An image-guided neurosurgical workstation

描述（由申请人提供）：在过去的几十年里，在理解完整大脑中高级认知功能的神经元机制方面取得了巨大的进步，但这一领域的研究仍然受到精确定位大脑结构的挑战的严重限制。磁共振成像提供了有关大脑结构的详细信息，但这项技术需要与手术室的外科手术相结合，以充分利用其力量。在临床领域，功能神经外科手术可以结合MRI信息使用图像引导神经外科工作站。这些仪器允许外科医生使用先前获得的高分辨率MRI （< 1mm）来注册手术工具，因此可以精确地针对任何数量的大脑结构。手术效果和患者健康的显著改善意味着这项技术现在是人类工作的标准。这是一个图像引导神经外科工作站的提议，将显著提高纽约大学正在进行的研究的效率，研究高级认知功能的大脑机制。纽约大学有大量的研究人员在这一领域研究非人类灵长类动物的视觉发展、感知、行动、学习和记忆。在这一领域的理解将提高我们诊断和治疗精神健康障碍的能力，开发翻译技术，如皮质假体，以帮助瘫痪患者，并了解疾病，如强迫行为和赌博。该仪器将被纳入纽约大学现有的动物外科设备，并指导本研究所需的电生理设备的植入。纽约大学已经有了一个最先进的脑成像中心，支持对人类和动物的研究。该仪器将利用现有的优势进一步研究目标。最终，它将提高当前研究的生产力，实现新的研究方向，并加强动物健康和安全。相关性：如果没有大脑地图，研究大脑在感知和运动计划等认知过程中的神经元活动是很困难的，因为有许多小的大脑区域执行这些功能，它们可能位于不同学科的不同位置。该提案要求建立一个先进的神经外科工作站，该工作站可以在手术过程中将磁共振成像的大脑图谱与手术工具结合起来，指导大脑研究。这将使我们能够快速、轻松地找到大脑区域，并研究它们如何协同工作，以目前无法实现的方式产生认知。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The past several decades have seen great strides in understanding the neuronal mechanisms of higher cognitive function in the intact brain, but research in this area is still seriously limited by the challenge of precisely targeting brain structures. Magnetic resonance imaging provides detailed information about brain structure, but this technology needs to be properly integrated with surgical procedures in the operating room to take full advantage of its power. In the clinical arena, functional neurosurgical procedures can be combined with MRI information using image-guided neurosurgical workstations. These instruments allow a surgeon to register surgical tools with a previously acquired MRI with high-resolution (<1 mm) and so precisely target any number of brain structures. The dramatic improvements in surgical outcomes and patient health mean this technology is now standard for work in humans. This proposal is for an image-guided neurosurgical workstation that will significantly increase the efficiency of on-going research at New York University into the brain mechanisms of higher cognitive functions. NYU has a significant number of investigators with research programs in this area studying visual development, perception, action, learning and memory in non-human primates. Understanding in this area will advance our ability to diagnose and treat mental health disorders, develop translational technologies such as cortical prostheses to help paralyzed patients, and understand disorders such as compulsive behavior and gambling. The instrument will be incorporated into the existing animal surgical facility at NYU and guide implantation of electrophysiology equipment necessary for this research. NYU already has a state-of-the-art Center for Brain Imaging that supports research into humans and animals. This instrument will leverage this existing strength to further research goals. Ultimately it will increase the productivity of current research, enable new research directions, and enhance animal health and safety. Relevance: Studying neuronal activity in the brain during cognitive processes like perception and movement planning is hard without a map of the brain because there are many small brain regions that perform these functions, and they can be in different places in different subjects. This proposal requests an advanced neurosurgical workstation that can guide studies of the brain by combining a map of the brain taken with magnetic resonance imaging with surgical tools during a surgery. This will let us quickly and easily find brain areas and investigate how they work together to give rise to cognition in ways that are currently unfeasible.