• Applied Microscopy
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.179-183
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• 2016

Mapping brain structural and functional connections through the whole brain is essential for understanding brain mechanisms and the physiological bases of brain diseases. Although region specific structural or functional deficits cause brain diseases, the changes of interregional connections could also be important factors of brain diseases. This review will introduce common neuroimaging modalities, including structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional MRI (fMRI), diffusion tensor imaging, and other recent neuroimaging analyses methods, such as voxel-based morphometry, cortical thickness analysis, local gyrification index, and shape analysis for structural imaging. Tract-Based Spatial Statistics, TRActs Constrained by UnderLying Anatomy for diffusion MRI, and independent component analysis for fMRI also will also be introduced.

• Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.512-527
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• 2018

This review provides a comprehensive overview of brain imaging studies of the brain-gut interaction in functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs). Functional neuroimaging studies during gut stimulation have shown enhanced brain responses in regions related to sensory processing of the homeostatic condition of the gut (homeostatic afferent) and responses to salience stimuli (salience network), as well as increased and decreased brain activity in the emotional response areas and reduced activation in areas associated with the top-down modulation of visceral afferent signals. Altered central regulation of the endocrine and autonomic nervous responses, the key mediators of the brain-gut axis, has been demonstrated. Studies using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging reported abnormal local and global connectivity in the areas related to pain processing and the default mode network (a physiological baseline of brain activity at rest associated with self-awareness and memory) in FGIDs. Structural imaging with brain morphometry and diffusion imaging demonstrated altered gray- and white-matter structures in areas that also showed changes in functional imaging studies, although this requires replication. Molecular imaging by magnetic resonance spectroscopy and positron emission tomography in FGIDs remains relatively sparse. Progress using analytical methods such as machine learning algorithms may shift neuroimaging studies from brain mapping to predicting clinical outcomes. Because several factors contribute to the pathophysiology of FGIDs and because its population is quite heterogeneous, a new model is needed in future studies to assess the importance of the factors and brain functions that are responsible for an optimal homeostatic state.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2014

Normal aging causes changes in the brain volume, connection, function and cognition. The brain changes with increases in age and difference of gender varies at all levels. Studies about normal brain aging using various brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) variables such as gray and white matter structural imaging, proton spectroscopy, apparent diffusion coefficient, diffusion tensor imaging and functional MRI are reviewed. Total volume of brain increases after birth but decreases after 9 years old. During adulthood, total volume of brain is relatively stable. After 35 years old, brain shrinks gradually. The changes of gray and white matters by aging show different features. N-acetylaspartate decreases or remains unchanged but choline, creatine and myo-inositol increase with aging. Apparent diffusion coefficient decreases till 20 years old and then becomes stable during adulthood and increase after 60 years old. Diffusion tensor properties in white matter tissue are variable during aging. Resting-state functional connectivity decreases after middle age. Structural and functional brain changes with normal aging are important for studying various psychiatric diseases such as dementia, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Our review may be helpful for studying longitudinal changes of these diseases and successful aging.

• Proceedings of the Optical Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.02a
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• pp.359-360
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• 2006

Functional photoacoustic tomography is a new non-invasive imaging modality, and it is emerging as a very practical method for imaging biological tissue structures by means of laser-induced ultrasound. Structures with high optical absorption, such as blood vessels, can be imaged with the spatial resolution of ultrasound, which is not limited by the strong light scattering in biological tissues. By varying wavelengths of the laser light and acquiring photoacoustic images, optical absorption spectrum of each image pixel is found. Since the biochemical constituents of tissues determine the spectrum, useful functional information like oxygen saturation ($SO_2$) and total haemoglobin concentration (HbT) can be extracted. In this study, as a proof-of-principle experiment, hypoxic brain tumor vasculature and traumatic brain injury (TBI) of small animal brain are imaged with functional photoacoustic tomography. High resolution brain vasculature images of oxygen saturation and total hemoglobin concentration are provided to visualize hypoxic tumor vasculature, and hemorrhage on the cortex surface by the TBI.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.26-36
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• 2024

Functional brain imaging techniques have been used to diagnose psychiatric disorders such as dementia, depression, and autism. Recently, these techniques have also been actively used to study hearing loss. The present study reviewed the application of the functional brain imaging techniques in auditory research, especially those focusing on hearing loss, over the past decade. EEG, fMRI, fNIRS, MEG, and PET have been utilized in auditory research, and the number of research studies using these techniques has been increasing. In particular, fMRI and EEG were the most frequently used technique in auditory research. EEG studies mostly used event-related designs to analyze the direct relationship between stimulus and the related response, and in fMRI studies, resting-state functional connectivity and block designs were utilized to analyze alterations in brain functionality in hearing-related areas. In terms of age, while studies involving children mainly focused on congenital and pre- and post-lingual hearing loss to analyze developmental characteristics with and without hearing loss, those involving adults focused on age-related hearing loss to investigate changes in the characteristics of the brain based on the presence of hearing loss and the use of a hearing device. Overall, ranging from EEG to PET, various functional brain imaging techniques have been used in auditory research, but it is difficult to perform a comprehensive analysis due to the lack of consistency in experimental designs, analysis methods, and participant characteristics. Thus, it is necessary to develop standardized research protocols to obtain high-quality clinical and research evidence.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.49-62
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• 2007

The higher cognitive functions of the human brain including teaming are hypothesized to be selectively distributed across large-scale neural networks interconnected to the cortical and subcortical areas. Recently, advances in functional imaging have made it possible to visualize the brain areas activated by certain cognitive activities in vivo. Neural substrates for teaming and motivation have also begun to be revealed. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) provides a non-invasive indirect mapping of cerebral activity, based on the blood- oxygen level dependent (BOLD) contrast which is based on the localized hemodynamic changes following neural activities in certain areas of the brain. The fMRI method is now becoming an essential tool used to define the neuro-functional mechanisms of higher brain functions such as memory, language, attention, learning, plasticity and emotion. Further research in the field of education will accelerate the verification of the effects on loaming or help in the selection of model teaching strategies. Thus, the purpose of this study was to review brain study methods using fMRI in science education. In conclusion, a number of possible strategies using fMRI for the study of elementary science education were suggested.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.209-217
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• 2004

Evaluation of dementia in patients with early symptoms of cognitive decline is clinically challenging, but the need for early, accurate diagnosis has become more crucial, since several medication for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer' disease are available. Many neurodegenerative diseases produce significant brain function alteration even when structural imaging (CT or MRI) reveal no specific abnormalities. The role of PET and SPECT brain imaging in the initial assessment and differential diagnosis of dementia is beginning to evolve vapidly and growing evidence indicates that appropriate incorporation of PET into the clinical work up can improve diagnostic and prognostic accuracy with respect to Alzheimer's disease, the most common cause of dementia in the geriatric population. in the fast few years, studios comparing neuropathologic examination with PET have established reliable and consistent accuracy for diagnostic evaluations using PET - accuracies substantially exceeding those of comparable studies of diagnostic value of SPECT or of both modalities assessed side by side, or of clinical evaluations done without nuclear imaging. This review deals the role of functional brain imaging techniques in the evaluation of dementias and the role of nuclear neuroimaging in the early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.66-74
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• 1996

There has been an increase in head trauma due to rapid industralization and improvement in transportation. This poses difficulties in differentiating between neuropsychiatric disabilities resulting from real organic changes and those arising from compensation issues. It is the purpose of this study to seek out the differences between normal and abnormal finding group in the structural brain imaging studies via the results of the functional brain imaging studies and psychological tests. Out of 132 subjects, 62 comprised normal and 70 the abnormal finding group. EEG and SPECT were chosen for inspection of functional brain imaging. MMPI and K-WAIS were chosen for psychological test. The subjects were further divided into right hemispheric damage, left hemispheric damage, both hemispheric damage, diffuse damage group and negative group in order to find out whether any differences in the psychological lest results could be localized. The results are as follows : 1) The abnormal finding group, the EEG and SPECT were proven to be a good predictor of brain lesion. This implies that even in the functional brain studies, abnormalities are more easily detected if there are visible brain lesions. 2) The FSIQ of the abnormal finding group is lower than that of normal finding group. this difference is mainly due to low V1Q. The left hemispheric damage group lend to shaw low V1Q. This lowered in was the difference between left hemispheric damage group and negative group. Furthermore, there were no group differences in the PIQ. It is concluded that K-WAIS is effective as evaluator of VIQ mainly of those patients with left hemispheric damage and it is ineffective as a evaluator of PIQ. 3) In the MMPI profile, the both groups displayed high neurotic profiles. There was no difference in the psychotic profiles. The scores of the Depression and Hystery were high in abnormal finding group. This can be seen as one of the lypical findings of chronic head trauma patients. 4) The abnormal finding group tend to be diagnosed as organic mental disorder in the psychological tests more frequently.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.26-31
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• 2006

Purpose : To evaluate the effect of global scaling analysis on brain activation for sensory and motor functional MR imaging study. Materials and methods : Four normal subjects without abnormal neurological history were included. Arm extension-flexion movement was used for motor function and 1KHz pure tone stimulation was used for auditory function. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed at 3T MRI (GE, Milwaukee, USA) using BOLD-EPI technique and SPM2 was employed for data analysis. On data analysis, the brain activation images were obtained with and without global scaling by fixing other parameters such as motion correction and realignment. Results : The difference in brain activation between no scaling and global scaling was not large in case of right upper extremity movement (p<0.000001). For auditory test, brain activation with global scaling showed larger activation than that of without global scaling (p<0.05). Conclusion : A caution must be taken into account when analyzing functional imaging data with global scaling especially for functional study of small local BOLD signal change.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.23-35
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• 2021

Fear conditioning and extinction, which are adaptive processes to learn and avoid potential threats, have essential roles in the pathophysiology of anxiety disorders. Experimental fear conditioning and extinction have been used to identify the mechanism of fear and anxiety in humans. However, the brain-based mechanisms of fear conditioning and extinction are yet to be established. In the current review, we summarized the results of neuroimaging studies that examined the brain changes-functional activity and structures-regarding fear conditioning or extinction in healthy individuals. The functional activity of the amygdala, insula, anterior cingulate gyrus, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus changed dynamically with both fear conditioning and extinction. This review may provide an up-to-date summary that may broaden our understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms of anxiety disorder. In addition, the brain regions that are involved in the fear conditioning and extinction may be considered as potential treatment targets in the future studies.