Neuroimaging has allowed numerous insights into the pathophysiology of migraine and migraine aura, and imaging the visual aura was one of the aims of this Program Project 4 years ago. Given our successes with neuroimaging in the recent past, and additional recent advances in imaging, we now propose an Imaging Core to focus on development of neuroimaging technology that will directly benefit Projects 4 and 5. In addition to providing general technical assistance to these Projects, the Core will further develop technologies, in four specific focus areas, that will augment the ability of these Projects to further investigate the pathophysiology and potential treatment mechanisms of migraine. A common theme behind the proposed tools is improving detectability of brain signals. This will come not only through working towards improved signal-to-noise ratios, but also through development of technologies to reduce voluntary and involuntary brain motion that would otherwise preclude measurement of small foci of brain activity. This latter issue is particularly relevant to both Projects 4 and 5. The four specific areas for technical development are: (1) Improved diffusion-MRI tools to automate anatomic parcellation of deep brain structures, as needed in Project 2. This will improve identification and localization of loci of fMRI activity. (2) Improved morphological analysis tools, benefiting Projects 4 and 5. These tools will allow more precise inter-subject averaging of fMRI data, particularly of small foci that would be blurred by traditional averaging approaches. This is crucial if subtle foci of brain activity are to be detected. (3) Multiple wavelength optical measurements of cerebral hemodynamics, specifically assisting Project 4. This tool will provide a quantitative measurement of CBV, and potentially enable the detection of an optical signature for spreading depolarization. (4) Improvements in MR acquisition techniques that will benefit both Project 4 and 5. These will consist of a novel intra-scan motion correction scheme using a new type of navigator sequence, and the development of phased-array technology for high-resolution echo-planar imaging. Project 4 and Project 5 will benefit from these types of improved technical tools, which will allow higher performance and, potentially, greater insight in to the pathophysiology and potential treatment mechanisms of migraine.
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