Thalamo-cortical and cerebello-cortical functional connectivity in development.

The thalamus is a critical relay center for neural pathways involving sensory, motor, and cognitive functions, including cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical and cortico-ponto-cerebello-thalamo-cortical loops. Despite the importance of these circuits, their development has been understudied. One way to investigate these pathways in human development in vivo is with functional connectivity MRI, yet few studies have examined thalamo-cortical and cerebello-cortical functional connectivity in development.

Using synthetic MR images for distortion correction.

Functional MRI (fMRI) data acquired using echo-planar imaging (EPI) are highly distorted by magnetic field inhomogeneities. Distortion and differences in image contrast between EPI and T1-weighted and T2-weighted (T1w/T2w) images makes their alignment a challenge. Typically, field map data are used to correct EPI distortions.

Real-time motion monitoring improves functional MRI data quality in infants.

Imaging the infant brain with MRI has improved our understanding of early neurodevelopment. However, head motion during MRI acquisition is detrimental to both functional and structural MRI scan quality. Though infants are typically scanned while asleep, they commonly exhibit motion during scanning causing data loss.

Reproducible brain-wide association studies require thousands of individuals.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has transformed our understanding of the human brain through well-replicated mapping of abilities to specific structures (for example, lesion studies) and functions (for example, task functional MRI (fMRI)). Mental health research and care have yet to realize similar advances from MRI. A primary challenge has been replicating associations between inter-individual differences in brain structure or function and complex cognitive or mental health phenotypes (brain-wide association studies (BWAS)).

Analysis of structural brain asymmetries in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in 39 datasets.

Objective: Some studies have suggested alterations of structural brain asymmetry in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but findings have been contradictory and based on small samples. Here, we performed the largest ever analysis of brain left-right asymmetry in ADHD, using 39 datasets of the ENIGMA consortium.

Methods: We analyzed asymmetry of subcortical and cerebral cortical structures in up to 1,933 people with ADHD and 1,829 unaffected controls.

Correction of respiratory artifacts in MRI head motion estimates.

Head motion represents one of the greatest technical obstacles in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the human brain. Accurate detection of artifacts induced by head motion requires precise estimation of movement. However, head motion estimates may be corrupted by artifacts due to magnetic main field fluctuations generated by body motion.

Image processing and analysis methods for the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study.

The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study is an ongoing, nationwide study of the effects of environmental influences on behavioral and brain development in adolescents. The main objective of the study is to recruit and assess over eleven thousand 9-10-year-olds and follow them over the course of 10 years to characterize normative brain and cognitive development, the many factors that influence brain development, and the effects of those factors on mental health and other outcomes. The study employs state-of-the-art multimodal brain imaging, cognitive and clinical assessments, bioassays, and careful assessment of substance use, environment, psychopathological symptoms, and social functioning.

Brain Imaging of the Cortex in ADHD: A Coordinated Analysis of Large-Scale Clinical and Population-Based Samples.

Objective: Neuroimaging studies show structural alterations of various brain regions in children and adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), although nonreplications are frequent. The authors sought to identify cortical characteristics related to ADHD using large-scale studies.

Methods: Cortical thickness and surface area (based on the Desikan-Killiany atlas) were compared between case subjects with ADHD (N=2,246) and control subjects (N=1,934) for children, adolescents, and adults separately in ENIGMA-ADHD, a consortium of 36 centers.

Individual differences in functional brain connectivity predict temporal discounting preference in the transition to adolescence.

The transition from childhood to adolescence is marked by distinct changes in behavior, including how one values waiting for a large reward compared to receiving an immediate, yet smaller, reward. While previous research has emphasized the relationship between this preference and age, it is also proposed that this behavior is related to circuitry between valuation and cognitive control systems. In this study, we examined how age and intrinsic functional connectivity strength within and between these neural systems relate to changes in discounting behavior across the transition into adolescence.

Behavioral interventions for reducing head motion during MRI scans in children.

A major limitation to structural and functional MRI (fMRI) scans is their susceptibility to head motion artifacts. Even submillimeter movements can systematically distort functional connectivity, morphometric, and diffusion imaging results. In patient care, sedation is often used to minimize head motion, but it incurs increased costs and risks.

Real-time motion analytics during brain MRI improve data quality and reduce costs.

Head motion systematically distorts clinical and research MRI data. Motion artifacts have biased findings from many structural and functional brain MRI studies. An effective way to remove motion artifacts is to exclude MRI data frames affected by head motion.