Robotically-actuated, low-noise, concurrent TMS-EEG-fMRI system

摘要 具有空间和时间精度的非侵入性调制和成像大脑的能力是非常期望的 来了解健康和疾病中的大脑回路。经颅磁刺激（TMS）是一种用于治疗 以高的空间和时间精度刺激表层皮层，其效果可以针对更深的 通过利用大脑回路的跨突触连接来实现目标。功能磁共振成像 功能磁共振成像（fMRI）具有高的空间分辨率，但有限的时间精度，相反， 脑电图（EEG）。这三种非侵入性电磁方法最近被 以实现脑的同时调制和成像的高空间和时间精度。这 然而，该方法具有各种显著的技术限制，包括相互电磁伪影 降低信噪比并延迟成像/EEG数据的采集，TMS声噪声协同 激活听觉通路，以及无法自适应调整MRI扫描仪内的TMS线圈位置 以达到最佳目标该项目的总体目标是通过开发和 整合了一系列新技术。我们将开发一种紧凑，节能，安静，以及磁共振成像- 和脑电图兼容的TMS线圈TMS线圈将由定制的MRI兼容机器人系统驱动， 允许基于成像反馈自适应地优化线圈位置和取向。神经回路 对刺激的反应将用一种新开发的灵活的、符合头部的MRI阵列进行成像。 结合局部磁场匀场和RF接收的线圈，以实现高信噪比和快速 图像采集脑活动将在TMS前后同时记录， 时间分辨率和低噪声使用一种新的无线脑电图系统。为了应对技术挑战， 我们的团队已经开发了几个突破性的技术， 协同工作的技术，以减少或消除系统组件之间的耦合， 提高了刺激精度和成像速度及灵敏度。一旦开发出来， TMS-EEG-fMRI系统将能够在MRI扫描仪内系统地询问人脑电路， 这是目前技术无法实现的。的 集成系统将易于使用，平台竞争，从而具有立即和 可扩展的影响。首次自适应优化TMS线圈在MRI扫描仪中的放置， 证明了大脑状态触发的深层大脑目标的参与。总之，提出的机器人- 驱动的TMS-EEG-fMRI系统将使调制和成像的大脑回路与增强的解剖 和功能的精确性，可以导致神经科学研究和治疗干预的进步。

Abstract The ability to noninvasively modulate and image the brain with spatial and temporal precision is highly desirable for understanding brain circuits in health and disease. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a method for stimulating the superficial cortex with high spatial and temporal precision, and its effects can be aimed at deeper targets by leveraging the trans-synaptic connectivity of brain circuits. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has high spatial resolution but limited temporal precision, and the opposite holds for electroencephalography (EEG). These three noninvasive electromagnetic methods have recently been combined to achieve high spatial and temporal precision of concurrent modulation and imaging of the brain. This approach, however, has various significant technical limitations, including mutual electromagnetic artifacts decreasing the signal-to-noise ratio and delaying the acquisition of imaging/EEG data, TMS acoustic noise co- activating auditory pathways, and the inability to adaptively adjust the TMS coil position within the MRI scanner for optimal targeting. The overarching objective of this project is to address these limitations by developing and integrating an array of novel technologies. We will develop a compact, energy efficient, quiet, as well as MRI- and EEG-compatible TMS coil. The TMS coil will be actuated with a custom MRI-compatible robotic system, allowing adaptive optimization of the coil position and orientation based on imaging feedback. The neural circuit responses to the stimulation will be imaged with a newly developed a flexible, head-conforming array of MRI coils combining local magnetic field shimming and RF receiving to achieve high signal-to-noise ratio and fast image acquisition. The brain activity will be simultaneously recorded both before and after TMS with high temporal resolution and low noise using a novel wireless EEG system. To meet the technical challenges of creating such as a system operating inside MRI scanners, our team has developed several breakthrough technologies that will work synergistically to reduce or eliminate couplings between system components and enhance the stimulation precision and imaging speed and sensitivity. Once developed, the robotically-actuated TMS-EEG-fMRI system will enable systematic interrogation of human brain circuits inside an MRI scanner with spatial and temporal flexibility and precision that are impossible to achieve with current technology. The integrated system will be easy-to-use, and platform-agonistic thus having the potential for immediate and scalable impact. First-time adaptive optimization of the TMS coil placement in the MRI scanner will be demonstrated for brain-state-triggered engagement of a deep brain target. In summary, the proposed robotically- actuated TMS-EEG-fMRI system will enable modulation and imaging of brain circuits with enhanced anatomical and functional precision that can lead to advances in neuroscience research and therapeutic interventions.