Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of cortical layers to measure directionality of information flow in brain networks for pain

• Applicant: Dr. Peter Koopmans
• Subject Area: Human Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience ; Experimental and Theoretical Network Neuroscience ; Medical Physics, Biomedical Technology
• Term: from 2016 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 310872863

• Final Report Year: 2023

Final Report Abstract

In this project we have developed functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) techniques to measure and analyse cortical layer specific activity signals. In the human brain, the neocortex consists of six histologically defined layers. These layers have different functions. Some serve as the input station of a particular brain area, whereas others serve as output layers or as layers where modulation signals from other brain areas are received to affect local processing. For example, one can manipulate pain levels perceived through attention effects (either focusing on the pain or distracting oneself from it). The field of neuroscience is extremely interested in brain connectivity, on how different areas work together. Layer fMRI can be a very useful tool as the layers have the potential to show the direction of information flow, a feature that cannot be measured with conventional connectivity imaging methods. In this Emmy Nöther project we have developed technology to improve the quality and speed of laminar fMRI measurements, and have applied layer fMRI to investigate attentional modulation of pain processing.

Publications

• 32-channel transmit/receive radiofrequency head coil for 7T UHF MR. Proc. ISMRM
  S. Rietsch; V. Pfaffenrot & P. J. Koopmans et al.
  
• Strategies and prospects for cortical depth dependent T2 and T2* weighted BOLD fMRI studies. NeuroImage, 197, 668-676.
  Koopmans, Peter J. & Yacoub, Essa
  
• Enhanced POCS reconstruction for partial Fourier imaging in multi‐echo and time‐series acquisitions. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 85(1), 140-151.
  Koopmans, Peter J. & Pfaffenrot, Viktor
  
• Laminar fMRI using T2-prepared multi-echo FLASH. NeuroImage, 236, 118163.
  Pfaffenrot, Viktor; Voelker, Maximilian N.; Kashyap, Sriranga & Koopmans, Peter J.
  
• Magnetization transfer weighted laminar fMRI with multi-echo FLASH. NeuroImage, 264, 119725.
  Pfaffenrot, Viktor & Koopmans, Peter J.
  
• Relating neural oscillations to laminar fMRI connectivity in visual cortex. Cerebral Cortex, 33(5), 1537-1549.
  Scheeringa, René; Bonnefond, Mathilde; van Mourik, Tim; Jensen, Ole; Norris, David G. & Koopmans, Peter J.