Naturalistic Brain Mapping in Children with Diffuse Optical Tomography

这项赠款将开发高性能的自然光学功能成像仪器，范例， 用于绘制典型和非典型大脑发育的计算工具。一个典型的神经发育 自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）影响一般人群中1/54的儿童。因为早期 对ASD幼儿的干预已被证明可以改善结果， 在表现出行为症状之前，早期检测ASD潜在的脑功能改变 是推进治疗策略和改善疾病的必要条件。目前的大脑映射方法， 因为功能性磁共振成像（fMRI）对健康发育进程提供了有希望的灵敏度， 和非典型ASD大脑发育，但在清醒， 由于吵闹、幽闭恐怖的环境和要求儿童保持静止， 此外，许多为成人开发的成像范例不是自然主义的，并且不能很好地转化为儿童 光学神经成像，一个有前途的潜在替代功能磁共振成像，可以提供一个更自然的成像 比MRI更有经验。传统的功能近红外光谱（fNIRS）系统图像质量差， 由于稀疏的成像阵列，较新的高密度漫射光学断层扫描（HD-DOT）系统具有 改善图像质量。然而，通常与光纤一起使用的大型光电控制台和笨重的光纤， HD-DOT限制头部运动，并要求参与者保持静止，以避免运动引起的噪音。这 格兰特将开发一种独特的轻型HD-DOT系统，其大小相当于自行车头盔， 光电倍增管（SiPM）检测，以显着提高低光水平的性能。 自然主义成像范式旨在比传统的还原更接近真实生活条件 协议（例如，闪烁的棋盘图案）。理想情况下，自然主义范式使用高度吸引人的多模态 内容并且特别适合于人群（例如，幼儿）不能做出明显的行为 响应或执行重复或可预测的任务。自然主义的观看范式采用电影或 电视节目使刺激呈现具有可重复性和控制性，同时保持更大的生态 效度虽然基本的电影回归的可行性已经用HD-DOT显示，但 已经用fMRI开发的电影观看分析还没有被翻译成HD-DOT。 为了补充电影观看，我们还将推进自发脑活动映射方法。功能 休息时大脑的连通性分析已经成为人脑绘图的主要方法。然而，在这方面， 传统的FC分析依赖于双变量相关性测量，这通常容易受到混杂因素的影响 生理过程。相比之下，多变量FC（MFC）分析，在这项资助开发的HD-DOT， 提高网络测量的空间特异性、可重复性和可靠性的潜力。电影 映射将通过提供任务定位器来补充MFC，这是现代FC研究的共同特征。

This grant will develop high-performance naturalistic optical functional imaging instrumentation, paradigms, and computational tools for mapping typical and atypical brain development. An exemplar neurodevelopmental disorder, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), affects 1/54 children in the general population. Because early interventions in toddlers with ASD have been proven to result in improved outcomes, innovative methods for early detection of the alterations in brain function underlying ASD prior to manifestation of behavioral symptoms are necessary to advance treatment strategies and improve prognoses. Current brain mapping methods such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) offer promising sensitivity to healthy development progression and to atypical ASD brain development, yet pose significant methodological challenges in studies of awake, interacting children due to the loud, claustrophobic environment and the requirement for children to stay still. Further, many imaging paradigms developed for adults are not naturalistic and do not translate well to children Optical neuroimaging, a promising potential surrogate to fMRI, can provide a much more naturalistic imaging experience than MRI. While traditional functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) systems had poor image quality due to sparse imaging arrays, newer high-density diffuse optical tomography (HD-DOT) systems have improved image quality. However, the large opto-electronic consoles and bulky fiber optics typically used with HD-DOT restrict head motion and require participants to remain stationary to avoid motion induced noise. This grant will develop a unique lightweight HD-DOT system the size of a bike helmet that leverages silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) detection to dramatically improve low light level performance. Naturalistic imaging paradigms aim to recapitulate real-life conditions more closely than traditional reductive protocols (e.g., flashing checkerboard patterns). Ideally, naturalistic paradigms use highly engaging multi-modal content and are particularly well suited for populations (e.g., young children) unable to make overt behavioral responses or perform a repetitive or predictable task. Naturalistic viewing paradigms employing movies or television shows enable repeatability and control over stimulus presentation while preserving greater ecological validity. While feasibility of rudimentary movie regressors have been shown with HD-DOT, the full complexity of movie viewing analyses that has been developed with fMRI has not yet been translated to HD-DOT. To complement movie viewing, we will also advance spontaneous brain activity mapping methods. Functional connectivity analysis of the brain at rest has become a dominant approach to human brain mapping. However, traditional FC analysis rests on bivariate correlation measures that are often susceptible to confounding physiological processes. In contrast, a multi-variate FC (MFC) analysis, developed in this grant for HD-DOT, has the potential to improve the spatial specificity, repeatability, and reliability of the network measures. The movie mapping will complement MFC by providing task localizers, a common feature of modern FC Studies.