Defining Human Cortical Functional Areas Using Resting Functional Connectivity

描述(由申请人提供)： 这项研究的目的是利用人类大脑活动的内在持续波动来描绘个体的皮质功能区。在活人身上定义功能区目前只有一小部分区域是可能的。因此，为个体生成皮质范围的功能区地图将允许更准确和更有功能意义的区分被利用，而不依赖于当前的立体定向或功能定位方法。目前的研究将利用静息状态下的自发波动fMRI BOLD信号(rS-fcMRI)。不同脑区的RS-fcMRI在相关强度的模式上有很强的局部性差异。然后将使用一组图像分析工具来分析这些局部差异，以探索使用RS-fcMRI措施来帮助定义广泛的功能区边界的可能性。除了在个体内提供更好的区域标记外，这种方法还允许我们直接检查不同受试者的区域范围、位置和组织的可变性，这在功能成像方面目前是极其困难的，如果不是不可能的话。如果能够在不同受试者之间勾画出全部或部分功能区域的集合并加以表征，将极大地促进群体间解剖和功能差异的研究，包括发育研究、正常或异常衰老研究或临床人口研究。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The objective of this research is to use intrinsic ongoing fluctuations in human brain activity to delineate cortical functional areas in individuals. Defining functional areas in living humans is currently only possible for a small fraction of areas. As such, the generation of cortex-wide maps of functional areas for individuals would allow for more accurate and functionally meaningful distinctions to be utilized without relying on current stereotactic or functional localizer approaches. The current study will utilize spontaneous fluctuations in the resting state fMRI BOLD signal (rs-fcMRI). rs-fcMRI across expanses of cortex show strong localized differences in patterns of correlation strength. These localized differences will then be analyzed using a set of image analysis tools to explore the plausibility of using rs-fcMRI measures to aid in the definition of widespread functional area boundaries. In addition to providing better areal labeling within individuals, this method would allow us to directly examine the variability of area extent, location, and organization across subjects, which is currently extremely difficult, if not impossible, to do with functional imaging. If the full, or even a partial, collection of functional areas can be delineated and characterized across subjects, the study of anatomical and functional differences between groups, including developmental studies, studies of normal or abnormal aging, or clinical population studies will be greatly facilitated.