Difference between revisions of "2014 Project Week:BrainAging"

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* Brain connectivity loss due to traumatic brain injury, stroke or multiple sclerosis can have serious consequences on life quality and a measurable impact upon neural and cognitive function.  
 
* Brain connectivity loss due to traumatic brain injury, stroke or multiple sclerosis can have serious consequences on life quality and a measurable impact upon neural and cognitive function.  
 
* Though brain network properties are known to be affected disproportionately by traumatic brain injury to certain gray matter regions, the manner in which white matter insults affect such properties remains poorly understood
 
* Though brain network properties are known to be affected disproportionately by traumatic brain injury to certain gray matter regions, the manner in which white matter insults affect such properties remains poorly understood
* In this project, we seek to combine network-theoretic analysis with 3D Slicer analysis in order to identify the subset of macroscopic neural connections in the adult human brain which are particularly sensitive to network lesioning
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* In this project, we seek to use 3D Slicer as a tool for identifying the subset of macroscopic neural connections in the adult human brain which are particularly sensitive to network lesioning, and which lead to accelerated aging of the human brain
 
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<h3>Approach, Plan</h3>
 
<h3>Approach, Plan</h3>
* we intend to implement systematic lesion analysis of brain connectivity matrices obtained from diffusion neuroimaging over a large sample (N=110) and processed using 3D Slicer
 
 
* MRI and DTI volumes will be co-registered in 3D Slicer before further analysis
 
* MRI and DTI volumes will be co-registered in 3D Slicer before further analysis
* connectivity matrices will be computed, pooled across subjects and averaged to compute probabilistic connectivity values
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* connectivity will be analyzed using 3D Slicer tractography tools
* Slicer will be used to record the average length of the fibers connecting every pair of brain regions
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* a multivariate regression model will be implemented to understand which brain connections can be used as biomarkers of effective brain age
* the average fractional anisotropy (FA) of each fiber line as reconstructed via tractography in Slicer will be recorded
 
 
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<h3>Progress</h3>
 
<h3>Progress</h3>
 
* we have used 3D Slicer to assist the analysis of TBI effects upon brain connectivity
 
* we have used 3D Slicer to assist the analysis of TBI effects upon brain connectivity
* we found that certain portions of the paracentral lobule and  
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* we found that the integrity of WM connections which innervate the paracentral lobule, postcentral sulcus and parieto-occipital sulcus can be used as biomarkers of effective brain age
 
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Latest revision as of 06:10, 10 January 2014

Home < 2014 Project Week:BrainAging

Key Investigators

Andrei Irimia, PhD (Institute for Neuroimaging and Informatics, University of Southern California)

John D. Van Horn, PhD (Institute for Neuroimaging and Informatics, University of Southern California)

Project Description

Objective

  • Brain connectivity loss due to traumatic brain injury, stroke or multiple sclerosis can have serious consequences on life quality and a measurable impact upon neural and cognitive function.
  • Though brain network properties are known to be affected disproportionately by traumatic brain injury to certain gray matter regions, the manner in which white matter insults affect such properties remains poorly understood
  • In this project, we seek to use 3D Slicer as a tool for identifying the subset of macroscopic neural connections in the adult human brain which are particularly sensitive to network lesioning, and which lead to accelerated aging of the human brain

Approach, Plan

  • MRI and DTI volumes will be co-registered in 3D Slicer before further analysis
  • connectivity will be analyzed using 3D Slicer tractography tools
  • a multivariate regression model will be implemented to understand which brain connections can be used as biomarkers of effective brain age

Progress

  • we have used 3D Slicer to assist the analysis of TBI effects upon brain connectivity
  • we found that the integrity of WM connections which innervate the paracentral lobule, postcentral sulcus and parieto-occipital sulcus can be used as biomarkers of effective brain age