ISMRM23 - Laminar fMRI

ISMRM & ISMRT Annual Meeting & Exhibition • 03-08 June 2023 • Toronto, ON, Canada

Laminar fMRI

Combined Educational & Scientific Session

ORGANIZERS: Natalia Petridou

Tuesday, 06 June 2023

701B

15:45 - 17:45

Moderators: Alexander Beckett & Essa Yacoub

Session Number: CES-07

CME Credit

Session Number: CES-07

Overview
This combined educational and scientific session consists of 2 educational presentations and 10 scientific presentations. The educational presentations will provide an overview of 1) the basic principles and practical steps involved in the data acquisition and analysis of laminar fMRI data, and 2) the physiological underpinnings of the laminar fMRI signal. Scientific presentations will describe recent advances in laminar fMRI methods, signal characterization, and applications.

Target Audience
Neuroscientists, clinicians who currently explore laminar fMRI techniques, and MR physicists and engineers interested in developing and applying laminar fMRI.

Educational Objectives
As a result of attending this course, participants should be able to:
- Describe the basic concepts of laminar fMRI data acquisition and analysis
- Explain the physiological contributions to the laminar fMRI signal
- Evaluate the benefits and challenges of new approaches in laminar fMRI methods and applications

15:45		Data Acquisition & Analysis Basics for Laminar fMRI View Presentation Video Renzo Huber Keywords: Contrast mechanisms: fMRI, Neuro: Brain function, Image acquisition: Sequences Layer-fMRI is a technique that uses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure activity in specific layers of the cortex. This is done by acquiring high-resolution data and dividing cortical voxels into thin groups of different cortical depth. Layer-fMRI can be used to study the directional information flow between brain areas and see how different parts of the cortex work together to perform different tasks. However, layer-fMRI is still a relatively new method and there are some technical challenges for data acquisition and analysis. In this presentation, I will give an overview of common layer-fMRI acquisition and analysis approaches.
16:05		Physiological Basis of the Laminar fMRI Signal View Presentation Video Seong-Gi Kim Keywords: Contrast mechanisms: fMRI, Neuro: Brain function, Neuro: Brain connectivity Laminar fMRI has been increasingly used for determining feedforward and feedback inputs to the cortex. To properly design and interpret laminar-resolution fMRI experiments, it is critical to examine biophysical and physiological sources of hemodynamic and fMRI signals. In this education talk, we will discuss 1) laminar fMRI contrasts such as GE-BOLD, SE-BOLD, CBV and CBF, 2) up-to-dated depth-dependent neurophysiological findings, and 3) relationships between laminar-specific electrophysiology and hemodynamic responses.
16:25	0614.	Simultaneous BOLD fMRI and two-photon microscopic imaging on mice brain at 16.4T View Presentation Video Guangle Zhang¹, Wei Zhu¹, Zongyue Cheng², Chenmao Wang², Kamil Ugurbil¹, Xiao-Hong Zhu¹, Meng Cui², and Wei Chen¹ ¹Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, MN, USA, Minneapolis, MN, United States, ²School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, USA, West Lafayette, IN, United States Keywords: Multimodal, fMRI (resting state), two-photon microscopy (TPM); simultaneous fMRI and TPM While BOLD-based fMRI can non-invasively map whole brain activation and connectivity in humans and animals, the BOLD signal provides only an indirect measure of neural activity, and its cellular and neurophysiological origins remain not fully understood. We have developed a multi-scale neuroimaging modality allowing simultaneous fMRI and two-photon microscopic imaging (TPMI) on mice brains at UHF (16.4T). With the virus injection of GCaMP6s into the mouse brain, for the first time, we have successfully obtained functional MR images of the mouse brain and the neuronal calcium signals at layer II-III of the right S1 cortex simultaneously at resting state.
16:33	0615.	Layer dependent changes of neural activity underlying laminar fMRI View Presentation Video Daniel Zaldivar¹, Yvette Bohraus², Nikos Logothetis^2,3,4, and Jozien Goense^5,6,7 ¹LN, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, United States, ²Physiology of Cognitive Processes, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tuebingen, Germany, ³University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom, ⁴International Center for Primate Brain Research, Shanghai, China, ⁵Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States, ⁶Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States, ⁷Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, Urbana, IL, United States Keywords: Brain Connectivity, fMRI, Laminar fMRI and neurophysiology How accurately fMRI reflects the underlying laminar differences in neural processing? In the current study we investigated the relationship between neural activity and fMRI signals across different cortical layers. We found layer and frequency dependent differences in neural activity during the presentation of visual stimulus that elicits positive and negative BOLD response.
16:41	0616.	Investigating the origin of negative BOLD responses using laminar CBF, CBV, T2 BOLD and CMRO2 fMRI in human visual cortex at 7T View Presentation Video Xingfeng Shao¹, Jung Hwan Kim², David Ress², Chenyang Zhao¹, Qinyang Shou¹, Kay Jann¹, and Danny JJ Wang¹ ¹Laboratory of FMRI Technology (LOFT), Mark & Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States, ²Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Waco, TX, United States Keywords: fMRI (task based), High-Field MRI, multi-contrast, ASL, VASO, T2 BOLD, CMRO2 We proposed a 7T laminar concurrent ASL, VASO and BOLD fMRI sequence to obtain quantitative CBF, CBV, T2-BOLD and CMRO₂ measurements with high resolution and specificity to detect layer-dependent vascular and metabolic activities. Ipsilateral visual stimuli (eccentricity of 4°–6°) induced ring-shaped BOLD and CBF signal increase on cortical surface corresponding to the pattern of visual stimulus while decreased BOLD/CBF signals can be seen in adjacent fovea regions. In negative BOLD response (NBR) regions, moderate decrease in T2-BOLD and CBV signals and strong CBF and CMRO2 decreases especially in deep cortical layers were observed, suggesting suppressed neuronal activities in NBR regions.
16:49	0617.	Characterisation of laminar spatiotemporal dynamics of CBV and BOLD signals using fast sampling at 7T fMRI in humans View Presentation Video Sebastian Dresbach^1,2, Renzo Huber^1,3, Omer Faruk Gulban^1,4, Alessandra Pizzuti^1,4, Robert Trampel², Dimo Ivanov¹, Rainer Goebel^1,4, and Nikolaus Weiskopf^2,5 ¹Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands, ²Department of Neurophysics, Max-Planck-Institut for Human Cognitive and Brain Science, Leipzig, Germany, ³National institute of Health, Bethesda, DC, United States, ⁴Brain Innovation B.V., Maastricht, Netherlands, ⁵Felix Bloch Institute for Solid State Physics, Faculty of Physics and Earth Sciences, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany Keywords: fMRI, Neuroscience Characterisation of cortical laminar activity requires detailed knowledge of the spatiotemporal haemodynamic response across vascular compartments. Additionally, laminar models of the BOLD-response are dependent on CBF and CBV responses to neural activity. Therefore, we characterised the depth-dependent CBV- and BOLD-haemodynamic responses across varying stimulus durations with 0.9mm spatial, 0.785s effective temporal resolution. Furthermore, we obtained fine-scale vascular details using ME-GRE data at 0.35mm to investigate signal contributions from different vascular compartments. Our results contribute to the understanding of the laminar VASO response, provide guidance for neuroscientific applications, and support modelling of the laminar haemodynamic responses in humans.
16:57	0618.	Detecting high temporal laminar-specific responses with line-scanning fMRI in awake mice View Presentation Video Sangcheon Choi¹, Zeping Xie^1,2, Xiaochen Liu¹, Bei Zang¹, David Hike¹, Andy Liu^1,3, and Xin Yu¹ ¹Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States, ²School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China, ³Department of Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States Keywords: fMRI (task based), fMRI The 2D line-scanning fMRI has been used to map laminar BOLD onset and single-vessel vasodynamic changes. Lately, this method has been applied to map ultra-fast T2*-weighted MRI signal changes, directly coupled to the multi-unit activity in anesthetized mice with 5ms TR. Here, we have adjusted the 1D line-scanning fMRI method to test it for awake mice. The current setup enables the detection of evoked BOLD fMRI signals in the visual cortex following 4s (3 Hz, 20ms) light exposure. It provides the proof-of-concept to further examine the ultra-fast MRI signals directly linked to neuronal activity.
17:05	0619.	Optimized signal saturation for fast functional line-scanning of cortical layers View Presentation Video Nils Nothnagel¹, Tyler Morgan², Alison Symon¹, Lars Muckli¹, and Jozien Goense^3,4,5 ¹School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom, ²NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States, ³Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, Urbana, IL, United States, ⁴Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States, ⁵Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States Keywords: fMRI, High-Field MRI, High Resolution fMRI Layer-dependent fMRI is typically performed at sampling rates below 1 Hz and voxel sizes of 0.7-0.9 mm³ containing signal from multiple anatomical layers. Line-scanning can enhance spatial resolution to 0.2-0.4 mm while maintaining sub-second TR. It is therefore an ideal method to study temporal evolution of BOLD responses across cortical layers. However, current saturation schemes for human line-scanning suffer from broad saturation profiles that lead to signal contamination of BOLD responses from adjacent areas. We implemented line-scanning in humans with sharp line-profiles of 3 mm. Using this method, we show that cortical layers of M1 have unique BOLD time courses.
17:13	0620.	Whole brain Layer-fMRI on the NexGen 7T scanner with high performance gradients and 64-channel receiver array. View Presentation Video Alexander JS Beckett^1,2, Renzo Huber³, Samantha J Ma⁴, Suvi Häkkinen¹, Shajan Gunamony^5,6, and David A Feinberg^1,2 ¹Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States, ²Advanced MRI Technologies, Sebastopol, CA, United States, ³Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands, ⁴Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc., Malvern, PA, United States, ⁵MR CoilTech Limited, Glasgow, United Kingdom, ⁶Imaging Centre of Excellence, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom Keywords: fMRI, Data Acquisition Laminar-resolved fMRI has the potential to capture directional information flow within and between cortical areas to inform network neuroscience. However, common layer-fMRI imaging protocols are constrained by: limited slab coverage commonly used 0.8mm resolution barely resolves individual layer groups. In this abstract, we use the NexGen 7T scanner to develop a whole-brain functional imaging protocol at 0.6mm resolutions. The aim was to identify and mitigate challenges in protocol optimization of 3D-EPI VASO: maintaining CBV-weighting with long acquisition windows via segmentation across IR, residual EPI ghosts residual fat ghosts We show whole-brain 0.64mm CBV-based connectivity maps covering the entire neocortex.
17:21	0621.	Layer-specific functional connectivity with 3D VAPER fMRI View Presentation Video Yuhui Chai¹, A. Tyler Morgan², Hua Xie³, Linqing Li⁴, Laurentius Huber⁴, Peter A. Bandettini^2,4, and Bradley P. Sutton¹ ¹Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States, ²Section on Functional Imaging Methods, NIMH, NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States, ³Children's National Hospital, Washington DC, DC, United States, ⁴Functional MRI Core, NIMH, NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States Keywords: Brain Connectivity, fMRI, fMRI connectivity We introduced a whole-brain 3D VAPER sequence tool and analysis approach for layer-specific resting state fMRI. It allows investigation of the directional connectivity between brain areas and determine whether any given connection is better described as predominantly feedforward vs. feedback driven. To exemplify this, we demonstrated that different directions of the same connection within the default mode network (mPFC <-> PCC/Parietal region) lead to different laminar correlation profile, suggesting different projection types (feedforward/feedback).
17:29	0622.	Depth Dependent Signal from Human Ocular Dominance Columns with VASO fMRI at 7T View Presentation Video Atena Akbari^1,2, Joseph S. Gati¹, Peter Zeman¹, Brett Liem^1,2, and Ravi S. Menon^1,2 ¹Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada, ²Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada Keywords: fMRI (task based), High-Field MRI, VASO, laminar fMRI In this study, we measured the monocular and binocular responses of ocular dominance columns across cortical depths in human V1 using vascular-space-occupancy (VASO) fMRI at 7T. BOLD and VASO images were acquired from five participants using the DZNE sequence with an isotropic resolution of 0.8 mm. Our results indicate that VASO better differentiates the monocular responses between adjacent columns compared to GRE BOLD. In addition, the binocular modulation of the monocular neurons in V1 could possibly be revealed with VASO contrast.
17:37	0623.	Layer-resolved FMRI activation and connectivity of the left inferior frontal cortex during reading View Presentation Video Daniel Sharoh¹, Peter Hagoort^1,2, and David G Norris^1,3,4 ¹Donders Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands, ²Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, Netherlands, ³Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany, ⁴Faculty of Science and Technology, Magnetic Detection and Imaging, University Twente, Enschede, Netherlands Keywords: Brain Connectivity, fMRI (task based), Laminar FMRI We present results which demonstrate simultaneous bottom-up and top-down connectivity from BA44 to regions hierarchically inferior/superior to it in the context of a reading paradigm. BA44 is critical to a number of cognitive functions in humans, notably language. We also demonstrate that the layer dependent signal is sensitive to stimulus length. This effect is contrary to what would be expected in primary sensory cortices, as increased length relates to decreased input. Hence, we also provide insight to how canonical cortico-cortical circuits can lead to different outcomes depending on the nature of the input and the stage of the processing hierarchy.