MENTAL RETARDATION RESEARCH CENTER, NEUROIMAGING CORE (MRRC)

该子项目是利用NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源的许多研究子项目之一。子项目和研究者（PI）可能从另一个NIH来源获得主要资金，因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。所列机构为中心，不一定是研究者所在机构。Denckla博士的研究的总体目标是更好地了解学习障碍的起源，并根据这些信息，设计干预技能的方法。研究的主要部分涉及认知/信息处理和/或神经生理和行为因素的研究。因此，定量神经成像是该合作者的主要兴趣。这项研究有几个方面与资源的合作是极其重要的。首先，Denckla博士的研究对象中有很大一部分是儿童，他们需要一个特殊的环境才能舒适地参与扫描。Kirby Center（Philips Gyroscan ACS-NT）中的磁体是唯一的，因为它们具有所有1.5T和3 T扫描仪中最短的孔径。孔可以从后面和前面进入，并允许儿童与其护理人员保持目光接触。这种儿童友好的MR成像环境预计将大大减少镇静的要求，因为孩子更放心。柯比中心还包含一个模拟扫描仪，儿童或其他受试者可以在其中接受训练，以保持静止并在磁铁中执行任务。Denckla博士和资源工作人员将与Kennedy Krieger的儿童心理学家一起致力于优化非镇静儿童的成像。后者是重要的，因为它是预期的功能测试，这些儿童可以提供急需的信息，他们的行为在一个定量的可重复的方式。Denckla博士的研究涉及本资源申请中提出的所有开发项目。项目1中用于改进图像配准和处理的血流和氧合方法和技术的设计与建立定量fMRI结果相关，该结果可用作儿童发育变化的基线。项目2中的光谱学工具将用于确定正常儿童的神经递质和其他大脑化学物质的水平。虽然我们目前正在对几种疾病的镇静生病儿童进行这样的研究（见其他合作和服务项目），这些冗长的光谱研究也需要正常的参考。根据目前的医院规则，正常人的镇静是不允许的，快速光谱成像协议的设计对此至关重要。项目3中的目标1将首次提供将发育障碍儿童的大脑布线与正常儿童进行比较的可能性。有几个协议需要开发和测试，特别是清醒的正常人的研究。在项目4中开发的新方法将是至关重要的，在建立大脑区域的形状，并结合所有不同的MRI和MRS方法的结果，将被评估为一个功能的发展阶段的一般地图。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The general goal of Dr. Denckla's research is to understand better the origins of learning disabilities and, based on this information, design approaches for interventional skills. A main part of the research concerns the study of cognitive/information processing and/or neurophysiological and behavioral factors. As such, quantitative neuroimaging is a main interest for this collaborator. There are several aspects to this research for which collaboration with the resource is extremely important. First of all, a large fraction of the subjects for Dr. Denckla's research are children, which require a special environment to feel comfortable to participate in the scanning. The magnets in the Kirby Center (Philips Gyroscan ACS-NT) are unique in that they have the shortest bore available of all 1.5T and 3 T scanners. The bore is accessible from the back and the front and allows the child to keep eye contact with its care giver. This child-friendly environment for MR imaging is expected to drastically reduce the requirements for sedation because the child is more at ease. The Kirby Center also contains a mock scanner in which the children or other subjects can be trained to hold still and perform tasks in the magnet. Together with the child psychologists at Kennedy Krieger, Dr. Denckla and the Resource staff will work on optimizing the imaging of non-sedated children. The latter is important because it is expected that functional testing of these children can provide much needed information on their behavior in a quantitative reproducible manner. Dr. Denckla's research relates to all of the development projects proposed in this resource application. The design of flow and oxygenation methods and techniques for improved image registration and processing in Project 1 is relevant to establish quantitative fMRI results that can be used as baseline while following developmental changes in children. The spectroscopy tools in project 2 will be used to determine levels of neurotransmitters and other brain chemicals with respect to normal children. Although we are presently performing such studies in sedated sick children for several disorders (see other collaboration and Service Projects), these lengthy spectroscopy studies also need normal references. Sedation of normals is not permitted under present hospital rules and the design of a fast spectroscopic imaging protocol is crucial for this. Aim 1 in Project 3 will, for the first time, provide the possibility to compare the wiring in the brains of children with developmental d isorders to that of normal children. Several protocols need to be developed and tested, especially for the study of awake normals. The new methods being developed in project 4 will be crucial in establishing shapes of brain regions and in combining the results of all different MRI and MRS methodologies in general maps that will be assessed as a function of developmental stage.