Visualizing columnar architectures using high-field fMRI

Among the many neuroimaging tools available for studying human brain functions, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is the most widely used today. One advantage of fMRI over other imaging techniques is its relatively high spatial resolution. High-resolution fMRI, with its superb signal-to-noise ratio and improved tissue-vessel specificity, has strengthened the capability of fMRI and allowed mapping of fine cortical architectures in the human brain. In this review, I will first explain the factors limiting the spatial specificity of the blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) effect, based on which most of fMRI experiments are conducted, and the measures dealing with these factors, and then briefly introduce several high-resolution (sub-millimeter) studies on the functional organization of human primary visual cortex (V1), including mapping of ocular dominance columns, mapping of temporal frequency dependent domains and direct demonstration of tuning to stimulus orientation.     

新的ICA算法实现成组fMRI信号盲分离

独立成分分析(ICA)方法已被成功地用于处理功能磁共振成像(fMRI)信号,但主要是用于处理单个被试的fMRI信号,对于多个被试的情况却很少考虑.为此利用一种扩展的ICA方法--Group ICA来处理多个被试的fMRI信号,结果表明这种方法在保证结果准确性的前提下,可以大大减少计算量,快速获得统计结果.计算中应用的是NewFP算法,统计结果表明这种算法在估计激活的时间动力学准确性上优于FastICA算法.     

Characteristics of fMRI BOLD signal and its neurophysiological mechanism

The functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) based on blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) contrast has emerged as one of the most potent noninvasive tools for mapping brain function and has been widely used to explore physiological, pathological changes and mental activity in the brain. Exploring the nature and property of BOLD signal has recently attracted more attentions. Despite that great progress has been made in investigation of the characteristics and neurophysiological basis, the exact nature of BOLD signal remains unclear. In this paper we discuss the characteristics of BOLD signals, the nonlinear BOLD response to external stimuli and the relation between BOLD signals and neural electrophysiological recordings. Furthermore, we develop our new opinions regarding nonlinear BOLD response and make some perspectives on future study.     

Characteristics of fMRI BOLD signal and its neurophysiological mechanism

The functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) based on blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) contrast has emerged as one of the most potent noninvasive tools for mapping brain function and has been widely used to explore physiological, pathological changes and mental activity in the brain. Exploring the nature and property of BOLD signal has recently attracted more attentions. Despite that great progress has been made in investigation of the characteristics and neurophysiological basis, the exact nature of BOLD signal remains unclear. In this paper we discuss the characteristics of BOLD signals, the nonlinear BOLD response to external stimuli and the relation between BOLD signals and neural electrophysiological recordings. Furthermore, we develop our new opinions regarding nonlinear BOLD response and make some perspectives on future study.     

手针和电针足三里穴持续性效应的功能磁共振成像研究

通过采集的静息态脑功能磁共振成像数据和并对其进行分析,分别探索传统手针和电针足三里穴的人脑持续性效应的中枢神经系统活动.选择12例(6男,6女,23～27岁)无针刺经历的、右利手健康成年志愿者,分成手针组(12例)和电针组(12例).手针刺激(2 Hz)和电针刺激(2 Hz,连续方波,电流强度0.5～1.4 mA)实验中,针刺刺激分别以2 Hz的频率对足三里进行2 min的双向捻转,采集针刺刺激前后静息态的数据进行预处理并对其进行统计分析.统计结果显示手针和电针针刺足三里后引起了不同的持续性效应,包括中脑和基底神经节在内的参与与镇痛有关的神经递质释放的脑区结构,在针刺刺激后阶段呈现出了持续性的活动.两种针刺模态下不同的脑区响应模式表明两者可能在经络传输通道和神经递质系统的活动存在差异.     

独立成分分析应用于fMRI数据研究

运用独立成分分析对fMRI数据进行分析,得到了一组有代表性的脑激活区,包括时间序列与实验设计一致的脑激活区和心跳、眼动、头动引起的激活区,给出了与它们相对应的时间序列,结果表明独立成分分析是进行fMRI数据分析的一种有效手段。     

急性脑梗死偏瘫患者踝关节运动功能障碍的fMRI研究

目的:利用功能磁共振成像(fMRI)技术,观察急性脑梗死患者的运动相关皮层的激活图,探讨卒中后踝功能障碍及恢复的脑功能相关性改变.方法:采用1.5T磁共振成像系统对10例急性脑梗死患者和5例正常志愿者进行BOLD-fMRI检查,采用健侧、患侧踝关节背伸、趾屈运动作为刺激任务,比较正常志愿者与急性脑梗死患者踝关节运动时脑部激活情况的异同,并采用LI为指标,观察急性脑梗死患者健侧、患侧踝关节运动时脑部激活的差异.结果:正常对照组踝关节运动主要激活对侧SM1区,激活区形态呈斑片状或者不规则状,此外对侧PM区、SMA区也有不同程度的激活.急性脑梗死患者健侧踝关节运动主要激活对侧SM1区,此外对侧PM区、SMA区、颞叶、枕叶、小脑半球、额叶等也有不同程度的激活,与正常对照组激活区相似;患侧踝关节运动(主观运动)时除了对侧半球SM1区激活之外,同侧SM1区、PM区也可见不同程度的激活,对侧半球的激活体积大部分大于同侧.根据公式计算出LI值,结果显示健侧、患侧踝关节运动LI值之间存在显著性差异(P<0.05).结论:fMRI可以客观的显示急性脑梗死后患者大脑运动皮层的激活情况,提示存在脑功能代偿与重组,fMRI作为监测和研究急性脑梗死后运动功能恢复的有用工具,在临床治疗中具有重要的指导意义.     

脑卒中后椎体束华勒变性的功能磁共振研究

目的应用扩散张量与磁共振波谱技术,对急性脑卒中患者进行分析,探讨其反映患者病情变化的价值.方法取一侧脑卒中患者26例,健康志愿者30例.在常规扫描后再进行DTI,MRS扫描,采用NIHSS和BI评分评价患者功能,并定期复查.分析患者梗死病灶、大脑脚ADC值、FA值及MRS的代谢产物数值变化.结果 1）病灶FA值低于正常值,与NIHSS呈正相关,与BI呈负相关.脑干FA值减小,提示神经纤维出现华勒变性;2）病灶NAA下降,低于正常侧,P〈0.01;病灶侧Cr,Cho较正常侧改变不明显,P〉0.05;大脑脚NAA 1个月后降低.结论对脑卒中患者进行DTI与MRS扫描,能较早反映患者病情严重程度,还能判断预后,并指导临床康复治疗.     

基于功能磁共振影像的阿尔茨海默病分类研究

通过功能磁共振影像研究阿尔茨海默病与正常对照组之间的特征差异.研究对象为16例阿尔茨海默病和28例正常对照组的功能磁共振影像.首先,对静息态功能磁共振影像进行预处理;接着,运用基于信息极大化的独立成分分析算法提取阿尔茨海默病和正常对照组样本的组间特征;最后,将提取出的特征表达系数送入支持向量机分类器对阿尔茨海默病和正常对照组样本分类.在阿尔茨海默病与正常对照组的分类实验中,获得的最大平均分类准确度、敏感度及特异度分别为97.82%、94.88%、99.50%.结果显示,组间的差异特征能够比较准确地将阿尔茨海默病从正常对照组中区分开来.     

fMRI信号盲分离的一种独立成分分析算法

建立了独立成分分析(independentcomponentanalysis,ICA)的一个优化模型,在此基础上,给出了一个新的梯度算法,称之为Orth-ExtBS算法.该算法结合了ExtBS算法和FastICA算法,兼顾两者的优点,形式简单,易于应用,能有效地盲分离具有超高斯和亚高斯分布源的混合信号,获得更准确的分离效果和较快的收敛速度.将新的算法与其他两个算法(FastICA和ExtBS)分别应用到大型fMRI数据中,通过比较发现,新算法在估计激活的时间动力学准确性上要优于其他两个算法.     

基于有效检测准则的fMRI源信号数目的估计方法

独立成分分析方法已经成功地运用于分析功能磁共振成像数据.尽管独立成分分析方法是一个很有前景的数据驱动分析方法,但是在执行独立成分分析之前,需要确定好独立成分的数目.准确地估计出功能磁共振成像数据中独立成分数目对减少过估计或者低估计能起重要作用,目前有许多信息理论准则方法已经广泛运用于独立成分数目估计中,但通常容易出现过估计现象.该文提出一种基于有效检测准则的fMRI源信号数目的估计方法.模拟数据实验结果表明,该方法对不同平滑数据具有很好的鲁棒性.将该方法用于真实的功能磁共振成像数据中,可以减少色噪声下真实数据的过估计,对功能磁共振成像源信号数目的估计表现出了较好的综合性能.     

基于三维矩阵的核磁共振MRI切面成像实时算法研究

以核磁共振成像中的任意位置切面视频成像处理问题为例 ,讨论了以三维矩阵数值运算与逻辑运算为基础的成像算法。给出了算法的数学模型和编程实现方法 ,并着重分析了在解决实时性要求与存储空间和运行时间的矛盾时所引入的子矩阵分解算法 ,该算法的应用提高了程序的运行速度 ,节省了程序运行时所需的存储空间 ,也减少了人为介入因素 ,提高了成像质量。     

一种改进的ICA算法及其在fMRI信号上的应用

摘要:给出了独立成分分析(ICA)的一个优化模型,在此基础上,提出了一种牛顿型迭代算法,为加快算法的收敛速度,对牛顿迭代进行了进一步修正,使该算法收敛速度达到三阶.本文从理论上阐明了新方法的合理性和优越性,同时将其应用于实际fMRI数据,经与其他两个ICA算法(Fast ICA算法、infomax算法)比较,该算法能够很好地分离出任务成分,同时大大减少了运算量,提高了运算速度,对处理大数据量的fMRI信号有明显的优势.     

Functional magnetic resonance imaging of amphetamine craving

The aim of this study is to identify the brain activity associated with amphetamine craving for understanding the neurobiology of addiction by watching pictures of happy, sad or amphetamine. Brain activity was measured in 12 amphetamine addicts and 12 healthy subjects by fMRI while the subjects watched pictures designed to elicit happy feelings, sad feelings, or the desire to use amphetamine. The result demonstrated that amphetamine cues led to abnormally high cingulate and low frontal lobe activation in amphetamine addicts, who showed abnormalities in affect-related brain activation.     

Functional magnetic resonance imaging of amphetamine craving

The aim of this study is to identify the brain activity associated with amphetamine craving for understanding the neurobiology of addiction by watching pictures of happy, sad or amphetamine. Brain activity was measured in 12 amphetamine addicts and 12 healthy subjects by fMRI while the subjects watched pictures designed to elicit happy feelings, sad feelings, or the desire to use amphetamine. The result demonstrated that amphetamine cues led to abnormally high cingulate and low frontal lobe activation in amphetamine addicts, who showed abnormalities in affect-related brain activation.     

A new area in the brain associated with learning and memory

A new subdivision, named marginal division (MrD)> consisting of spindle-shaped neurons, has been identified at the caudomedial margin of the neostriatum in the brains of the rat, cat, monkey and human. It is distinguishable from the rest of striatum by special neural connections and many intensely expressed neuropeptides and some monoamines in the fibers, terminals and neuronal somata. Three-dimensional reconstruction of the rat brain reveals that the MrD is a flat pan-shaped area between the neostriatum and globus pal-lidus. Chemical lesions of bilateral MrD in rats will result in severely impaired learning and memory functions, as was demonstrated by double blind Y-maze test. The function of MrD has been shown to be associated with learning and memory by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRl) technique in human brain in vivo . Functional neuronal connections are observed between the MrD and hippocampus, amygdala, as well as the basal nucleus of Meynert by chemically induced c-Fos immunohistochemical staining. MrD is a newly discovered part and a universal structure in the neostriatum of the mammalian brain. MrD might very possibly play an important role in processes of the learning and memory.     

基于任务态和静息态功能核磁共振信号的抑郁症识别

为了提高抑郁症识别的准确率,将功能核磁共振成像的任务态数据和静息态数据相结合,建立基于数据驱动的模型以提取识别特征.在没有任何先验知识的条件下,采用独立成分分析法提取任务态数据和静息态数据的独立成分;然后,利用相关遍历分析法获取功能信号集,利用频谱分析法识别并获取功能信号成分;最后,将功能信号成分作为贝叶斯分类器的特征...     

97例肝实性占位病变的彩超、MRI诊断与病理分析

为了评估彩超、MRI对肝实性占位病变（删）诊断价值，采用Simens Sonolin Uersa彩超及Synphony1．5T磁共振仪，对HM回声、血供与MRI动态增强扫描（DES）作了比较，并用SPSS10．0软件进行统计分析．结果显示：97例中，血管瘤、转移癌、局灶性结节增生、小肝癌、肝脓肿、肝腺瘤、胆管细胞癌、炎性假瘤分别为29、22、14、12、8、5、4、3例．彩超对其边界、内部回声及血供、血管走行较敏感，MRI对其形态结构及信号能清楚判断；DES能显示其时间一信号曲线特征．彩超、MRI诊断SNL的敏感性、特异性与准确性分别为91％和99％、86％和86％、90％和98％．研究表明：彩超与MRI检查诊断HM均有较高价值，后者对鉴别诊断有重要意义．     

在认知神经科学中所应用的功能性磁共振成像技术

认知神经科学已成为新世纪将对人类产生重大影响的十大科技趋势之一,脑成像技术是认知神经科学主要研究工具,其中功能性磁共振成像技术已成为当前最先进,使用最广泛的脑功能成像技术,本文侧重论述在认知神经科学研究中所应用的功能性磁共振成像的技术基础,实验设计原理,数据处理等几个方面,为推动国内这类研究提供一定参考。     

Localization of the brain calculation function area with MRI

The aim of this study is to define the anatomical localization of corresponding brain function area during calculating. The activating modes in brain during continuous silent calculating subtraction and repeated silent reading multiplication table were compared and investigated. Fourteen volunteers of right-handedness were enrolled in this experiment. The quite difference of reaction modes in brain area during the two modes of calculation reveal that there are different processing pathways in brain during these two operating actions. During continuous silent calculating, the function area is localized on the posterior portion of superior and middle gyrus of frontal lobe and the lobule of posterior parietal lobe (P < 0.01,T = 5.41). It demonstrates that these function areas play an important role in the performance of calculation and working memory. Whereas the activating of visual cortex shows that even in mental arithmetic processing the brain action is having the aid of vision and visual space association.