John VanMeter - US grants

[unreadable] DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal requests funds to support the purchase of a major upgrade to the Siemens Trio 3 Tesla MRI system at the Georgetown University Center for Functional and Molecular Imaging. This new equipment will significantly enhance our current research projects by enabling more rapid structural imaging and more sensitive functional imaging in a much quieter operational environment. The existing system, which was initially funded by the Georgetown University Medical Center, has operated for two years as a core facility in support of a number of NIH funded research projects investigating alterations in brain function associated with a wide range of medical conditions, including developmental disorders, metabolic disorders, dementia, and cerebrovascular disease. The proposed equipment purchase incorporates a wide range of improvements to various parts of the imaging system and will provide a significant increase in this system's capabilities including: (1) an over 30dB decrease in scanner noise, (2) an over 100% increase in the system signal-to-noise ratio resulting from improvements in the radiofrequency coil design, (3) a significant increase in gradient performance, allowing more rapid acquisition of diffusion tensor image data and (4) a significant decrease in the time required for structural imaging, resulting from the expansion of the parallel image acquisition subsystem. Together these improvements will result in a substantial advance in overall system functionality, enabling more rapid structural, functional and metabolic studies. In particular, the reduction in imaging time and scanner noise is of great importance due to the large number of pediatric studies supported by the system. [unreadable] [unreadable]

neoplasm /cancer; reduction; university

reduction; university

reduction; university

reduction; university

reduction; university

Age; Base of the Brain; CRISP; Cognitive Disturbance; Cognitive Impairment; Cognitive decline; Cognitive function abnormal; Computer Retrieval of Information on Scientific Projects Database; Disturbance in cognition; Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Funding; Genetic Risk; Genotype; Goals; Grant; Impaired cognition; Individual; Institution; Investigators; MRI, Functional; Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Functional; NIH; National Institutes of Health; National Institutes of Health (U.S.); Physical activity; Procedures; R01 Mechanism; R01 Program; RPG; Research; Research Grants; Research Personnel; Research Project Grants; Research Projects; Research Projects, R-Series; Research Resources; Researchers; Resources; Source; United States National Institutes of Health; behavior test; behavioral test; cognitive dysfunction; cognitive function; cognitive loss; cognitively impaired; fMRI

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. To examine the neural mechanisms, by functional brain imaging, of the perceptual and cognitive changes associated with specific visual training to determine whether perceptual and cognitive skills can be improved through training as compared with such skills in naturally-talented people who need no training. The hypothesis is that a software program (MPST) can be used to improve the perceptual skills of geospatial analysts as measured by the Harvard Geospatial-Analysis Battery. This is important for intelligence analysis, combat systems operations, and air traffic control.160 men and women age 18-40 recruited locally from the general population and GU college population (80 clinical;80 controls).

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Theory and empirical evidence have linked greater biphasic effects of alcohol to heightened vulnerability to alcohol use disorders. Biphasic effects, in terms of alcohol use, refer to the primary effects that are stimulatory and rewarding (the drinker feels more talkative and uninhibited soon after beginning to drink) but are followed by effects that are more sedating, impairing and aversive (e.g., slurred speech, limited motor coordination). The fMRI of Biphasic Alcohol Effects Study will evaluate this relationship, as well as neurogenetic mechanisms that mediate alcohol response, using powerful brain imaging and molecular-genetic techniques. This research wilsl further our understanding of brain responses to alcohol and their relationship to genetic variants that confer vulnerability. A functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiment using arterial spin labeling to measure regional cerebral blood flow and regional brain ethanol levels will test aspects of this model. Specifically, the goals of the study are to: (1) Test a model developed by Newlin concerning brain mechanisms that may mediate the biphasic response to alcohol. Brain mechanisms that mediate the biphasic effects of alcohol will be measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques [arterial spin labeling (ASL)] that allow assessment of regional cerebral blood flow;(2) Determine venous blood and brain pharmacokinetics of alcohol. This will allow us to expand our understanding of the relations among venous blood alcohol concentrations, regional and temporal brain ethanol levels;(3) Relate biphasic regional cerebral blood flow and brain alcohol levels to addiction vulnerability genotypes.

This award provides a substantial upgrade to Georgetown University's 3 Tesla Siemens MRI scanner, which supports the innovative neuroimaging research conducted by 37 researchers from 8 different institutions in the region including (Georgetown University, Catholic University, Children's National Medical Center, Gallaudet University, George Washington University, American University, National Rehabilitation Hospital, and the Veterans Administration). This upgrade will increase the quality of the images acquired and allow the researchers using this scanner to make use of the latest developments in MRI pulse sequences notably those developed for the Human Connectome Project, which will provide better temporal resolution for studies of brain function, better spatial resolution including greater precision with regards to subtle differences in axonal connectivity, and better estimation of metabolite concentration via magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). These improvements will support not only the various researchers but also provide educational opportunities for high school, undergraduate, and graduate students from across the greater Washington, DC metro region that encompasses a diverse ethnic and socioeconomic population.

Researchers from 8 different institutions in the greater Washington, DC metro region conduct a wide variety of neuroimaging research using the Siemens Magnetom Tim 3T MRI scanner at Georgetown University. One area of research focuses on neurodevelopment with studies examining reward processing, executive function, autism, reading and math difficulties, and spatial and creative relational reasoning. Another area of research uses this scanner to better understand basic neurological processes related to visual attention, spatial/object-based selection, somatosensory learning and cross-modal integration, sensory cortical organization, and cross-modal plasticity in blind individuals. The Siemens Prisma upgrade significantly increases the capabilities of this facility by providing two new radio frequency head coils, a 32- and 64-channel, that greatly increase the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as well as allow for greater scanning parallelization. With the boost in SNR afforded by this upgrade, investigators will have greater flexibility in their functional MRI paradigms with higher spatial and temporal resolution. In addition, the ability to use the Human Connectome Project pulse sequences will greatly improve the power to detect subtle neuroanatomic differences using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).

The Center for Functional and Molecular Imaging (CFMI) operates a 3 Tesla Siemens Magnetom Tim Trio MRI scanner that was purchased by Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) in 2003. Currently, 35 principal investigators from 9 different institutions use this scanner to carry out a wide range of neuroimaging research projects. Currently, there are 25 projects supported by NIH grant funding totaling $6,500,000 in annual direct costs. GUMC covered all of the $3,200,000 required to purchase the scanner, renovate the facilities to accommodate the instrument, and purchase the necessary data archiving and analysis computer hardware and software. The imaging center is supported as a core facility by Children's National Medical Center's Intellectual and Developmental Disorders Research Center (5P30HD040677-13). We are requesting $1,313,766 to purchase the Prisma upgrade to our Tim Trio 3.0T MRI scanner. This upgrade includes: an upgrade to the RF receiver system to a total of 64 RF receive channels; a 64-channel head/neck coil; and an upgrade of the gradient system with a maximum strength of 80 mT/m in all axes simultaneously with a slew rate of 200 T/m/s. The gradient system also employs a force- compensated design for reduced vibrations to minimize acoustic noise. Other important features include much greater B1 homogeneity with TimTX TrueForm and superior signal stability even for demanding long measurements due to the new XR 80/200 gradient cooling system. In addition, the upgrade includes a 3D sequence for arterial spin labeling (our current sequence is a Works In Progress ?WIP? that cannot be used on the Prisma) as well as a 32-channel head coil for compatibility with multi-site studies such as the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) and the Human Connectome Project (HCP). This upgrade will ensure that the facilities at CFMI, which are utilized by a diverse group of NIH funded users from across the greater Washington, DC metro area, continues to provide the most up-to-date and advanced neuroimaging capabilities.