Practical scan-length considerations for mapping upper limb movements to the somatosensory/motor cortex at 7T: A pilot study
The relationship between motor cortex (M1) and upper limb movements has been investigated extensively using functional MRI (fMRI). While most research has focused on applications, very few studies have focused on practical aspects of developing the fMRI protocol. Thus, the effect of scan length on M...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-03-01
|
| Series: | NeuroImage: Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266695602500008X |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850034440687845376 |
|---|---|
| author | D. Rangaprakash Olivia E. Rowe Hyungeun Song Samantha Gutierrez-Arango Julianna Gerold Erica A. Israel Michael F. Fernandez Matthew J. Carty Hugh M. Herr Robert L. Barry |
| author_facet | D. Rangaprakash Olivia E. Rowe Hyungeun Song Samantha Gutierrez-Arango Julianna Gerold Erica A. Israel Michael F. Fernandez Matthew J. Carty Hugh M. Herr Robert L. Barry |
| author_sort | D. Rangaprakash |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The relationship between motor cortex (M1) and upper limb movements has been investigated extensively using functional MRI (fMRI). While most research has focused on applications, very few studies have focused on practical aspects of developing the fMRI protocol. Thus, the effect of scan length on M1 activations during various upper limb movements remains unclear. Scan length constraints are important for conducting motor experiments within a 60- or 90-minute scan session. We targeted this gap in the literature in this pilot study by investigating 7T fMRI activations in a male participant while performing eight different upper limb movements (of the fingers, wrist, and elbow) across 16 task runs (8 with the left arm, 8 with the right arm, 88 minutes total fMRI duration). Standard activation analyses were performed (Z > 3.1, p < 0.01, cluster thresholded) independently for 14 different cases (2 runs through 8 runs, left and right arm) and subsequently compared. We found diminishing returns, presented as activations gradually plateauing, with higher number of runs. We observed two broad categories of movements, one with generally higher activation (more activated voxels and higher Z-stats) and the other with lower activation. To achieve similar statistical power, movements with lower activation required longer scanning (more runs). Based on these observations, we propose a ‘one size does not fit all’ practical protocol within a 60-, 75-, or 90- minute scan session, wherein different numbers of runs are assigned for different movements. We validated the 75-minute protocol using seven separate scans (N = 3). Our study could benefit researchers who are designing upper limb fMRI experiments. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bada07a351b44485a7815ca5625a4fd0 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2666-9560 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | NeuroImage: Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-bada07a351b44485a7815ca5625a4fd02025-08-20T02:57:48ZengElsevierNeuroImage: Reports2666-95602025-03-015110024010.1016/j.ynirp.2025.100240Practical scan-length considerations for mapping upper limb movements to the somatosensory/motor cortex at 7T: A pilot studyD. Rangaprakash0Olivia E. Rowe1Hyungeun Song2Samantha Gutierrez-Arango3Julianna Gerold4Erica A. Israel5Michael F. Fernandez6Matthew J. Carty7Hugh M. Herr8Robert L. Barry9Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA; Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Corresponding author. Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, 149 13th St, Suite 2.301, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA.Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USAAthinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA; Harvard-Massachusetts Institute of Technology Division of Health Sciences & Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; K. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USAAthinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA; K. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USAAthinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USAAthinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA; K. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USAK. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USAK. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Plastic Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USAK. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USAAthinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA; Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard-Massachusetts Institute of Technology Division of Health Sciences & Technology, Cambridge, MA, USAThe relationship between motor cortex (M1) and upper limb movements has been investigated extensively using functional MRI (fMRI). While most research has focused on applications, very few studies have focused on practical aspects of developing the fMRI protocol. Thus, the effect of scan length on M1 activations during various upper limb movements remains unclear. Scan length constraints are important for conducting motor experiments within a 60- or 90-minute scan session. We targeted this gap in the literature in this pilot study by investigating 7T fMRI activations in a male participant while performing eight different upper limb movements (of the fingers, wrist, and elbow) across 16 task runs (8 with the left arm, 8 with the right arm, 88 minutes total fMRI duration). Standard activation analyses were performed (Z > 3.1, p < 0.01, cluster thresholded) independently for 14 different cases (2 runs through 8 runs, left and right arm) and subsequently compared. We found diminishing returns, presented as activations gradually plateauing, with higher number of runs. We observed two broad categories of movements, one with generally higher activation (more activated voxels and higher Z-stats) and the other with lower activation. To achieve similar statistical power, movements with lower activation required longer scanning (more runs). Based on these observations, we propose a ‘one size does not fit all’ practical protocol within a 60-, 75-, or 90- minute scan session, wherein different numbers of runs are assigned for different movements. We validated the 75-minute protocol using seven separate scans (N = 3). Our study could benefit researchers who are designing upper limb fMRI experiments.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266695602500008XFunctional MRISomatotopic mappingFingers and thumbWrist and elbowUltra-high fieldActivation |
| spellingShingle | D. Rangaprakash Olivia E. Rowe Hyungeun Song Samantha Gutierrez-Arango Julianna Gerold Erica A. Israel Michael F. Fernandez Matthew J. Carty Hugh M. Herr Robert L. Barry Practical scan-length considerations for mapping upper limb movements to the somatosensory/motor cortex at 7T: A pilot study NeuroImage: Reports Functional MRI Somatotopic mapping Fingers and thumb Wrist and elbow Ultra-high field Activation |
| title | Practical scan-length considerations for mapping upper limb movements to the somatosensory/motor cortex at 7T: A pilot study |
| title_full | Practical scan-length considerations for mapping upper limb movements to the somatosensory/motor cortex at 7T: A pilot study |
| title_fullStr | Practical scan-length considerations for mapping upper limb movements to the somatosensory/motor cortex at 7T: A pilot study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Practical scan-length considerations for mapping upper limb movements to the somatosensory/motor cortex at 7T: A pilot study |
| title_short | Practical scan-length considerations for mapping upper limb movements to the somatosensory/motor cortex at 7T: A pilot study |
| title_sort | practical scan length considerations for mapping upper limb movements to the somatosensory motor cortex at 7t a pilot study |
| topic | Functional MRI Somatotopic mapping Fingers and thumb Wrist and elbow Ultra-high field Activation |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266695602500008X |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT drangaprakash practicalscanlengthconsiderationsformappingupperlimbmovementstothesomatosensorymotorcortexat7tapilotstudy AT oliviaerowe practicalscanlengthconsiderationsformappingupperlimbmovementstothesomatosensorymotorcortexat7tapilotstudy AT hyungeunsong practicalscanlengthconsiderationsformappingupperlimbmovementstothesomatosensorymotorcortexat7tapilotstudy AT samanthagutierrezarango practicalscanlengthconsiderationsformappingupperlimbmovementstothesomatosensorymotorcortexat7tapilotstudy AT juliannagerold practicalscanlengthconsiderationsformappingupperlimbmovementstothesomatosensorymotorcortexat7tapilotstudy AT ericaaisrael practicalscanlengthconsiderationsformappingupperlimbmovementstothesomatosensorymotorcortexat7tapilotstudy AT michaelffernandez practicalscanlengthconsiderationsformappingupperlimbmovementstothesomatosensorymotorcortexat7tapilotstudy AT matthewjcarty practicalscanlengthconsiderationsformappingupperlimbmovementstothesomatosensorymotorcortexat7tapilotstudy AT hughmherr practicalscanlengthconsiderationsformappingupperlimbmovementstothesomatosensorymotorcortexat7tapilotstudy AT robertlbarry practicalscanlengthconsiderationsformappingupperlimbmovementstothesomatosensorymotorcortexat7tapilotstudy |