Functional Neuroanatomy of Dynamic Visuo-Spatial Imagery

The aim of this thesis was the examination of the neural bases of dynamic visuo-spatial imagery. In addition to the assessment of brain activity during dy-namic visuo-spatial imagery using single-trial functional magnetic resonance im-aging (fMRI) and slow cortical potentials (SCPs), several methodological issues have been investigated. The theoretical part of this thesis consists of a selective overview of fMRI and SCPs, and of the advantages of their combination for functional neuroimaging (chapter 2). The methodological and empirical chapters include: Ø the presentation of a new, highly accurate and practicable method for the co-registration of MRI- and EEG-data (chapter 3), Ø the description of the increase in the accuracy of SCP mapping resulting from the use of individual electrode coordinates and realistic head models (chapter 4), Ø the description of regional differences in the consistency of brain activity across several executions of the same task type, as assessed by a new analysis con-cept based on single-trial fMRI data (chapter 5), Ø the demonstration of the involvement of premotor regions in dynamic visuo-spatial imagery, as assessed via a combination of single-trial fMRI and SCPs (chapter 6), Ø the description of a combined fMRI-SCP investigation in which earlier findings concerning individual differences in neural efficiency during dynamic imagery could not be replicated (chapter 7)

Paradigm free mapping: detection and characterization of single trial fMRI BOLD responses without prior stimulus information

The increased contrast to noise ratio available at Ultrahigh (7T) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) allows mapping in space and time the brain's response to single trial events with functional MRI (fMRI) based on the Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD) contrast. This thesis primarily concerns with the development of techniques to detect and characterize single trial event-related BOLD responses without prior paradigm information, Paradigm Free Mapping, and assess variations in BOLD sensitivity across brain regions at high field fMRI. Based on a linear haemodynamic response model, Paradigm Free Mapping (PFM) techniques rely on the deconvolution of the neuronal-related signal driving the BOLD effect using regularized least squares estimators. The first approach, named PFM, builds on the ridge regression estimator and spatio-temporal t-statistics to detect statistically significant changes in the deconvolved fMRI signal. The second method, Sparse PFM, benefits from subset selection features of the LASSO and Dantzig Selector estimators that automatically detect the single trial BOLD responses by promoting a sparse deconvolution of the signal. The third technique, Multicomponent PFM, exploits further the benefits of sparse estimation to decompose the fMRI signal into a haemodynamical component and a baseline component using the morphological component analysis algorithm. These techniques were evaluated in simulations and experimental fMRI datasets, and the results were compared with well-established fMRI analysis methods. In particular, the methods developed here enabled the detection of single trial BOLD responses to visually-cued and self-paced finger tapping responses without prior information of the events. The potential application of Sparse PFM to identify interictal discharges in idiopathic generalized epilepsy was also investigated. Furthermore, Multicomponent PFM allowed us to extract cardiac and respiratory fluctuations of the signal without the need of physiological monitoring. To sum up, this work demonstrates the feasibility to do single trial fMRI analysis without prior stimulus or physiological information using PFM techniques

Paradigm free mapping: detection and characterization of single trial fMRI BOLD responses without prior stimulus information

The increased contrast to noise ratio available at Ultrahigh (7T) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) allows mapping in space and time the brain's response to single trial events with functional MRI (fMRI) based on the Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD) contrast. This thesis primarily concerns with the development of techniques to detect and characterize single trial event-related BOLD responses without prior paradigm information, Paradigm Free Mapping, and assess variations in BOLD sensitivity across brain regions at high field fMRI. Based on a linear haemodynamic response model, Paradigm Free Mapping (PFM) techniques rely on the deconvolution of the neuronal-related signal driving the BOLD effect using regularized least squares estimators. The first approach, named PFM, builds on the ridge regression estimator and spatio-temporal t-statistics to detect statistically significant changes in the deconvolved fMRI signal. The second method, Sparse PFM, benefits from subset selection features of the LASSO and Dantzig Selector estimators that automatically detect the single trial BOLD responses by promoting a sparse deconvolution of the signal. The third technique, Multicomponent PFM, exploits further the benefits of sparse estimation to decompose the fMRI signal into a haemodynamical component and a baseline component using the morphological component analysis algorithm. These techniques were evaluated in simulations and experimental fMRI datasets, and the results were compared with well-established fMRI analysis methods. In particular, the methods developed here enabled the detection of single trial BOLD responses to visually-cued and self-paced finger tapping responses without prior information of the events. The potential application of Sparse PFM to identify interictal discharges in idiopathic generalized epilepsy was also investigated. Furthermore, Multicomponent PFM allowed us to extract cardiac and respiratory fluctuations of the signal without the need of physiological monitoring. To sum up, this work demonstrates the feasibility to do single trial fMRI analysis without prior stimulus or physiological information using PFM techniques

Applications of EMG in Clinical and Sports Medicine

This second of two volumes on EMG (Electromyography) covers a wide range of clinical applications, as a complement to the methods discussed in volume 1. Topics range from gait and vibration analysis, through posture and falls prevention, to biofeedback in the treatment of neurologic swallowing impairment. The volume includes sections on back care, sports and performance medicine, gynecology/urology and orofacial function. Authors describe the procedures for their experimental studies with detailed and clear illustrations and references to the literature. The limitations of SEMG measures and methods for careful analysis are discussed. This broad compilation of articles discussing the use of EMG in both clinical and research applications demonstrates the utility of the method as a tool in a wide variety of disciplines and clinical fields

Neuroinformatics in Functional Neuroimaging

This Ph.D. thesis proposes methods for information retrieval in functional neuroimaging through automatic computerized authority identification, and searching and cleaning in a neuroscience database. Authorities are found through cocitation analysis of the citation pattern among scientific articles. Based on data from a single scientific journal it is shown that multivariate analyses are able to determine group structure that is interpretable as particular “known ” subgroups in functional neuroimaging. Methods for text analysis are suggested that use a combination of content and links, in the form of the terms in scientific documents and scientific citations, respectively. These included context sensitive author ranking and automatic labeling of axes and groups in connection with multivariate analyses of link data. Talairach foci from the BrainMap ™ database are modeled with conditional probability density models useful for exploratory functional volumes modeling. A further application is shown with conditional outlier detection where abnormal entries in the BrainMap ™ database are spotted using kernel density modeling and the redundancy between anatomical labels and spatial Talairach coordinates. This represents a combination of simple term and spatial modeling. The specific outliers that were found in the BrainMap ™ database constituted among others: Entry errors, errors in the article and unusual terminology

Data-driven fMRI data analysis based on parcellation

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is one of the most popular neuroimaging methods for investigating the activity of the human brain during cognitive tasks. As with many other neuroiroaging tools, the group analysis of fMRI data often requires a transformation of the individual datasets to a common stereotaxic space, where the different brains have a similar global shape and size. However, the local inaccuracy of this procedure gives rise to a series of issues including a lack of true anatomical correspondence and a loss of subject specific activations. Inter-subject parcellation of fMRI data has been proposed as a means to alleviate these problems. Within this frame, the inter-subject correspondence is achieved by isolating homologous functional parcels across individuals, rather than by matching voxels coordinates within a stereotaxic space. However, the large majority of parcellation methods still suffer from a number of shortcomings owing to their dependence on a general linear model. Indeed, for all its appeal, a GLM-based parcellation approach introduces its own biases in the form of a priori knowledge about such matters as the shape of the Hemodynamic Response Function (HRF) and taskrelated signal changes. In this thesis, we propose a model-free data-driven parcellation approach to singleand multi-subject parcellation. By modelling brain activation without an relying on an a priori model, parcellation is optimized for each individual subject. In order to establish correspondences of parcels across different subjects, we cast this problem as a multipartite graph partitioning task. Parcels are considered as the vertices of a weighted complete multipartite graph. Cross subject parcel matching becomes equivalent to partitioning this graph into disjoint cliques with one and only one parcel from each subject in each clique. In order to solve this NP-hard problem, we present three methods: the OBSA algorithm, a method with quadratic programming and an intuitive approach. We also introduce two quantitative measures of the quality of parcellation results. We apply our framework to two fMRI data sets and show that both our single- and multi-subject parcellation techniques rival or outperform model-based methods in terms of parcellation accuracy

Data-driven fMRI data analysis based on parcellation

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is one of the most popular neuroimaging methods for investigating the activity of the human brain during cognitive tasks. As with many other neuroiroaging tools, the group analysis of fMRI data often requires a transformation of the individual datasets to a common stereotaxic space, where the different brains have a similar global shape and size. However, the local inaccuracy of this procedure gives rise to a series of issues including a lack of true anatomical correspondence and a loss of subject specific activations. Inter-subject parcellation of fMRI data has been proposed as a means to alleviate these problems. Within this frame, the inter-subject correspondence is achieved by isolating homologous functional parcels across individuals, rather than by matching voxels coordinates within a stereotaxic space. However, the large majority of parcellation methods still suffer from a number of shortcomings owing to their dependence on a general linear model. Indeed, for all its appeal, a GLM-based parcellation approach introduces its own biases in the form of a priori knowledge about such matters as the shape of the Hemodynamic Response Function (HRF) and taskrelated signal changes. In this thesis, we propose a model-free data-driven parcellation approach to singleand multi-subject parcellation. By modelling brain activation without an relying on an a priori model, parcellation is optimized for each individual subject. In order to establish correspondences of parcels across different subjects, we cast this problem as a multipartite graph partitioning task. Parcels are considered as the vertices of a weighted complete multipartite graph. Cross subject parcel matching becomes equivalent to partitioning this graph into disjoint cliques with one and only one parcel from each subject in each clique. In order to solve this NP-hard problem, we present three methods: the OBSA algorithm, a method with quadratic programming and an intuitive approach. We also introduce two quantitative measures of the quality of parcellation results. We apply our framework to two fMRI data sets and show that both our single- and multi-subject parcellation techniques rival or outperform model-based methods in terms of parcellation accuracy

Processing strategies for functional magnetic resonance imaging data sets

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Harvard--Massachusetts Institute of Technology Division of Health Sciences and Technology, 1999.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 108-118).by Luis Carlos Maas, III.Ph.D

Prediction related phenomena of visual perception

Perception is grounded in our ability to optimize predictions about upcoming events. Such predictions depend on both the incoming sensory input and on our previously acquired conceptual knowledge. Correctly predicted or expected sensory stimuli induce reduced responses when compared to incorrectly predicted, surprising inputs. Predictions enable an efficient neuronal encoding so that less energy is invested to interpret redundant sensory stimuli. Several different neuronal phenomena are the consequences of predictions, such as repetition suppression (RS) and mismatch negativity (MMN). RS represents the reduced neuronal response to a stimulus upon its repeated presentation. MMN is the electrophysiological response difference between rare and frequent stimuli in an oddball sequence. While both are currently studied extensively, the underlying mechanisms of RS and MMN as well as their relation to predictions remains poorly understood. In the current thesis, four experiments were devised to investigate prediction related phenomena dependent on the repetition probability of stimuli. Two studies deal with the RS phenomenon, while the other two investigate the MMN response. In Experiment 1 the temporal dynamics underlying prediction and RS effects were tested. Participants were presented with expected and surprising stimulus pairs with two different inter-stimulus intervals (0.5s for Immediate and 1.75 or 3.75s for Delayed target presentation). These pairs could either repeat or alternate. Expectations were contingent on face gender and were manipulated with the repetition probability. We found that the prediction effects do not depend on the length of the ISI period, suggesting that Immediate and Delayed cue-target stimulus arrangements create similar expectation effects. In order to elucidate the neuronal mechanisms underlying these prediction effects (i.e. surprise enhancement or expectation suppression), in our second study, we employed the experimental design of the first experiment with the addition of random events as a control. We found that surprising events elicit stronger Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) responses than random events, implying that predictions influence the neuronal responses via surprise enhancement. Similarly, the third experiment was employed to disentangle which neural mechanism underlies the visual MMN (vMMN). We compared the responses to the stimuli (chairs, faces, real and false characters) presented in conventional oddball sequences to the same stimuli in control sequences (Kaliukhovich and Vogels, 2014). We found that the neural mechanisms underlying vMMN are category dependent: the vMMN of faces and chairs was due to RS, while the vMMN response of real and false characters was mainly driven by surprise-related changes. So far, no study used category-specific regions of interest (ROIs) to examine the neuroimaging correlates of the vMMN. Therefore, for the fourth experiment, we recorded electrophysiological and neuroimaging data from the same participants with an oddball paradigm for real and false characters. We found a significant correlation between vMMN (CP1 cluster at 400 ms) and functional magnetic resonance imaging adaptation (in the letter form area for real characters), suggesting their strong relationship. Taking the four studies into consideration, it is clear that surprise has an important role in prediction related phenomena. The role of surprise is discussed in the light of these results and other recent developments reported in the literature. Overall, this thesis suggests the unification of RS and MMN within the framework of predictive coding