Guidon, Arnaud; Truong, Trong-Kha et al. (2014) Dynamic and inherent B0 correction for DTI using stimulated echo spiral imaging. Magn Reson Med 71:1044-53
Truong, Trong-Kha; Darnell, Dean; Song, Allen W (2014) Integrated RF/shim coil array for parallel reception and localized B0 shimming in the human brain. Neuroimage 103:235-40
Truong, Trong-Kha; Guidon, Arnaud; Song, Allen W (2014) Cortical depth dependence of the diffusion anisotropy in the human cortical gray matter in vivo. PLoS One 9:e91424
Li, Wei; Wu, Bing; Batrachenko, Anastasia et al. (2014) Differential developmental trajectories of magnetic susceptibility in human brain gray and white matter over the lifespan. Hum Brain Mapp 35:2698-713
Englander, Zoƫ A; Pizoli, Carolyn E; Batrachenko, Anastasiya et al. (2013) Diffuse reduction of white matter connectivity in cerebral palsy with specific vulnerability of long range fiber tracts. Neuroimage Clin 2:440-7
Chen, Nan-Kuei; Guidon, Arnaud; Chang, Hing-Chiu et al. (2013) A robust multi-shot scan strategy for high-resolution diffusion weighted MRI enabled by multiplexed sensitivity-encoding (MUSE). Neuroimage 72:41-7
Han, Hui; Song, Allen W; Truong, Trong-Kha (2013) Integrated parallel reception, excitation, and shimming (iPRES). Magn Reson Med 70:241-7

Showing the most recent 10 out of 15 publications