• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.223-232
• /
• 2017

Purpose: To report the use of multiband accelerated echo-planar imaging (EPI) for resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) to achieve rapid high temporal resolution at 3T compared to conventional EPI. Materials and Methods: rs-fMRI data were acquired from 20 healthy right-handed volunteers by using three methods: conventional single-band gradient-echo EPI acquisition (Data 1), multiband gradient-echo EPI acquisition with 240 volumes (Data 2) and 480 volumes (Data 3). Temporal signal-to-noise ratio (tSNR) maps were obtained by dividing the mean of the time course of each voxel by its temporal standard deviation. The resting-state sensorimotor network (SMN) and default mode network (DMN) were estimated using independent component analysis (ICA) and a seed-based method. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed between the tSNR map, SMN, and DMN from the three data sets for between-group analysis. P < 0.05 with a family-wise error (FWE) correction for multiple comparisons was considered statistically significant. Results: One-way ANOVA and post-hoc two-sample t-tests showed that the tSNR was higher in Data 1 than Data 2 and 3 in white matter structures such as the striatum and medial and superior longitudinal fasciculus. One-way ANOVA revealed no differences in SMN or DMN across the three data sets. Conclusion: Within the adapted metrics estimated under specific imaging conditions employed in this study, multiband accelerated EPI, which substantially reduced scan times, provides the same quality image of functional connectivity as rs-fMRI by using conventional EPI at 3T. Under employed imaging conditions, this technique shows strong potential for clinical acceptance and translation of rs-fMRI protocols with potential advantages in spatial and/or temporal resolution. However, further study is warranted to evaluate whether the current findings can be generalized in diverse settings.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.91-96
• /
• 2017

Purpose: To describe technical methods for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study with arterial spin labeling (ASL) compared to blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) technique and discuss the potential of ASL for research and clinical practice. Materials and Methods: Task-based (n = 1) and resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) (n = 20) were performed using ASL and BOLD techniques. Results of both techniques were compared. Results: For task-based fMRI with finger-tapping, the primary motor cortex of the contralateral frontal lobe and the ipsilateral cerebellum were activated by both BOLD and ASL fMRI. For rs-fMRI of sensorimotor network, functional connectivity showed similar results between BOLD and ASL. Conclusion: ASL technique has potential application in clinical and research fields because all brain perfusion imaging, CBF measurement, and rs-fMRI study can be performed in a single acquisition.

• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.583-592
• /
• 2021

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental disorder in which a person repeated a particular thought or feels. The domain of beliefs and guilt predicted OCD symptoms. Although there were some neuroimaging studies investigating OCD symptoms, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) study investigating intra-network functional connectivity associated with guilt for OCD is not reported yet. Therefore, in the current study, we assessed the differences between intra-network functional connectivity of healthy control group and OCD group using independent component analysis (ICA) method. In addition, we also aimed to investigate the correlation between changed functional connectivity and guilt score in OCD. Total 86 participants, which consisted of 42 healthy control volunteers and 44 OCD patients, acquired rs-fMRI data using the 3T MRI. After preprocessing the fMRI data, a functional connectivity was used for group independent component analysis. The results showed that OCD patients had higher score in emotion state in beliefs and lower functional connectivity in fronto-parietal network (FPN) than control group. A decrease of functional connectivity in FPN was negatively correlated with feelings of guilt in OCD. Our results suggest excessive increase in guilt negatively affect to process emotional state and behavior or cognitive processing by influencing intrinsic brain activity.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
• /
• v.33 no.5
• /
• pp.377-386
• /
• 2014

Objective: In this study, we used resting-state fMRI data to map differences in functional connectivity between a comprehensive set of 8 distinct cortical and subcortical brain regions in healthy controls and Internet addicts. We also investigated the relationship between resting state connectivity strength and the level of psychopathology (ex. score of internet addiction scale and score of Barratt impulsiveness scale). Background: There is a lot of evidence of relationship between Internet addiction and impaired inhibitory control. Clinical evidence suggests that Internet addicts have a high level of impulsivity as measured by behavioral task of response inhibition and a self report questionnaire. Method: 15 Internet addicts and 15 demographically similar non-addicts participated in the current resting-state fMRI experiment. For the connectivity analysis, regions of interests (ROIs) were defined based on the previous studies of addictions. Functional connectivity assessment for each subject was obtained by correlating time-series across the ROIs, resulting in $8{\times}8$ matrixs for each subject. Within-group, functional connectivity patterns were observed by entering the z maps of the ROIs of each subject into second-level one sample t test. Two sample t test was also performed to examine between group differences. Results: Between group, the analysis revealed that the connectivity in between the orbito frontal cortex and inferior parietal cortex, between orbito frontal cortex and putamen, between the orbito frontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex, between the insula and anterior cingulate cortex, and between amydgala and insula was significantly stronger in control group than in the Internet addicts, while the connectivity in between the orbito frontal cortex and insula showed stronger negative correlation in the Internet addicts relative to control group (p < 0.001, uncorrected). No significant relationship between functional connectivity strength and current degree of Internet addiction and degree of impulsitivy was seen. Conclusion: This study found that Internet addicts had declined connectivity strength in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and other regions (e.g., ACC, IPC, and insula) during resting-state. It may reflect deficits in the OFC function to process information from different area in the corticostriatal reward network. Application: The results might help to develop theoretical modeling of Internet addiction for Internet addiction discrimination.

• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
• /
• v.24 no.5
• /
• pp.684-694
• /
• 2021

Resting-state Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging(fMRI) data detects the temporal correlations in Blood Oxygen Level Dependent(BOLD) signal and these temporal correlations are regarded to reflect intrinsic cortical connectivity, which is deactivated during attention demanding, non-self referential tasks, called Default Mode Network(DMN). The relationship between fMRI and anatomical connectivity has not been studied in detail, however, the preceded studies have tried to clarify this relationship using Diffusion Tensor Imaging(DTI) and fMRI. These studies use method that fMRI data assists DTI data or vice versa and it is used as guider to perform DTI tractography on the brain image. In this study, we hypothesized that functional connectivity in resting state would reflect anatomical connectivity of DMN and the combined images include information of fMRI and DTI showed visible connection between brain regions related in DMN. In the previous study, functional connectivity was determined by subjective region of interest method. However, in this study, functional connectivity was determined by objective and advanced method through Independent Component Analysis. There was a stronger connection between Posterior Congulate Cortex(PCC) and PHG(Parahippocampa Gyrus) than Anterior Cingulate Cortex(ACC) and PCC. This technique might be used in several clinical field and will be the basis for future studies related to aging and the brain diseases, which are needed to be translated not only functional connectivity, but structural connectivity.

• Proceedings of the Korea Information Processing Society Conference
• /
• 2023.05a
• /
• pp.13-14
• /
• 2023

뇌의 전기적 신경활동을 측정하는 뇌전도(EEG)는 저렴하게 취득할 수 있고 높은 시간 해상도를 갖는 반면 공간적 정보를 제공하지는 않는다. 기능적 자기공명영상(fMRI)은 혈류변화를 감지하여 뇌활동을 측정하는 방식으로서 높은 공간 분해능을 갖지만 고가의 비용과 설비를 요구한다. 최근 저렴하게 취득할 수 있는 EEG 데이터로부터 딥러닝을 사용하여 fMRI 합성영상을 생성하는 기술이 제안되었지만, 저주파수 대역에서 EEG와 fMRI 간의 뇌과학적 상관관계를 반영하지는 않는다. 본 연구에서는 휴식상태에서 취득된 EEG 데이터를 스펙트로그램으로 변환한 후 저주파수 특성을 사용하여 fMRI 합성영상을 생성하는 U-net 기반의 크로스 모달리티 변환 모델의 실현가능성을 평가하였다.

• Communications for Statistical Applications and Methods
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.87-104
• /
• 2024

Most functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies in resting state have assumed that the functional connectivity (FC) between time series from distinct brain regions is constant. However, increased interest has recently been in quantifying possible dynamic changes in FC during fMRI experiments. FC study may provide insight into the fundamental workings of brain networks to brain activity. In this work, we focus on the specific problem of estimating the dynamic behavior of pairwise correlations between time courses extracted from two different brain regions. We compare the sliding-window techniques such as moving average (MA) and exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA), dynamic causality with vector autoregressive (VAR) model, dynamic conditional correlation (DCC) based on volatility, and the proposed alternative methods to use differencing and recursive residuals. We investigate the properties of those techniques in a series of simulation studies. We also provide an application with major depressive disorder (MDD) patient fMRI data to demonstrate studying dynamic correlations.

• Anxiety and mood
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.143-150
• /
• 2014

Objective : The subgenual cingulate cortex, a part of default-mode network, has been known to playa key role in the pathophysiology of depression. The previous studies have reported abnormal functional connectivity between the subgenual cingulate cortex and other brain regions in the patients with depression. The goal of this shldy was to explore the resting-state functional connectivity of the subgenual cingulate cortex between the patients with depression and healthy subjects. Methods : Twenty patients with major depression and age- and sex-matched 20 healthy subjects underwent 5-minute resting state fMRI scans. The functional connectivity map in each subject was acquired using seed-based correlation analysis with the seed located in the subgenual cingulate cortex (Talairach coordinates; x=-10, y=5, z=-10). The functional connectivity maps were calculated using AFNI and compared between the patient and healthy subject group via two-sample T-test using 3dttest++ in AFNI package. Results : Functional connectivity was decreased between the subgenual cingulate cortex and both sides of fusiform gyrus in depressed subjects. Connectivity was also decreased between the subgenual cingulate cortex and the left cerebellum in the patient group. There was no correlation between the severity of depression and the degree of functional connectivity between the subgenual cingulate cortex and the regions showing decreased functional connectivity. Conclusion : Decreased resting-state functional connectivity between the subgenual cingulate cortex and both sides of fusiform gyrus, and decreased connectivity between the subgenual cingulate cortex and the left cerebellum found in the patients with major depression in comparison to the healthy subjects might be related to abnormal emotional and cognitive processing of depressed patients.

• Anxiety and mood
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.63-70
• /
• 2018

It has been suggested that aberrant self-referential processing (SRP) is one of the important components of the explanatory models of social anxiety disorder (SAD). The default mode network (DMN), which reflects intrinsic brain functions, is known to play a critical role in SRP. Recently, resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) research on the functional connectivity in the brain network has gained greater attention as a tool to elucidate the neurobiological basis of various psychiatric disorders. We reviewed resting state fMRI studies that investigated the resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) of the DMN in SAD. Despite of the heterogeneity of the analytic methods and occasional negative findings, most studies consistently reported abnormalities of RSFC within the DMN, suggesting that the DMN may be significant neural correlates of aberrant SRP in SAD. Also, changes in RSFC of the DMN are associated with clinical improvements of therapeutic interventions. Moreover, emerging findings provide the basis for potential use of RSFC as a complementary method in diagnosis of SAD. Ongoing and future research to investigate RSFC of the DMN could broaden our understanding regarding the neurobiological basis of SAD, and contribute to the development of novel treatments for SAD.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.55-64
• /
• 2019

Purpose: One of the suggested potential mechanisms of tinnitus is an alteration in perception in the neural auditory pathway. The aim of this study was to investigate the difference in laterality in functional connectivity between tinnitus patients and healthy controls using resting state functional MRI (rs-fMRI). Materials and Methods: Thirty-eight chronic tinnitus subjects and 45 age-matched healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Connectivity was investigated using independent component analysis, and the laterality index map was calculated based on auditory (AN) and dorsal attention (DAN), default mode (DMN), sensorimotor, salience (SalN), and visual networks (VNs). The laterality index (LI) of tinnitus subjects was compared with that of normal controls using region-of-interest (ROI) and voxel-based methods and a two-sample unpaired t-test. Pearson correlation was conducted to assess the associations between the LI in each network and clinical variables. Results: The AN and VN showed significant differences in LI between the two groups in ROI analysis (P < 0.05), and the tinnitus group had clusters with significantly decreased laterality of AN, SalN, and VN in voxel-based comparisons. The AN was positively correlated with tinnitus distress (tinnitus handicap inventory), and the SalN was negatively correlated with symptom duration (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that various functional networks related to psychological distress can be modified by tinnitus, and that this interrelation can present differently on the right and left sides, according to the dominance of the network.