title: Event-related fMRI of the somatosensory system using electrical finger stimulation.
abstract: Cortical signal intensity changes due to brief (1 s) innocuous electrical stimuli applied to the second and fifth finger of the right hand were measured by means of fMRI at 1.5 T. The activation pattern in this event-related fMRI approach closely resembled that obtained in recent block-design studies. Activations were found in contralateral primary (SI) and bilaterally in secondary (SII) somato-sensory cortex as well as in posterior parietal cortex, insula, and supplementary motor area (SMA). In SI, the somatotopic organization of the hand area is demonstrated, more clearly to be seen in area 3b than in area 1 and 2. In conclusion, the feasibility to employ event-related somatosensory stimulation paradigms in fMRI studies is demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Charité, Humboldt-University, Schumannstrasse 20/21, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deuchert
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruben
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schwiemann
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thees
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Blankenburg
authors.forename: Kersten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Villringer
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kurth
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Curio
authors.forename: Arno
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Villringer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000502:physiology*; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000502:physiology*