Multimodal mapping of the human face perception

描述（由申请人提供）：磁共振成像（MRI）提供了活体大脑结构和功能信息的独特组合。侵入性的，从而获得关于人类大脑功能结构的信息。然而，仅凭这些定位信息，人类大脑的信息处理“如何”这一关键问题就会变得模糊不清。这项建议的总体目标是双重的。首先，我们的目标是定义一种新的方法，用于大脑结构的功能和“轴突”特征的多模式映射。为此，通过利用超高磁场7特斯拉的磁体，我们假设“扩散张量成像”（DTI）与亚毫米分辨率7特斯拉的功能性MRI相结合，将提供人类体内功能域和潜在神经回路之间的第一个直接对应关系。这个新方法将用于第二个目标。在这里，高分辨率弥散张量成像（DTI）将与超高分辨率功能磁共振成像（fMRI）一起从人类腹侧视觉流中获得，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，但其计算能力的实际神经回路仍然难以捉摸。我们假设，本研究提出的在7特斯拉中结合使用fMRI和DTI将提供人类枕腹区功能域与底层皮层回路之间极其精细的对应关系。为此，我们特别假设，与来自同一区域的月面选择性体素相比，人类梭状回面部区（FFA）中的“脸”选择性元音与其余腹侧和/或背侧视觉通路的连接模式不同。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，视觉神经科学，计算神经科学和功能磁共振成像数据处理。

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.