Functional MRI investigation of spinal cord resting-state networks and their physiological relevance

脊髓静息态网络的功能性 MRI 研究及其生理相关性

• 批准号: RGPIN-2020-06777
• 负责人: Stroman, Patrick
• 金额: $ 2.91万
• 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: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=746098
• 关键词: Functional; MRI; investigation; spinal; cord

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of the resting-state have provided a wealth of information about cortical function, and research in my lab has extended this capability to the brainstem (BS) and spinal cord (SC). Resting-state fMRI studies refer to coordinated blood oxygenation-level dependent (BOLD) responses that occur when no task or stimulus is applied, and therefore the neural activity corresponds with internally-directed cognition. My lab has obtained evidence that coordinated signaling in the SC, in the resting-state, is likely related to descending regulation of SC excitability, via the BS. The concept of resting-state coordination thus extends to the entire central nervous system, and to functions other than cognition. Research in my lab to date has demonstrated the primary sources of physiological noise in fMRI data, their relative contributions, and how to reduce/remove them. This enabled us to confirm that there is extensive coordination within and across BS and SC regions in the resting-state, and to begin to investigate how this coordination is altered by cognitive processes. The proposed research has the goals of 1) furthering our understanding of human SC neurophysiology and how function is regulated on a continuous basis, and 2) developing analysis tools for identifying and studying this regulation. The specific objectives are: Objective 1: Characterize the consistent networks of coordinated signaling in the resting-state across the BS and SC, in terms of regions and connections, rates of occurrence, and connection strengths. Objective 2: Identify variations in rs-networks across healthy people, and the relationships between resting-state connectivity and various functions (based on prior research), including; 1) pain sensitivity, 2) motor activity related to cardiac and respiratory function, 3) autonomic regulation. Objective 3: Develop and validate software tools for analysis and visualization of results for resting-state analyses in the BS and SC. The proposed research will provide a wealth of training opportunities for approximately 6 graduate students, as well as undergraduate thesis projects, and will contribute to our overall understanding of BS and SC function in healthy humans. It will also improve the tools we have available to do this research. It is expected that an understanding of these networks/systems and their continuous regulation will support future research into better understanding the effects of a wide variety of diseases and effects of injuries. Continuous resting-state function may be central to maintaining homeostasis of a number of systems and therefore may be a very important feature of our physiology. The proposed research thus has the potential for significant impact on our understanding of all functions that involve the brainstem and spinal cord.

对静息状态的功能磁共振成像（fMRI）研究提供了有关皮质功能的大量信息，而我的实验室中的研究将这种能力扩展到了脑干（BS）和脊髓（SC）。静止状态的FMRI研究是指在未应用任务或刺激的情况下发生的协调血氧级依赖性（粗体）反应，因此神经活动与内部指导的认知相对应。我的实验室已经获得了证据表明，在静息状态下，SC中的协调信号传导可能与通过BS的SC兴奋性下降有关。因此，静止状态协调的概念扩展到了整个中枢神经系统，以及认知以外的其他功能。迄今为止，我实验室的研究证明了fMRI数据中生理噪声的主要来源，它们的相对贡献以及如何减少/删除它们。这使我们能够确认静息状态的BS和SC区域内部和跨越SC区域之间存在广泛的协调，并开始研究如何通过认知过程改变这种协调。拟议的研究的目标是1）进一步了解人类SC神经生理学以及如何连续调节功能，以及2）开发用于识别和研究该调节的分析工具。具体目标是：目标1：以区域和连接，发生率和连接强度的方式来表征BS和SC跨BS和SC中静止状态的一致网络。目标2：确定健康人的RS网络的变化，以及静止状态的连接性与各种功能（基于先前的研究）之间的关系，包括： 1）疼痛敏感性，2）与心脏和呼吸功能有关的运动活动，3）自主神经调节。 目标3：开发和验证软件工具，用于分析和可视化结果，以在BS和SC中进行静止状态分析。 拟议的研究将为大约6名研究生以及本科论文项目提供大量的培训机会，并将为我们对健康人类的BS和SC功能的整体理解做出贡献。它还将改善我们可以进行这项研究的工具。可以预期，对这些网络/系统及其持续监管的理解将支持未来的研究，以更好地理解各种疾病的影响和伤害的影响。连续的静止状态功能对于维持许多系统的体内稳态可能是核心，因此可能是我们生理学的一个非常重要的特征。因此，拟议的研究可能会对我们对涉及脑干和脊髓的所有功能的理解产生重大影响。