Effect of focal and nonfocal cerebral lesions on functional connectivity studied with MR imaging

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Functional connectivity MR (fcMR) imaging is used to map regions of brain with synchronous, regional, slow fluctuations in cerebral blood flow. We tested the hypothesis that focal cerebral lesions do not eradicate expected functional connectivity. METHODS: Functional MR (fMR) and fcMR maps were acquired for 12 patients with focal cerebral tumors, cysts, arteriovenous malformations, or in one case, agenesis of the corpus callosum. Task activation secondary to text listening, finger tapping, and word generation was mapped by use of fMR imaging. Functional connectivity was measured by selecting "seed" voxels in brain regions showing activation (based on the fMR data) and cross correlating with every other voxel (based on data acquired while the subject performed no task). Concurrence of the fMR and fcMR maps was measured by comparing the location and number of voxels selected by both methods. RESULTS: Technically adequate fMR and fcMR maps were obtained for all patients. In patients with focal lesions, the fMR and fcMR maps correlated closely. The fcMR map generated for the patient with agenesis of the corpus callosum failed to reveal functional connectivity between blood flow in the left and right sensorimotor cortices and in the frontal lobe language regions. Nonetheless, synchrony between blood flow in the auditory cortices was preserved. On average, there was 40% concurrence between all fMR and fcMR maps. CONCLUSION: Patterns of functional connectivity remain intact in patients with focal cerebral lesions. Disruption of major neuronal networks, such as agenesis of the corpus callosum, may diminish the normal functional connectivity patterns. Therefore, functional connectivity in such patients cannot be fully demonstrated with fcMR imaging.     

Functional connectivity in the thalamus and hippocampus studied with functional MR imaging

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: With functional connectivity functional MR imaging, co-variance in signal intensity has been shown in functionally related regions of brain in participants instructed to perform no cognitive task. These changes are thought to represent synchronous fluctuations in blood flow, which imply neuronal connections between the regions. The purpose of this study was to map functional connectivity in subcortical nuclei with functional connectivity functional MR imaging. METHODS: Imaging data were acquired with an echo-planar sequence from six volunteers who performed no specific cognitive task. For functional connectivity functional MR imaging, a "seed" voxel or group of voxels was selected from the resting data set in the thalamus or in the hippocampus. Control voxels in gray matter presumed not to be eloquent cortex were also chosen. The correlation coefficient of the seed voxels and the control voxels with every other voxel in the resting data set was calculated. The voxels with correlation coefficients greater than or equal to 0.5 were mapped onto anatomic images for the functional connectivity functional MR images. The anatomic location of these voxels was determined by conventional parcellation methods. RESULTS: For each participant, functional connectivity functional MR imaging maps based on four seed voxels in the thalamus or hippocampus showed clusters of voxels in the ipsilateral and contralateral thalamus or hippocampus. For control voxels, few voxels in the hippocampus or thalamus showed significant correlation. Significantly more pixels in the ipsilateral hippocampus correlated with the seed voxel than in the contralateral hippocampus. The differences between numbers of functionally connected voxels in ipsilateral thalamus and those in contralateral thalamus were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: The thalamus and hippocampus show functional connectivity, presumably representing synchronous changes in blood flow.     

Frequencies contributing to functional connectivity in the cerebral cortex in "resting-state" data

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: In subjects performing no specific cognitive task ("resting state"), time courses of voxels within functionally connected regions of the brain have high cross-correlation coefficients ("functional connectivity"). The purpose of this study was to measure the contributions of low frequencies and physiological noise to cross-correlation maps. METHODS: In four healthy volunteers, task-activation functional MR imaging and resting-state data were acquired. We obtained four contiguous slice locations in the "resting state" with a high sampling rate. Regions of interest consisting of four contiguous voxels were selected. The correlation coefficient for the averaged time course and every other voxel in the four slices was calculated and separated into its component frequency contributions. We calculated the relative amounts of the spectrum that were in the low-frequency (0 to 0.1 Hz), the respiratory-frequency (0.1 to 0.5 Hz), and cardiac-frequency range (0.6 to 1.2 Hz). RESULTS: For each volunteer, resting-state maps that resembled task-activation maps were obtained. For the auditory and visual cortices, the correlation coefficient depended almost exclusively on low frequencies (<0.1 Hz). For all cortical regions studied, low-frequency fluctuations contributed more than 90% of the correlation coefficient. Physiological (respiratory and cardiac) noise sources contributed less than 10% to any functional connectivity MR imaging map. In blood vessels and cerebrospinal fluid, physiological noise contributed more to the correlation coefficient. CONCLUSION: Functional connectivity in the auditory, visual, and sensorimotor cortices is characterized predominantly by frequencies slower than those in the cardiac and respiratory cycles. In functionally connected regions, these low frequencies are characterized by a high degree of temporal coherence.     

Role of the corpus callosum in functional connectivity

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Regional cerebral blood flow fluctuates synchronously in corresponding brain regions between the hemispheres. This synchrony implies neuronal connections between brain regions. The synchrony of blood flow changes is defined operationally as functional connectivity. Our purpose was to measure functional connectivity in patients with corpus callosal agenesis, in whom the interhemispheric connectivity is hypothetically diminished. METHODS: In three patients with agenesis of the corpus callosum, functional MR imaging was performed while patients performed text-listening and finger-tapping tasks. Functional images were also acquired while the patients performed no specific task (resting state). Regions of activation temporally correlated with the performance of the tasks were identified by cross-correlating the task data with a reference function. Voxel clusters (seed voxels) that corresponded to regions of activation in the task-activation data set were selected in the resting data set. All the voxels in the resting 3D data set that had a correlation coefficient exceeding 0.4 were identified. The number of these voxels in the ipsilateral and contralateral hemispheres was tabulated. RESULTS: In all patients, technically adequate functional MR and functional connectivity MR maps were obtained. For both tasks, activation was found in both hemispheres. For all of the seed voxels, significantly more functionally connected voxels were found in the ipsilateral hemisphere than in the contralateral hemisphere. For most seed voxels, no functionally connected voxels were found in the contralateral hemisphere. CONCLUSION: Interhemispheric functional connectivity in the motor and auditory cortices is diminished in patients with agenesis of the corpus callosum compared with that of healthy subjects.     

Comparison of independent component analysis and conventional hypothesis-driven analysis for clinical functional MR image processing

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: With independent component analysis (ICA), regions of activation can be identified on functional MR (fMR) images without a priori knowledge of expected hemodynamic responses. The purpose of this study was to compare the results of fMR imaging data processed with spatial ICA with results obtained with conventional hypothesis-driven analysis. METHODS: Eleven patients with focal cerebral lesions and one with agenesis of the corpus callosum were enrolled. Each patient performed text-listening, finger-tapping, and word-generation tasks. Conventional activation maps were generated by fitting time courses of each voxel to a boxcar reference function. Maps were created from the same image data with ICA techniques. To compare the maps, a concurrence ratio (CR) (number of voxels activated on both maps to number of voxels activated on either map) was calculated. RESULTS: In the ICA analysis, maps with appropriate spatial and temporal features for auditory, sensorimotor, or language cortices were identified in most patients. Images processed with ICA resembled images processed with conventional means. In patients who moved or performed the task incorrectly, ICA produced a map that resembled the expected activation pattern but differed from the conventional image. CRs averaged 70% for all comparisons in the 12 patients. CONCLUSION: fMR imaging maps for auditory, sensorimotor, and language tasks produced with ICA and conventional techniques were similar in most cases. Differences were consistent with the particular characteristics of the method. In data sets corrupted by motion or incorrect task performance, ICA may produce more accurate maps.     

观察脑肿瘤致大脑运动功能重组患者运动神经网络变化的功能性连接MRI研究

目的 应用功能性连接MR成像(fcMRI)技术,观察中央沟附近脑肿瘤所致功能重组患者运动神经网络的改变,为理解肿瘤所致运动功能重组的机制提供新的实验依据.方法 采用1.5 T MR成像系统,对6名正常志愿者及14例功能MRI(fMRI)显示运动功能重组的中央沟附近脑肿瘤患者行fcMRI.分别得到以正常受试者左和右主运动(M1)区、脑肿瘤患者肿瘤侧半球和非肿瘤侧半球M1区为种子体素(兴趣区)的功能连接图.对与以上种子体素呈明显相关的功能连接区的位置、范围、体积进行评估.将所测数据进行t检验和单向方差分析.结果 fcMRI显示6名正常志愿者单侧M1区的功能连接脑区遍布于双侧大脑半球,包括双侧M1区、双侧辅助运动区(SMA)、双侧运动前区(PMC区)等与运动相关的皮层,左右对称分布.左M1区的功能连接区[(9514.17±186.92)mm3]与右M1区者[(9364.67±382.75)mm3]范围基本一致,二者在体积上差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);肿瘤组fcMRI显示:(1)与肿瘤侧M1区所连接脑区的体积[(11193.14±811.29)mm3]明显大于非肿瘤侧M1区的功能连接区[(6549.86±400.94)mm3](P<0.01).肿瘤组肿瘤侧M1区所连接的脑区与正常对照组单侧M1区的功能连接脑区差异有统计学意义(P<0.01),前者明显扩大(P<0.01),提示肿瘤侧M1区与其他运动相关脑区的功能连接增强.其连接脑区的范围与受累手对指运动时同层面fMRI显示的运动功能重组区范围基本一致.(2)肿瘤组非肿瘤侧M1区的功能连接区的体积与正常组比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01),前者有减少的趋势(P<0.01),特别是肿瘤侧半球内,提示非肿瘤侧M1区与对侧半球的功能连接破坏.结论 肿瘤组患者肿瘤侧M1区功能连接区的增多提示运动功能重组可能与运动功能传导路径重组或潜在运动路径补偿性开放有关.fcMRI是一种显示颅内肿瘤所致运动神经网络变化的有效手段.     

Resting-state functional connectivity of the rat brain.

Regional-specific average time courses of spontaneous fluctuations in blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) MRI contrast at 9.4T in lightly anesthetized resting rat brain are formed, and correlation coefficients between time course pairs are interpreted as measures of connectivity. A hierarchy of regional pairwise correlation coefficients (RPCCs) is observed, with the highest values found in the thalamus and cortex, both intra- and interhemisphere, and lower values between the cortex and thalamus. Independent sensory networks are distinguished by two methods: data driven, where task activation defines regions of interest (ROI), and hypothesis driven, where regions are defined by the rat histological atlas. Success in these studies is attributed in part to the use of medetomidine hydrochloride (Domitor) for anesthesia. Consistent results in two different rat-brain systems, the sensorimotor and visual, strongly support the hypothesis that resting-state BOLD fluctuations are conserved across mammalian species and can be used to map brain systems.     

Resting-State Seed-Based Analysis: An Alternative to Task-Based Language fMRI and Its Laterality Index

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:Language is a cardinal function that makes human unique. Preservation of language function poses a great challenge for surgeons during resection. The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of resting-state fMRI in the lateralization of language function in healthy subjects to permit its further testing in patients who are unable to perform task-based fMRI.MATERIALS AND METHODS:Eighteen healthy right-handed volunteers were prospectively evaluated with resting-state fMRI and task-based fMRI to assess language networks. The laterality indices of Broca and Wernicke areas were calculated by using task-based fMRI via a voxel-value approach. We adopted seed-based resting-state fMRI connectivity analysis together with parameters such as amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation and fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF). Resting-state fMRI connectivity maps for language networks were obtained from Broca and Wernicke areas in both hemispheres. We performed correlation analysis between the laterality index and the z scores of functional connectivity, amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation, and fALFF.RESULTS:Pearson correlation analysis between signals obtained from the z score of fALFF and the laterality index yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.849 (P < .05). Regression analysis of the fALFF with the laterality index yielded an R² value of 0.721, indicating that 72.1% of the variance in the laterality index of task-based fMRI could be predicted from the fALFF of resting-state fMRI.CONCLUSIONS:The present study demonstrates that fALFF can be used as an alternative to task-based fMRI for assessing language laterality. There was a strong positive correlation between the fALFF of the Broca area of resting-state fMRI with the laterality index of task-based fMRI. Furthermore, we demonstrated the efficacy of fALFF for predicting the laterality of task-based fMRI.

Brain surgery demands preservation of eloquent areas, including the language functional areas. Many studies have illustrated that fMRI is a noninvasive imaging technique that facilitates the lateralization of language function in individual patients.^1–3 The hemispheric language laterality index (LI) is estimated by evaluating the asymmetry in the activation of language areas in the right and left hemispheres of the human brain during a particular task.⁴ The ease of integrating fMRI with other MR imaging techniques allows the correct identification of pathology and its landmark with respect to language areas.^5–7During the acquisition of language fMRI, the subject is instructed to perform particular tasks designed to elicit a response from language functional areas. However, not all subjects, such as those with low intelligence quotients and pediatric patients, will be able to cooperate with the task-based fMRI. Resting-state fMRI (rsfMRI) is gradually evolving as an alternative to task-based fMRI. The rsfMRI technique extracts the low-frequency fluctuations in the blood oxygen level–dependent (BOLD) signal when subjects are instructed to lie relaxed inside the scanner.^7,8Tie et al⁹ extracted language networks from rsfMRI and evaluated the effectiveness of the automatic identification of language components by using independent component analysis. The study separated the activation patterns corresponding to the language network components from individual rsfMRI data. Another study adopted rsfMRI connectivity analysis to examine the degree of hemispheric dominance for language processing in healthy controls and patients with temporal lobe epilepsy.¹⁰ Functional connectivity (FC) analysis of the frontal cortex in the control group revealed a strong correlation with the LI. The authors found a good correlation between the LI and the epileptogenic mesial temporal lobe. Similarly, Pravatà et al¹¹ studied the correlation between the strength of FC between language networks and language performance in healthy controls and patients with epilepsy. They demonstrated an overall reorganization and reduction of the connectivity pattern within the language network of patients with intractable epilepsy. These studies evaluated the FC of language networks rather than regional abnormalities in the low-frequency fluctuations.In rsfMRI, the parameters FC, amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), and fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) are used to examine the network-related and regional characteristics of low-frequency oscillations. FC analysis evaluates the correlation between the time courses of voxels in a seed region with every other region within the brain. The regions with strong correlations will be shown as an FC map.^7,12 ALFF and fALFF are rsfMRI metrics that help in identifying regional BOLD signal changes of rsfMRI fluctuations. ALFF quantifies the amplitude of the low-frequency fluctuations of rsfMRI BOLD signals. fALFF corresponds to the power spectrum of the low-frequency band with respect to all frequencies detectable with the applied time of repetition of the study.^13,14 Different studies reported the clinical application of these metrics.^13,15,16 However, none of the studies considered the accuracy of these metrics in determining the LI.^9–11The objective of our study was to determine the potential of rsfMRI to evaluate language lateralization in comparison with task-based fMRI. In the current study, we evaluated the z scores of FC, ALFF, and fALFF obtained via rsfMRI and assessed the correlations of each of these metrics with the LI of task-based fMRI from individual seed regions. We hypothesized that the metrics of seed-based rsfMRI analysis are strongly correlated with the LI obtained by using task-based fMRI. If this hypothesis is proved, then rsfMRI can be used instead of task-fMRI in patients who cannot perform the task.     

静息态fMRI确定双手运动相关脑区——种子点选择对结果的影响

目的 探讨种子点的选择对静息态fMRI确定双手运动相关脑区的影响.方法 对31例（男15例,女16例）健康被试者行组块设计的双手运动和静息态fMRI扫描.采用DPARSF V2.0软件和SPM8软件进行数据处理,选取任务状态下各独立激活簇的最大激活点为种子点,分别计算静息状态下全脑功能连接图,计算静息状态下各功能连接图与任务状态激活图之间的空间相关系数.结果 任务状态下得到15个独立的激活脑区,进而生成15个种子点,其中辅助运动区（SMA）为种子点的功能连接图与任务状态激活图空间分布一致性最强,空间相关系数最大;以初级运动皮质（M1区）及背侧前运动皮质（PMd）为种子点的功能连接图包括双侧M1区及SMA;以腹侧前运动皮质（PMv）为种子点所得功能连接图主要为PMv和PMd;以壳核（Pu）、丘脑（Th）、小脑前叶（CbAL）、小脑后叶（CbPL）为种子点所得功能连接图主要为种子点周围及其镜像脑区.结论 静息状态下,以SMA为种子点能获得与手运动任务激活图有较好一致性的功能连接图,以M1及PMd为种子点能较好显示M1区.     

脑室旁白质软化症患儿脑性视觉损伤的fMRI 和DTI研究

目的:探讨联合应用fMRI和DTI评价PVL患儿的脑性视觉损伤的价值.材料和方法:选取24名PVL患儿及24名无窒息史的健康儿童志愿者进行镇静的状态下fMRI及DTI检查,视觉刺激采用2HZ闪烁光,fMRI数据采用SPM2软件进行后处理(ROI),计算患儿组与对照组的激活像素数目.DTI数据采用MedINRIA软件进行后处理,根据矢量元素和部分各向异性值(FA值)生成彩色弥散张量图(DTI图),计算患儿与对照组视觉相关主要白质纤维束的FA值.将视觉激活图与彩色弥散张量图融合.结果:正常对照组的激活区位于初级视觉皮层,PVL患儿的激活区部分移位.PVL患儿枕叶平均激活像素数目较正常对照显著减少,视觉相关主要白质纤维束FA值较正常对照显著降低.PVL患儿视觉区激活像素数目与视觉相关主要白质纤维束FA值呈正相关.结论:联合应用BOLD-fMRI和DTI在评价缺氧缺血性脑损伤后视觉功能变化方面有较高的应用价值.     

Functional imaging with FENSI: flow-enhanced signal intensity.

Flow measurement methods for functional MRI (fMRI) are desirable as they are more closely tied to neuronal activity than the commonly used blood oxygenation techniques. In this work we introduce a flow-based functional imaging method. The method, called flow enhancement of signal intensity (FENSI), is an extension of the diffusion enhancement of signal and resolution (DESIRE) method from MR microscopy. The FENSI method offers a localized flow-weighted signal across a very thin slice (0.4 mm in this study) that provides a signal enhancement that is dependent on the velocity and direction of the flow. The FENSI method was implemented on a human 3 T system and applied to a blocked visual cognitive task. Activation maps showed good localization and the measured signal changes of around 10% were in good agreement with the predicted enhancements.     

脑功能MRI在青少年非自杀性自伤中的研究进展

非自杀性自伤（NSSI）是指没有自杀意图且以自伤行为为主的精神障碍,脑功能MRI（fMRI）可揭示NSSI病人的异常脑活动特征。静息态fMRI的不同功能连接模式对NSSI的诊断和疗效评估具有重要价值,基于不同任务状态的fMRI的异常脑激活可评估NSSI病人的脑功能改变。就不同分析方法（基于种子点、独立成分分析和图论的分析方法）的静息态fMRI连接模式和不同任务状态（情绪、社交和奖赏任务）下fMRI的脑活动在NSSI中的研究进展予以综述。     

Correlation between the amplitude of cortical activation and reaction time: a functional MRI study

OBJECTIVE: We sought to examine the correlation between reaction time and the amplitude of cortical activation during the performance of a visuomotor response-time task in a functional MRI (fMRI) experiment. We hypothesized that the fMRI blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) amplitude may have a negative correlation with a subject's reaction time: the lower the amplitude within the cortical areas along the visuomotor pathway, the slower the response. A larger amplitude of the fMRI signal would reflect faster response times. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: During a single-event fMRI experiment, the reaction times (in milliseconds) of 32 right-handed subjects responding to a visual cue were recorded. Analysis of the single-event paradigm using Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM99) was performed, activation maps were produced for each subject, and then a random effects group analysis was performed. The maximum amplitudes of cortical activation (percent signal change) in four activated cortical regions were estimated and tabulated. The regions of interest included were the right and left occipital visual cortices, the supplementary motor area, and the left sensorimotor area. Simple and multiple regressions were performed between the mean reaction times of the subjects and the BOLD amplitudes in each region of interest and for the composite region of interest. RESULTS: The results showed significant negative associations between the reaction times and maximum amplitudes in the right occipital, left occipital, and left sensorimotor area cortical regions (p < 0.05). However, no significant association was found between reaction times and the amplitude within the supplementary motor area. When the effects of age and sex on these associations were analyzed, we found that age had an impact on the results for individual regions of interest in the left occipital and left sensorimotor areas, but the composite amplitude of activation remained significantly correlated with reaction times. CONCLUSION: The degree of signal change in BOLD fMRI response of the right occipital, left occipital, and left sensorimotor areas reflects the speed of performance during the visuomotor response time task by the subject. Thus, the amplitude of activation can be used as one parameter to assess change in function.     

Minimum detectable change in motor and prefrontal cortex activity over repeated sessions using 3T functional MRI and a block design

Purpose

To determine the minimum detectable change (MDC) in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) measurements of brain activity over repeated sessions with 95% confidence using a block design of tasks.

Materials and Methods

Fourteen individuals participated in three sessions on different days during which four scans each of a motor task and working memory task were performed. Using a region‐of‐interest analysis of variance, we calculated the MDC in the volume of activated primary sensorimotor cortex (for motor) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (for working memory), as well as the percent increase in MR signal and the center and location of maxima of the activated voxels.

Results

The MDC of activated volume was 5.0–8.8 cm³, and the MDC of percent increase in signal from baseline during tasks was 0.3%–0.6%. The MDC of the center of mass of activity was 3–4 mm, compared to 6–10 mm for the location of maxima.

Conclusion

fMRI measurements that quantify the strength of activity in response to tasks and centers of mass offer sensitive measurements of change over repeated imaging sessions. fMRI can be used for serial investigations of individual participants using simple motor and cognitive tasks using a simple block design. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2008;28:1055–1060. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

针刺太冲穴激活视皮层的脑功能磁共振研究

目的:应用血氧水平依赖性功能磁共振成像(BOLD-fMRI),探究针刺太冲穴治疗眼疾的现代科学机制.方法:30例健康志愿者接受交替针刺视觉相关穴位--太冲穴及假穴,1.5 T MRI采集数据,SPM 2软件处理后获得2个针刺任务的个体及组激活图;组激活图若见视皮层激活,计算激活点的信号强度,并采用SPSS 13.0软件进行Wilcoxon符号秩检验.结果:组激活图针刺太冲穴见视皮层激活,而假穴未见激活;针刺太冲穴双侧视皮层激活点信号强度均较强,且均为针刺侧激活强度强.个体激活图针刺太冲穴9例视皮层激活;假穴6例. 结论:BOLD-fMRI研究中发现针刺太冲穴激活双侧枕叶视皮层(BA18),负责较高级视觉过程,且针刺侧视皮层激活强度强,为中医针灸治疗眼疾提供了一种解释.     

Impact of signal-to-noise on functional MRI.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has recently been adopted as an investigational tool in the field of neuroscience. The signal changes induced by brain activations are small ( approximately 1-2%) at 1.5T. Therefore, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the time series used to calculate the functional maps is critical. In this study, the minimum SNR required to detect an expected MR signal change is determined using computer simulations for typical fMRI experimental designs. These SNR results are independent of manufacturer, site environment, field strength, coil type, or type of cognitive task used. Sensitivity maps depicting the minimum detectable signal change can be constructed. These sensitivity maps can be used as a mask of the activation map to help remove false positive activations as well as identify regions of the brain where it is not possible to confidently reject the null hypothesis due to a low SNR.     

Cocaine administration decreases functional connectivity in human primary visual and motor cortex as detected by functional MRI.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was conducted to observe the effects of cocaine administration on the physiological fluctuations of fMRI signal in two brain regions. Seven long-term cocaine users with an average age of 32 years and 8 years of cocaine use history were recruited for the study. A T2*-weighted fast echo-planar imaging (EPI) pulse sequence was employed at 1.5 T to acquire three sets of brain images for each subject under three conditions (at rest, after saline injection, and after cocaine injection [0.57 mg/kg]). Cross-correlation maps were constructed using the synchronous, low frequency signal from voxel time courses after filtering respiratory, cardiac, and other physiological noise. A quantitative evaluation of the changes in functional connectivity was made using spatial correlation coefficient (SCC) analysis. A marked 50% reduction in SCC values in the region of primary visual cortex and 43% reduction in SCC values in the region of primary motor cortex were observed after cocaine administration. This significant reduction in SCC values in these cortical regions is a reflection of changes in neuronal activity. It is suggested that the observed changes in low frequency components after acute cocaine administration during a resting, no-task situation may be used as a baseline reference source when assessing the effects of cocaine on task-driven activation or on mesolimbic dopamine pathways.     

静息态功能磁共振成像技术对右侧小脑参与语言功能的应用研究

目的 通过静息态功能磁共振成像技术来探讨小脑在产生语言中的作用机制。 方法 运用西门子3.0T磁共振仪获得静息态数据,用DPARSF软件对静息态数据进行预处理。首先对12例卒中后失语患者和20例正常对照者进行低频振荡振幅（ALFF）分析,在REST软件中行两样本t检验,得到失语组右侧小脑的某一脑区ALFF信号低于正常对照组,然后把此脑区作为种子点和ROI选取区,在正常对照组中进行单样本t检验,得到功能连接图。 结果 与正常对照组相比,失语组左侧颞中回、左侧前额叶内侧回、右侧小脑的ALFF减低;右侧小脑在正常对照组功能连接的脑区有小脑蚓部、左侧颞中回、左侧额上回内侧面、辅助运动区。 结论 右侧小脑本身及通过影响与其存在功能连接和解剖连接的脑区参与语言的产生。     

On the application of susceptibility-weighted ultra-fast low-angle RARE experiments in functional MR imaging.

The applicability of displaced, split-echo, and phase-cycled variants of the blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) sensitized ultra-fast low-angle rapid acquisition and relaxation enhancement (UFLARE) technique for the mapping of brain function are examined in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiments at high magnetic field strength (3 T). Activation maps are presented for visual and motor-sensory activation. For the visual studies the range of the stimulation-associated signal intensity changes is 5-7% in voxels containing mainly gray matter and 10-15% in voxels dominated by larger vessels. The motor studies reveal signal changes of 5-10% in the primary motor cortex and in the supplementary motor area. For gray matter, T2* increases from 31.2 +/- 1.5 msec under baseline conditions to 33.0 +/- 1.5 msec during periods of visual stimulation. The results clearly demonstrate that T2*-weighted UFLARE is a robust and reliable method for detection of brain activation. The relative pros and cons of displaced, split-echo, and phase-cycled T2*-sensitized UFLARE versions are discussed for fMRI applications. Since the susceptibility weighting can be freely adjusted from zero upward, the UFLARE variants used are particularly suitable for functional examinations in regions with poor magnetic field homogeneity and at high magnetic field strengths.     

Mapping of the central sulcus with functional MR: active versus passive activation tasks.

PURPOSEOur purpose was to assess the pattern of functional MR activation obtained with a passive sensory versus an active sensorimotor hand stimulus paradigm.METHODSEight functional MR runs, four with an active sensorimotor (sponge-squeezing) task and four with a passive sensory (palm-finger brushing) reception, were acquired for each of 10 healthy volunteers. Activation maps were generated by thresholding cross-correlation maps. Regions of interests (ROIs) were drawn around the precentral and postcentral gyri on T1-weighted images according to established anatomic criteria, and the number of activated pixels inside the ROIs was ascertained. Displacement of the sensorimotor and sensory activation centroids within the ROIs from the central sulcus as well as from each other was measured.RESULTSActive sensorimotor stimulation produced a significantly greater number of activation pixels than did passive sensory stimulation. Run-to-run variability was equivalent between sensorimotor and sensory activation tasks. On average, the sensorimotor and sensory activation centroids were located in the postcentral gyrus, and their spatial locations were not significantly different.CONCLUSIONActive and passive activation tasks produce largely equivalent results. Presurgical mapping of the sensorimotor area can be performed with functional MR imaging using a passive palm-finger brushing task in patients who are physically unable to perform active finger-tapping or hand-squeezing sensorimotor activation tasks.