Investigating resting-state BOLD fMRI in the human spinal cord as a means to improve imaging methods and understanding of spinal cord physiology

研究人类脊髓的静息态 BOLD fMRI，作为改进成像方法和了解脊髓生理学的一种手段

• 批准号: RGPIN-2015-06221
• 负责人: Stroman, Patrick
• 金额: $ 2.4万
• 依托单位: Queen's University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2017-01-01 至 2018-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=631537
• 关键词: Investigating; resting; state; BOLD; fMRI

Regulation of the excitability of spinal cord neurons by higher structures in the brainstem has been studied extensively and is an important component of sensory and pain perception. It is also important for quantitative MRI methods because this regulation may produce an unknown source of signal variance in time, even in the absence of a stimulus. Moreover, this descending regulation, and whether it is active and continuous, or entirely reactive to sensory or proprioceptive input, is important to our understanding of normal spinal cord function. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies in the brain have proven to be extremely valuable for our understanding of cortical function, and there is now evidence for resting-state blood oxygenation-level dependent (BOLD) fluctuations in the cord and brainstem as well. The proposed research is part of a larger research program, and aims to answer two key questions: Are the apparent resting-state BOLD fluctuations in the spinal cord related to physiological motion, or natural fluctuations in blood gases during the respiratory cycle? Do the resting-state fluctuations change during sensory, motor, or cognitive stimulation? The answers to these questions will confirm whether or not there are continual natural variations in neural activity in the spinal cord, thereby improving our understanding of spinal cord function. Determining the contributions (if any) from physiological motion and variations during respiration will help to improve the sensitivity of quantitative MRI methods in the spinal cord.

脑干高级结构对脊髓神经元兴奋性的调节已被广泛研究，并且是感觉和疼痛感知的重要组成部分。这对于定量 MRI 方法也很重要，因为即使在没有刺激的情况下，这种调节也可能会及时产生未知的信号方差来源。此外，这种下行调节，以及它是否是主动和连续的，或者完全对感觉或本体感受输入做出反应，对于我们理解正常脊髓功能很重要。大脑静息态功能磁共振成像 (fMRI) 研究已被证明对于我们了解皮质功能极其有价值，现在有证据表明脊髓和脑干存在静息态血氧水平依赖性 (BOLD) 波动以及。拟议的研究是一个更大的研究计划的一部分，旨在回答两个关键问题：脊髓中明显的静息状态大胆波动是否与生理运动有关，或者与呼吸周期期间血气的自然波动有关？感觉、运动或认知刺激期间静息态波动是否会发生变化？这些问题的答案将证实脊髓中的神经活动是否存在持续的自然变化，从而提高我们对脊髓功能的理解。确定呼吸过程中生理运动和变化的贡献（如果有）将有助于提高脊髓定量 MRI 方法的灵敏度。