This grant supports the acquisition of a multi-channel biomagnetometer system for Magnetic Source Imaging (MSI). This system will be used for non-invasive recording of magnetic signals emitted naturally by the human brain during performance of sensory-motor, cognitive and linguistic tasks, and for constructing functional images of brain activation. These images reflect the spatio-temporal patterns of brain activity mediating the psychological and behavioral functions required by the experimental tasks. During the past three years, we have used MSI to establish (i) the reliability and validity of functional maps of the brain mechanisms underlying cognitive functions, including motor, somatosensory, and receptive language (Breier et al., 1999a,b; Breier et al., 2000, in press; Papanicolaou et al., 1999; Simos, 1998a,b; 1999a,b; 2000a). These maps have proven so accurate that MSI is routinely used in our institution for outlining the borders of language-specific cortex in neurosurgical candidates in order to avoid damage to normally functioning neural mechanisms during resection of brain lesions lying close to these areas of the brain, thus reducing post-operative morbidity. (ii) We have accumulated sufficient data for constructing reliable maps of brain mechanisms associated with reading and phonological decoding in adults (Breier et al., 1998, 1999c, Simos et al., 1998a, 2000a, in press) and in school-age children (Simos et al., 2000b,c, in press) as well as kindergarten children learning to read. (iii) We have identified brain activation maps specific to children with identified reading difficulties and children at-risk for developing reading difficulties. We are following these children as they learn to read through different instructional methods to determine how these maps change with improved reading proficiency (Simos et al., 2000b,c,d).
These discoveries led us to consider a host of experimental questions ranging from the layout of the mechanisms of oral and written language in the brains of bilingual and polyglot children and adults to questions regarding the formation of such mechanisms in the course of brain maturation and development, and to questions relating to specific spatio-temporal activation patterns underlying component cognitive and linguistic functions. We have begun addressing these questions with the support of several NSF and NIH grants (NSF grant #9979968; NIH grants RO1 NS37941 and RO1 HD38346) using a 148-channel biomagnetometer acquired for clinical studies belonging to Hermann Hospital. Not surprisingly, the use of that system for the conduct of basic research involving normal volunteers and children has become problematic. The system we will purchase will be located on the U of Texas- Houston campus, outside Hermann Hospital, and will be exclusively used for basic research involving children and adults.
Our group has advanced MSI technology, especially in areas involving higher cortical functions. We have developed specific applications to education, literally bringing neuroscience into public schools. In order to continue to advance the technology and expand educational and training applications, a MSI laboratory dedicated to research is needed, leading to this grant under the Major Research Instrumentation Program.
