Core 1 - Acquisition

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Magnetic Resonance (MR) Imaging (MRI) and Spectroscopy (MRS) are among the most powerful tools to investigate brain structure, function and neurochemistry. The richness and accuracy of these structural, functional and neurochemical information are critically linked to data quality, for which high and ultra-high systems offer major advantages, notably superior signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), spatial and spectral resolution. The goal of this Core is to accelerate, broaden and enhance a large array of ambitious neuroscience research, providing necessary support and infrastructure to allow a large community of NINDS funded investigators to benefit from advanced MRI and MRS methodologies and instrumentation to study brain structure and function. This Core will thus expand the access for neuroscientists, to the exceptional high and ultrahigh field MR resources available at CMRR, including seven human MR systems operating at 3T (x3), 4T, 7T (x2) and 10.5T, and two animals MR systems operating at 9.4T and 16.4T. We propose the following specific aims: Aim 1: To provide technical expertise and assistance in acquiring MRI and multinuclear MRS data to support brain research in humans and animals in vivo. Aim 2: To provide expertise in programming specialized MRI and MRS pulse sequences, and in optimizing sequence and acquisition protocol parameters for experimental needs of projects supported by the NINDS Institutional Center Cores for both human (3T, 4T, 7T, 10.5T) and animal (9.4T, 16.4T) systems on instruments operated with Varian or Siemens platforms. Aim 3: To build, maintain and customize high performance multi-channel RF coils for human and animal studies, compatible with stimulus presentation, monitoring device or other required experimental equipment, in order to enable large scale MR data acquisition on all systems, while performing RF coil and scanner quality control and ensuring subject safety.