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Highly Efficient MRI Pulse Sequences for High Resolution Physiological and Functional Brain Imaging

Award Number: R44MH129278
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/20/2021
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2024

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Highly Efficient MRI Pulse Sequences for High Resolution Physiological and Functional Brain Imaging - Summary This project will develop MRI physiological imaging with higher spatial and temporal resolution, larger brain coverage, and faster accelerated pulse sequences. The physiologic images have contrasts of microvascular- weighted blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD), cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral blood volume (CBV). Importantly, the techniques to be developed are largely insensitive to venous blood contributions to signal, unlike traditional BOLD echo planar imaging (EPI) sequences, and thus they are extremely useful for precision imaging of physiological markers in neurological disorders and for higher specificity in cortical layer fMRI, enabling higher granularity in human neurocircuitry imaging. Novel acceleration techniques for each pulse sequence will be incorporated to increase slice-volume coverage and improve signal to noise ratio (SNR) and point spread function (PSF) in signal localization. Sequence development and evaluations will be performed at several 3T and 7T imaging sites. We will develop a software package with advanced variants of several pulse sequences: zoomed 3D gradient-and-spin-echo (GRASE), arterial spin labeling (ASL) for CBF imaging, slice- saturation slab- inversion vascular space occupancy (SS-SI-VASO) for CBV imaging, and the novel VASO technique with “multiple acquisitions with global excitation cycling” (MAGEC)-VASO to achieve whole brain coverage. The software package will also include a modular analysis pipeline for use by neuroscientists and physicians without the need for extensive MR-physics or coding expertise. Achieving non-invasive imaging of neuronal circuits in the human brain will allow neuroscientists to study normal brain processes and allow medical scientists to study neurocircuitry changes and neurological diseases. Currently, high-resolution fMRI technology could be used to identify fMRI of neural activity at different cortical depths, but is severely limited by poorly localized signal from venous drainage in the cortex. This project innovates new, robust 3D fMRI imaging sequences that eliminate venous contamination, thus affording high fidelity mapping of fine-scale neuronal circuitry compared to current gradient echo EPI BOLD imaging.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $1,350,964 )
2023	2023	ADVANCED MRI TECHNOLOGIES LLC	652 PETALUMA WAY STE I	SEBASTOPOL	CA	95472	SONOMA	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	3	8/1/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$1,350,964
														Subtotal = $1,350,964

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $1,589,952 )
2022	2022	ADVANCED MRI TECHNOLOGIES LLC	652 PETALUMA WAY STE I	SEBASTOPOL	CA	95472	SONOMA	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	2	8/15/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$1,589,952
2022	2022	ADVANCED MRI TECHNOLOGIES LLC	652 PETALUMA WAY STE I	SEBASTOPOL	CA	95472	SONOMA	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	001	2	8/22/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $1,589,952

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $1,340,229 )
2021	2021	ADVANCED MRI TECHNOLOGIES LLC	652 PETALUMA WAY STE I	SEBASTOPOL	CA	95472	SONOMA	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	1	9/20/2021	NEW	$1,340,229
														Subtotal = $1,340,229

Grand Total All Awards = $4,281,145

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Highly Efficient MRI Pulse Sequences for High Resolution Physiological and Functional Brain Imaging

Award Number: R44MH129278

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/20/2021

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2024

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