Abstract Sensory eye dominance (SED) refers to a functional asymmetry of the two eyes that is thought to result from the visual cortex assigning uneven weighting to the two eyes’ data. Dichoptic perceptual training has been shown to improve (reduce) SED in visually normal individuals, with behavioral improvements accompanied by alterations of neural responses in the primary visual cortex. The mechanisms underlying these learning-driven neural changes are not well understood. Here, using magnetic resonance spectroscopy, we determined how inhibitory mechanisms in the early visual cortex (EVC) govern SED plasticity by measuring γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) concentration changes before and after perceptual training. Fifty normal-sighted observers were trained on a dichoptic or binocular variant of a signal-in-noise (left–right) motion discrimination task. We observed significant shifts in SED following dichoptic (but not binocular) training. Before training, both groups exhibited lower GABA concentrations in the EVC when signals were presented to the dominant eye. Only after dichoptic training, GABA concentrations in the EVC increased during presentations of signals to the dominant eye and decreased during presentations of signals to the non-dominant eye. Our data suggest that dichoptic training drives changes in SED by promoting a rebalancing of interocular inhibition in the EVC.
{"title":"The neurochemistry of learning-driven sensory eye dominance plasticity","authors":"K. Kam, Dorita H. F. Chang","doi":"10.1162/imag_a_00237","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/imag_a_00237","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Sensory eye dominance (SED) refers to a functional asymmetry of the two eyes that is thought to result from the visual cortex assigning uneven weighting to the two eyes’ data. Dichoptic perceptual training has been shown to improve (reduce) SED in visually normal individuals, with behavioral improvements accompanied by alterations of neural responses in the primary visual cortex. The mechanisms underlying these learning-driven neural changes are not well understood. Here, using magnetic resonance spectroscopy, we determined how inhibitory mechanisms in the early visual cortex (EVC) govern SED plasticity by measuring γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) concentration changes before and after perceptual training. Fifty normal-sighted observers were trained on a dichoptic or binocular variant of a signal-in-noise (left–right) motion discrimination task. We observed significant shifts in SED following dichoptic (but not binocular) training. Before training, both groups exhibited lower GABA concentrations in the EVC when signals were presented to the dominant eye. Only after dichoptic training, GABA concentrations in the EVC increased during presentations of signals to the dominant eye and decreased during presentations of signals to the non-dominant eye. Our data suggest that dichoptic training drives changes in SED by promoting a rebalancing of interocular inhibition in the EVC.","PeriodicalId":507939,"journal":{"name":"Imaging Neuroscience","volume":"16 5part2","pages":"1-18"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141847684","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Peter C. Van Dyken, Ali R. Khan, Lena Palaniyappan
Abstract The superficial white matter, the layer of white matter immediately deep to the cortical grey matter, is a highly complex, heterogeneous tissue region comprising dense meshes of neural fibres, a robust population of interstitial neurons, and ongoing glial activity and myelination. It originates from the histologically distinct, developmentally vital subplate in the foetal brain, maintains thalamo-cortical connections throughout adult life, and is a necessary passage for all axons passing between the grey and white matter. Despite these features, the superficial white matter is among the most poorly understood regions of the brain, in part due to its complex makeup and the resulting difficulty of its study. In this review, we present our current knowledge of superficial white matter (SWM) anatomy, development, and response to disease. We discuss the unique challenges encountered in the neuroimaging of this region, including the lack of standard definition and the non-specificity of neuroimaging markers amplified by the complexity of the tissue. We discuss recent innovations and offer potential pathways forward.
{"title":"Imaging of the superficial white matter in health and disease","authors":"Peter C. Van Dyken, Ali R. Khan, Lena Palaniyappan","doi":"10.1162/imag_a_00221","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/imag_a_00221","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The superficial white matter, the layer of white matter immediately deep to the cortical grey matter, is a highly complex, heterogeneous tissue region comprising dense meshes of neural fibres, a robust population of interstitial neurons, and ongoing glial activity and myelination. It originates from the histologically distinct, developmentally vital subplate in the foetal brain, maintains thalamo-cortical connections throughout adult life, and is a necessary passage for all axons passing between the grey and white matter. Despite these features, the superficial white matter is among the most poorly understood regions of the brain, in part due to its complex makeup and the resulting difficulty of its study. In this review, we present our current knowledge of superficial white matter (SWM) anatomy, development, and response to disease. We discuss the unique challenges encountered in the neuroimaging of this region, including the lack of standard definition and the non-specificity of neuroimaging markers amplified by the complexity of the tissue. We discuss recent innovations and offer potential pathways forward.","PeriodicalId":507939,"journal":{"name":"Imaging Neuroscience","volume":"10 5","pages":"1-35"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141839018","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract In this perspective, we highlight how emerging artificial intelligence tools are likely to impact the experiences of researchers conducting computational fMRI analyses. While calls for the automatization of statistical procedures date back at least to the inception of “data science” as a field, generative artificial intelligence offers new opportunities to advance field practice. We highlight how these tools are poised to impact both new neuroimaging methods development in areas such as image quality control and in day-to-day practice when generating analysis code. We argue that considering generative artificial intelligence as a catalyst for computational neuroscience—rather than as unique tools in their own right—can substantially improve its positioning in the research ecosystem. In particular, we argue that generative artificial intelligence will reinforce the importance of existing open science initiatives, rather than supplanting them. Overall, we call for clearer metrics by which neuroimaging results—whether generated by individual research teams or by generative artificial intelligence technologies—can be meaningfully compared.
{"title":"The future of data analysis is now: Integrating generative AI in neuroimaging methods development","authors":"Elizabeth DuPre, R. Poldrack","doi":"10.1162/imag_a_00241","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/imag_a_00241","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract In this perspective, we highlight how emerging artificial intelligence tools are likely to impact the experiences of researchers conducting computational fMRI analyses. While calls for the automatization of statistical procedures date back at least to the inception of “data science” as a field, generative artificial intelligence offers new opportunities to advance field practice. We highlight how these tools are poised to impact both new neuroimaging methods development in areas such as image quality control and in day-to-day practice when generating analysis code. We argue that considering generative artificial intelligence as a catalyst for computational neuroscience—rather than as unique tools in their own right—can substantially improve its positioning in the research ecosystem. In particular, we argue that generative artificial intelligence will reinforce the importance of existing open science initiatives, rather than supplanting them. Overall, we call for clearer metrics by which neuroimaging results—whether generated by individual research teams or by generative artificial intelligence technologies—can be meaningfully compared.","PeriodicalId":507939,"journal":{"name":"Imaging Neuroscience","volume":"25 49","pages":"1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141845772","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xiaohui Yan, Guoyan Feng, Yang Fu, Jia Hua, Fan Cao
Abstract Reading disability (RD) is a developmental neurological disorder with high prevalence across languages; however, the developmental differences in the behavior and brain of individuals with RD remain poorly understood, especially in Chinese RD. In the current study, we aimed to differentiate persistent deficits in Chinese children and adults with RD, differences that are evident only in children but not adults with RD, and differences that are more severe in adults than children with RD. In a cross-sectional design, we compared behavioral performances in a battery of reading tests and brain activities in three tasks in Chinese children (N = 83, mean age = 11) and adults (N = 94, mean age = 20) with and without RD. We found that phonological deficits were persistent across children and adults with RD, while deficits in word decoding accuracy were only evident in children but not adults with RD. Moreover, deficits in sentence reading fluency were more severe in adults than children with RD. In the brain, we found persistent reduction of brain activation in the left inferior parietal lobule (IPL), suggesting neural signature of RD. We found greater reduction of brain activation in the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) in children with RD than in adults with RD, suggesting a developmental delay and/or performance effect. On the other hand, a reduction of brain activation in the left inferior temporal gyrus (ITG) was more salient in adults with RD than in children with RD, due to greater developmental increase in typical readers than in RD readers, ultimately indicating accumulative effects of RD. The results were replicated in multiple tasks and samples. It contributes to advancing our understanding of the etiology and prognosis of RD. The findings also have practical implications in precise diagnosis and interventions for RD at different ages.
{"title":"Age-related changes in individuals with and without reading disability: Behavioral and fMRI evidence","authors":"Xiaohui Yan, Guoyan Feng, Yang Fu, Jia Hua, Fan Cao","doi":"10.1162/imag_a_00232","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/imag_a_00232","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Reading disability (RD) is a developmental neurological disorder with high prevalence across languages; however, the developmental differences in the behavior and brain of individuals with RD remain poorly understood, especially in Chinese RD. In the current study, we aimed to differentiate persistent deficits in Chinese children and adults with RD, differences that are evident only in children but not adults with RD, and differences that are more severe in adults than children with RD. In a cross-sectional design, we compared behavioral performances in a battery of reading tests and brain activities in three tasks in Chinese children (N = 83, mean age = 11) and adults (N = 94, mean age = 20) with and without RD. We found that phonological deficits were persistent across children and adults with RD, while deficits in word decoding accuracy were only evident in children but not adults with RD. Moreover, deficits in sentence reading fluency were more severe in adults than children with RD. In the brain, we found persistent reduction of brain activation in the left inferior parietal lobule (IPL), suggesting neural signature of RD. We found greater reduction of brain activation in the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) in children with RD than in adults with RD, suggesting a developmental delay and/or performance effect. On the other hand, a reduction of brain activation in the left inferior temporal gyrus (ITG) was more salient in adults with RD than in children with RD, due to greater developmental increase in typical readers than in RD readers, ultimately indicating accumulative effects of RD. The results were replicated in multiple tasks and samples. It contributes to advancing our understanding of the etiology and prognosis of RD. The findings also have practical implications in precise diagnosis and interventions for RD at different ages.","PeriodicalId":507939,"journal":{"name":"Imaging Neuroscience","volume":"6 3‐4","pages":"1-18"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141716566","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
C. A. Cushing, Yujia Peng, Zachary Anderson, Katherine S. Young, Susan Y. Bookheimer, R. Zinbarg, Robin Nusslock, M. Craske
Abstract Threat learning processes are thought to be foundational to anxiety and fear-related disorders. However, the study of these processes in the human brain has largely focused on specific brain regions, owing partly to the ease of translating between these regions in human and nonhuman animals. Moving beyond analyzing focal regions of interest to whole-brain dynamics and connectivity during threat learning is essential for understanding the neuropathology of fear-related disorders in humans. In this study, 223 participants completed a 2-day Pavlovian threat conditioning paradigm while undergoing fMRI. Participants completed threat acquisition and extinction. Extinction recall was assessed 48 hours later. Using a data-driven group independent component analysis (ICA), we examined large-scale functional connectivity networks during each phase of threat learning. Connectivity networks were tested to see how they responded to conditioned stimuli during early and late phases of threat acquisition and extinction as well as during early trials of extinction recall. A network overlapping with the default mode network involving hippocampus, ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), and posterior cingulate was implicated in threat acquisition and extinction. Another network overlapping with the salience network involving dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), mPFC, and inferior frontal gyrus was implicated both in threat acquisition and in extinction recall. Other networks overlapping with parts of the salience, somatomotor, visual, and frontoparietal networks were involved in the acquisition or in the extinction of learned threat responses. These findings help support the functional cooperation of specific brain regions during threat learning in a model-free fashion while introducing new findings of spatially independent functional connectivity networks during threat and safety learning. Rather than being a single process in a core network of regions, threat learning involves multiple brain networks operating in parallel performing different functions at different timescales. Understanding the nature and interplay of these dynamics will be critical for comprehensive understanding of the multiple processes that may be at play in the neuropathology of anxiety and fear-related disorders.
{"title":"Broadening the scope: Multiple functional connectivity networks underlying threat conditioning and extinction","authors":"C. A. Cushing, Yujia Peng, Zachary Anderson, Katherine S. Young, Susan Y. Bookheimer, R. Zinbarg, Robin Nusslock, M. Craske","doi":"10.1162/imag_a_00213","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/imag_a_00213","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Threat learning processes are thought to be foundational to anxiety and fear-related disorders. However, the study of these processes in the human brain has largely focused on specific brain regions, owing partly to the ease of translating between these regions in human and nonhuman animals. Moving beyond analyzing focal regions of interest to whole-brain dynamics and connectivity during threat learning is essential for understanding the neuropathology of fear-related disorders in humans. In this study, 223 participants completed a 2-day Pavlovian threat conditioning paradigm while undergoing fMRI. Participants completed threat acquisition and extinction. Extinction recall was assessed 48 hours later. Using a data-driven group independent component analysis (ICA), we examined large-scale functional connectivity networks during each phase of threat learning. Connectivity networks were tested to see how they responded to conditioned stimuli during early and late phases of threat acquisition and extinction as well as during early trials of extinction recall. A network overlapping with the default mode network involving hippocampus, ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), and posterior cingulate was implicated in threat acquisition and extinction. Another network overlapping with the salience network involving dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), mPFC, and inferior frontal gyrus was implicated both in threat acquisition and in extinction recall. Other networks overlapping with parts of the salience, somatomotor, visual, and frontoparietal networks were involved in the acquisition or in the extinction of learned threat responses. These findings help support the functional cooperation of specific brain regions during threat learning in a model-free fashion while introducing new findings of spatially independent functional connectivity networks during threat and safety learning. Rather than being a single process in a core network of regions, threat learning involves multiple brain networks operating in parallel performing different functions at different timescales. Understanding the nature and interplay of these dynamics will be critical for comprehensive understanding of the multiple processes that may be at play in the neuropathology of anxiety and fear-related disorders.","PeriodicalId":507939,"journal":{"name":"Imaging Neuroscience","volume":"59 3","pages":"1-15"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141708983","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
L. Soustelle, S. Mchinda, A. Hertanu, Soraya Gherib, L. Pini, M. Guye, J. Ranjeva, G. Varma, David C Alsop, Jean Pelletier, O. Girard, G. Duhamel
Abstract This work aims at exploiting the unique myelin specificity of the inhomogeneous magnetization transfer (ihMT) technique to characterize the recovery dynamics of active multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions. IhMT and three other myelin-sensitive techniques, conventional MT, T1-weighted, and diffusion tensor imaging, were applied in a 12-month longitudinal study performed on relapsing-remitting MS patients. An exponential recovery model was used to fit the variations over time of the metrics derived from each MR technique within new active lesions. A principal component analysis was performed on the model parameters obtained for all MR myelin-sensitive techniques across all active lesions of all patients to identify specific recovery profiles. The results show that the recovery profiles of myelin-sensitive MR metrics in active MS lesions vary according to the localization and size of lesions. The distance of lesions from the ventricles is positively associated with the recovery rates of ihMTR and T1w-MPRAGE: the further the lesion is from the ventricles, the higher the recovery rate of these metrics. Lesion size is positively associated with initial loss and negatively associated with final recovery of ihMTR and other MR metrics: small lesions have lower initial loss and greater final recovery of MR metrics than large lesions. Thanks to the specificity of the ihMT technique for myelin, these features can be interpreted in terms of remyelination. This study thus provides longitudinal in vivo support for the pathological observations of higher remyelination in small lesions compared with large ones and faster remyelination in lesions away from the ventricles. These results support the use of ihMT and other measures for quantifying remyelination rates in clinical studies of remyelination therapies.
{"title":"Inhomogeneous magnetization transfer (ihMT) imaging reveals variable recovery profiles of active MS lesions according to size and localization","authors":"L. Soustelle, S. Mchinda, A. Hertanu, Soraya Gherib, L. Pini, M. Guye, J. Ranjeva, G. Varma, David C Alsop, Jean Pelletier, O. Girard, G. Duhamel","doi":"10.1162/imag_a_00235","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/imag_a_00235","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This work aims at exploiting the unique myelin specificity of the inhomogeneous magnetization transfer (ihMT) technique to characterize the recovery dynamics of active multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions. IhMT and three other myelin-sensitive techniques, conventional MT, T1-weighted, and diffusion tensor imaging, were applied in a 12-month longitudinal study performed on relapsing-remitting MS patients. An exponential recovery model was used to fit the variations over time of the metrics derived from each MR technique within new active lesions. A principal component analysis was performed on the model parameters obtained for all MR myelin-sensitive techniques across all active lesions of all patients to identify specific recovery profiles. The results show that the recovery profiles of myelin-sensitive MR metrics in active MS lesions vary according to the localization and size of lesions. The distance of lesions from the ventricles is positively associated with the recovery rates of ihMTR and T1w-MPRAGE: the further the lesion is from the ventricles, the higher the recovery rate of these metrics. Lesion size is positively associated with initial loss and negatively associated with final recovery of ihMTR and other MR metrics: small lesions have lower initial loss and greater final recovery of MR metrics than large lesions. Thanks to the specificity of the ihMT technique for myelin, these features can be interpreted in terms of remyelination. This study thus provides longitudinal in vivo support for the pathological observations of higher remyelination in small lesions compared with large ones and faster remyelination in lesions away from the ventricles. These results support the use of ihMT and other measures for quantifying remyelination rates in clinical studies of remyelination therapies.","PeriodicalId":507939,"journal":{"name":"Imaging Neuroscience","volume":"90 2","pages":"1-20"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141845132","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Julia W. Y. Kam, A. Badhwar, V. Borghesani, Kangjoo Lee, Stephanie Noble, P. Raamana, Tilak Ratnanather, Davynn G.H. Tan, Lena K L Oestreich, Hyang Woon Lee, Laura Marzetti, Hajer Nakua, Gina Rippon, Rosanna Olsen, Alyssa Pozzobon, Lucina Q. Uddin, Julio Alejandro Yanes, A. Tzovara
Abstract Diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI) are important for scientific innovation and progress. This widespread recognition has resulted in numerous initiatives for enhancing DEI in recent years. Although progress has been made to address gender and racial disparities, there remain biases that limit the opportunities for historically under-represented researchers to succeed in academia. As members of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping (OHBM) Diversity and Inclusivity Committee (DIC), we identified the most challenging and imminent obstacles toward improving DEI practices in the broader neuroimaging field. These obstacles include the lack of diversity in and accessibility to publicly available datasets, barriers in research dissemination, and/or barriers related to equitable career advancements. In order to increase diversity and promote equity and inclusivity in our scientific endeavors, we suggest potential solutions that are practical and actionable to overcome these barriers. We emphasize the importance of the enduring and unwavering commitment required to advance DEI initiatives consistently. By doing so, the OHBM and perhaps other neuroscience communities will strive toward a future that is not only marked by scientific excellence but also characterized by diverse, inclusive, and equitable opportunities for all, including historically under-represented individuals around the world.
摘要 多样性、公平性和包容性(DEI)对于科学创新和进步非常重要。由于人们普遍认识到这一点,因此近年来提出了许多加强多样性、公平性和包容性(DEI)的倡议。尽管在解决性别和种族差异方面取得了进展,但仍然存在一些偏见,限制了历史上代表性不足的研究人员在学术界取得成功的机会。作为人类脑图谱组织(OHBM)多样性和包容性委员会(DIC)的成员,我们发现了在更广泛的神经成像领域改善 DEI 实践所面临的最具挑战性和迫在眉睫的障碍。这些障碍包括公开数据集缺乏多样性和可访问性、研究传播障碍和/或与公平职业发展相关的障碍。为了在我们的科学事业中提高多样性并促进公平性和包容性,我们提出了切实可行的潜在解决方案,以克服这些障碍。我们强调,坚持不懈地推进 "发展与创新"(DEI)倡议需要持久而坚定的承诺,这一点非常重要。通过这样做,OHBM 或许还有其他神经科学界将努力实现这样一个未来:它不仅以卓越的科学成就为标志,而且还以为所有人(包括世界各地历史上代表性不足的个人)提供多样化、包容性和公平的机会为特征。
{"title":"Creating diverse and inclusive scientific practices for research datasets and dissemination","authors":"Julia W. Y. Kam, A. Badhwar, V. Borghesani, Kangjoo Lee, Stephanie Noble, P. Raamana, Tilak Ratnanather, Davynn G.H. Tan, Lena K L Oestreich, Hyang Woon Lee, Laura Marzetti, Hajer Nakua, Gina Rippon, Rosanna Olsen, Alyssa Pozzobon, Lucina Q. Uddin, Julio Alejandro Yanes, A. Tzovara","doi":"10.1162/imag_a_00216","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/imag_a_00216","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI) are important for scientific innovation and progress. This widespread recognition has resulted in numerous initiatives for enhancing DEI in recent years. Although progress has been made to address gender and racial disparities, there remain biases that limit the opportunities for historically under-represented researchers to succeed in academia. As members of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping (OHBM) Diversity and Inclusivity Committee (DIC), we identified the most challenging and imminent obstacles toward improving DEI practices in the broader neuroimaging field. These obstacles include the lack of diversity in and accessibility to publicly available datasets, barriers in research dissemination, and/or barriers related to equitable career advancements. In order to increase diversity and promote equity and inclusivity in our scientific endeavors, we suggest potential solutions that are practical and actionable to overcome these barriers. We emphasize the importance of the enduring and unwavering commitment required to advance DEI initiatives consistently. By doing so, the OHBM and perhaps other neuroscience communities will strive toward a future that is not only marked by scientific excellence but also characterized by diverse, inclusive, and equitable opportunities for all, including historically under-represented individuals around the world.","PeriodicalId":507939,"journal":{"name":"Imaging Neuroscience","volume":"6 12","pages":"1-14"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141701085","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract Sensory eye dominance (SED) refers to a functional asymmetry of the two eyes that is thought to result from the visual cortex assigning uneven weighting to the two eyes’ data. Dichoptic perceptual training has been shown to improve (reduce) SED in visually normal individuals, with behavioral improvements accompanied by alterations of neural responses in the primary visual cortex. The mechanisms underlying these learning-driven neural changes are not well understood. Here, using magnetic resonance spectroscopy, we determined how inhibitory mechanisms in the early visual cortex (EVC) govern SED plasticity by measuring γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) concentration changes before and after perceptual training. Fifty normal-sighted observers were trained on a dichoptic or binocular variant of a signal-in-noise (left–right) motion discrimination task. We observed significant shifts in SED following dichoptic (but not binocular) training. Before training, both groups exhibited lower GABA concentrations in the EVC when signals were presented to the dominant eye. Only after dichoptic training, GABA concentrations in the EVC increased during presentations of signals to the dominant eye and decreased during presentations of signals to the non-dominant eye. Our data suggest that dichoptic training drives changes in SED by promoting a rebalancing of interocular inhibition in the EVC.
{"title":"The neurochemistry of learning-driven sensory eye dominance plasticity","authors":"K. Kam, Dorita H. F. Chang","doi":"10.1162/imag_a_00237","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/imag_a_00237","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Sensory eye dominance (SED) refers to a functional asymmetry of the two eyes that is thought to result from the visual cortex assigning uneven weighting to the two eyes’ data. Dichoptic perceptual training has been shown to improve (reduce) SED in visually normal individuals, with behavioral improvements accompanied by alterations of neural responses in the primary visual cortex. The mechanisms underlying these learning-driven neural changes are not well understood. Here, using magnetic resonance spectroscopy, we determined how inhibitory mechanisms in the early visual cortex (EVC) govern SED plasticity by measuring γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) concentration changes before and after perceptual training. Fifty normal-sighted observers were trained on a dichoptic or binocular variant of a signal-in-noise (left–right) motion discrimination task. We observed significant shifts in SED following dichoptic (but not binocular) training. Before training, both groups exhibited lower GABA concentrations in the EVC when signals were presented to the dominant eye. Only after dichoptic training, GABA concentrations in the EVC increased during presentations of signals to the dominant eye and decreased during presentations of signals to the non-dominant eye. Our data suggest that dichoptic training drives changes in SED by promoting a rebalancing of interocular inhibition in the EVC.","PeriodicalId":507939,"journal":{"name":"Imaging Neuroscience","volume":"27 2","pages":"1-18"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141840902","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Simon Schading-Sassenhausen, Maryam Seif, N. Weiskopf, Patrick Freund
Abstract Synthetic MRI offers the advantage of reducing acquisition time and enhancing flexibility through the reconstruction of various contrast weightings from a single set of MRI scans. However, the use of synthetic T1-weighted (synT1-w) MRI can lead to potentially biased measurements of the cross-sectional area (CSA) in the spinal cord when compared to conventionally acquired T1-weighted MRI. This disparity can have implications for comparability and sensitivity of MRI in assessing disease progression or treatment effects in neurodegenerative spinal cord disorders. Thus, this study aimed at improving the accuracy (i.e., difference between synthetic and acquired MRI) of cervical cord CSA measurements (C1-C3 level) based on synT1-w MRI implementing a longitudinal data set acquired from 23 acute spinal cord injury (SCI) patients and 21 healthy controls over 2 years. Moreover, the validity of using synT1-w MRI for tracking cervical cord atrophy following SCI over 2 years was verified. SynT1-w images were reconstructed from quantitative maps of proton density, longitudinal, and effective transverse relaxation rates derived from a multi-parameter mapping protocol. The results showed a minimal bias of -0.31 mm2 (-0.5%) in CSA measurements based on synT1-w compared to acquired MRI. Estimates of atrophy rates and average CSA were comparable between synthetic and acquired MRI. A sample size estimation for detecting treatment effects on CSA atrophy after 2 years following SCI revealed that the required sample size is reduced by 13.5% using synT1-w instead of acquired MRI. This study shows high accuracy of synT1-w MRI and demonstrates its applicability in clinical studies for optimizing long MRI protocols.
{"title":"Optimization of cervical cord synthetic T1-weighted MRI for enhancing clinical application in neurodegenerative spinal cord disorders","authors":"Simon Schading-Sassenhausen, Maryam Seif, N. Weiskopf, Patrick Freund","doi":"10.1162/imag_a_00225","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/imag_a_00225","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Synthetic MRI offers the advantage of reducing acquisition time and enhancing flexibility through the reconstruction of various contrast weightings from a single set of MRI scans. However, the use of synthetic T1-weighted (synT1-w) MRI can lead to potentially biased measurements of the cross-sectional area (CSA) in the spinal cord when compared to conventionally acquired T1-weighted MRI. This disparity can have implications for comparability and sensitivity of MRI in assessing disease progression or treatment effects in neurodegenerative spinal cord disorders. Thus, this study aimed at improving the accuracy (i.e., difference between synthetic and acquired MRI) of cervical cord CSA measurements (C1-C3 level) based on synT1-w MRI implementing a longitudinal data set acquired from 23 acute spinal cord injury (SCI) patients and 21 healthy controls over 2 years. Moreover, the validity of using synT1-w MRI for tracking cervical cord atrophy following SCI over 2 years was verified. SynT1-w images were reconstructed from quantitative maps of proton density, longitudinal, and effective transverse relaxation rates derived from a multi-parameter mapping protocol. The results showed a minimal bias of -0.31 mm2 (-0.5%) in CSA measurements based on synT1-w compared to acquired MRI. Estimates of atrophy rates and average CSA were comparable between synthetic and acquired MRI. A sample size estimation for detecting treatment effects on CSA atrophy after 2 years following SCI revealed that the required sample size is reduced by 13.5% using synT1-w instead of acquired MRI. This study shows high accuracy of synT1-w MRI and demonstrates its applicability in clinical studies for optimizing long MRI protocols.","PeriodicalId":507939,"journal":{"name":"Imaging Neuroscience","volume":"23 12","pages":"1-12"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141702247","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anja Ischebeck, Hannah Kreilinger, Joe Peiris Miller, Margit Höfler, Iain D. Gilchrist, C. Körner
Abstract The dorsal attention network, often observed to be activated in serial visual search tasks, has been associated with goal-directed attention, responsible for the processing of task relevance. In serial visual search, the moment of target detection constitutes not only a task-relevant event, but also a rare event. In the present fMRI experiment, we disentangled task relevance from item rarity using a fixation-based analysis approach. We used a multiple target search task, and participants had to report the number of targets among distractors in the display. We had also added rare distractors to the displays. We found that rare events (targets and rare distractors) activated the dorsal attention network more strongly than common distractors. More importantly, we observed that the left IPS and the left insula, belonging to the dorsal and ventral attention system, respectively, were more strongly activated for targets compared to rare distractors. Using multi-voxel pattern analysis, we found that activation in the TPJ, bilaterally, an area also associated with the ventral attention system, distinguished between target and rare distractor fixations. These results point to an expanded role of the TPJ that seems to process post-perceptual information which is linked to task relevance.
{"title":"Fixating targets in visual search: The role of dorsal and ventral attention networks in the processing of relevance and rarity","authors":"Anja Ischebeck, Hannah Kreilinger, Joe Peiris Miller, Margit Höfler, Iain D. Gilchrist, C. Körner","doi":"10.1162/imag_a_00229","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1162/imag_a_00229","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The dorsal attention network, often observed to be activated in serial visual search tasks, has been associated with goal-directed attention, responsible for the processing of task relevance. In serial visual search, the moment of target detection constitutes not only a task-relevant event, but also a rare event. In the present fMRI experiment, we disentangled task relevance from item rarity using a fixation-based analysis approach. We used a multiple target search task, and participants had to report the number of targets among distractors in the display. We had also added rare distractors to the displays. We found that rare events (targets and rare distractors) activated the dorsal attention network more strongly than common distractors. More importantly, we observed that the left IPS and the left insula, belonging to the dorsal and ventral attention system, respectively, were more strongly activated for targets compared to rare distractors. Using multi-voxel pattern analysis, we found that activation in the TPJ, bilaterally, an area also associated with the ventral attention system, distinguished between target and rare distractor fixations. These results point to an expanded role of the TPJ that seems to process post-perceptual information which is linked to task relevance.","PeriodicalId":507939,"journal":{"name":"Imaging Neuroscience","volume":"28 5","pages":"1-16"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141711049","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}