Multimodal mapping of the human face perception

描述（由申请人提供）：磁共振成像（MRI）非侵入性地提供了活脑结构和功能信息的独特组合，从而产生有关人脑功能结构位置的信息。然而，这种定位信息本身必须留下关于人类大脑信息处理的“如何”的关键问题。这项建议的总体目标有两个方面。首先，我们的目标是定义一种新的方法多模式映射的功能和“轴突”签名的大脑的架构。为此，通过利用超高场7特斯拉磁体，我们假设“扩散张量成像”（DTI）结合7特斯拉的亚毫米分辨率功能性MRI将提供人体内功能域与潜在神经元回路之间的第一个直接对应关系。这种新方法将用于第二个目标。在这里，高分辨率扩散张量成像（DTI）将与超高分辨率功能磁共振成像从人类腹侧视觉流，包括梭状面区（FFA）。虽然FFA已被确定为人脸和复杂物体处理的主要候选者，但实际的神经回路使其计算能力提高仍然难以捉摸。我们假设，结合使用功能磁共振成像和DTI在7特斯拉在这项研究中提出的将提供非常细粒度的对应关系之间的功能域在人类枕腹侧区和底层的皮层电路。为此，我们特别假设，在人类梭形面部区域（FFA）的“脸”选择元音不同的连接模式，其余的腹侧和/或背侧视觉通路相比，从同一地区的moonfaced选择体素。该研究网络由代表广泛研究专业知识的研究人员组成，包括认知神经成像MR物理学，视觉神经科学，计算神经科学和fMRI数据处理。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides an unique combination of structural and functional information of the living brain non.invasively, thus yielding information about the where of the human brain's functional architecture. Such localization information alone however must leave pivotal questions about the "HOW" of the human brain's information processing obscured. The overall objective of this proposal is twofold. First, we aim to define a novel method for multimode mapping of the functional and "axonal" signatures of the brain's architecture. To this end, by taking advantage of the ultra-high field 7 Tesla magnet, we hypothesize that "Diffusion Tensor Imaging" (DTI) in combination with sub millimeter resolution functional MRI at 7 Tesla will provide the very first direct correspondences between the functional domains and the underlying neuronal circuitry in humans in vivo. This new method will then be used for the second aim. Here, high resolution Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) will be acquired in conjunction with ultra-high resolution fMRI from the human ventral visual stream including the Fusiform Face Area (FFA). While FFA has been determined as the prime candidate or human face and complex object processing, the actual neural circuitry-giving rising to its computational capabilities remain elusive. We hypothesize that the combined use fMRI and DTI in 7 Tesla as proposed in this study will provide exceedingly fine grained correspondences between functional domains in human occipito-ventral areas and the underlying cortical circuitry. To this end, we specifically hypothesize that the "face" selective vowels in the human Fusiform Face Area (FFA) differ in their connectivity pattern to the rest of the ventral and/or dorsal visual pathway in comparison to the moonfaced selective voxels from the same area. This research network consists of investigators representing a vast range of research expertises including cognitive neuroimaging MR physics, visual neurosciences, computational neurosciences, and fMRI data processing.