Artifact reduction in simultaneous EEG and fMRI recordings

描述（由申请人提供）：了解人类大脑功能的神经基础需要了解信息处理的空间和时间方面。功能磁共振成像（fMRI）和脑电图（EEG）在空间和时间分辨率方面是互补的脑成像技术；因此，将功能磁共振成像和脑电图相结合，对于检查大脑功能背后的感觉和认知过程的时空动态具有很大的希望。在同一会话中获取fMRI和EEG数据的主要优点是这两种类型的数据反映了相同的神经过程。然而，在充分实现这种方法的好处之前，必须克服一些技术问题。特别是，在扫描仪中获取的脑电图数据受到伪影的严重污染，这大大降低了数据的质量。该提案汇集了一个强大的多学科研究团队，以解决与同时采集，验证和分析EEG和fMRI数据相关的重大技术问题。我们建议开发，测试和验证在3T时同时进行EEG-fMRI采集的伪影减少的新程序。为了实现这一目标，我们将：(1)使用计算机模拟来比较我们的新伪影去除程序与当前程序的性能，(2)建立一个物理幻象来产生3T磁铁中的已知电流源，并用它来验证和量化我们程序的有效性，以及(3)使用连续的，平均的和单次试验的脑电图来证明我们的程序可以成功恢复与任务相关的大脑反应。所提出的研究将为最佳的EEG-fMRI记录和分析技术提供重要的新信息，从而有助于充分发挥其在人脑研究中的潜力。我们的研究结果也将推动研究精神、神经和神经发育障碍的神经基础的新方法的发展。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Understanding the neural basis of human brain function requires knowledge about the spatial and temporal aspects of information processing. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) represent complementary brain imaging techniques in terms of their spatial and temporal resolution; hence, combining fMRI and EEG holds great promise for examining the spatial and temporal dynamics of sensory and cognitive processes underlying brain function. The main advantage of acquiring fMRI and EEG data in the same session is that the two types of data reflect the same neural process. However, a number of technical problems must be overcome before the benefits of this approach can be fully realized. In particular, EEG data acquired in the scanner is heavily contaminated by artifacts which can significantly reduce the quality of the data. This proposal brings together a strong multidisciplinary research team to solve major technical problems related to the acquisition, validation and analysis of simultaneous EEG and fMRI data. We propose to develop, test and validate novel procedures for artifact reduction in simultaneous EEG-fMRI acquisition at 3T. To achieve this goal, we will: (1) use computer simulations to compare the performance of our new artifact removal procedures with current procedures, (2) build a physical phantom to generate known current sources in the 3T magnet, and use it to validate and quantify the effectiveness of our procedures, and (3) use continuous, averaged and single-trial EEGs to demonstrate that our procedures can successfully recover task-relevant brain responses. The proposed studies will contribute important new information about optimal EEG-fMRI recording and analysis techniques, thereby helping to realize their full potential in human brain research. Findings from our study will also propel the development of new approaches to investigate the neural bases of psychiatric, neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders.