title: A proof-of-principle study of multi-site real-time functional imaging at 3T and 7T: Implementation and validation.
abstract: Real-time functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (rtfMRI) is used mainly for neurofeedback or for brain-computer interfaces (BCI). But multi-site rtfMRI could in fact help in the application of new interactive paradigms such as the monitoring of mutual information flow or the controlling of objects in shared virtual environments. For that reason, a previously developed framework that provided an integrated control and data analysis of rtfMRI experiments was extended to enable multi-site rtfMRI. Important new components included a data exchange platform for analyzing the data of both MR scanners independently and/or jointly. Information related to brain activation can be displayed separately or in a shared view. However, a signal calibration procedure had to be developed and integrated in order to permit the connecting of sites that had different hardware and to account for different inter-individual brain activation levels. The framework was successfully validated in a proof-of-principle study with twelve volunteers. Thus the overall concept, the calibration of grossly differing signals, and BCI functionality on each site proved to work as required. To model interactions between brains in real-time, more complex rules utilizing mutual activation patterns could easily be implemented to allow for new kinds of social fMRI experiments.
authors: Institute for Biometry and Medical Informatics, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg.
authors: Sebastian
authors: S
authors: Baecke
authors: Institute for Biometry and Medical Informatics, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg.
authors: Ralf
authors: R
authors: Lützkendorf
authors: Institute for Biometry and Medical Informatics, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg.
authors: Johannes
authors: J
authors: Mallow
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Luchtmann
authors: Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg.
authors: Claus
authors: C
authors: Tempelmann
authors: Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology Magdeburg.
authors: Jörg
authors: J
authors: Stadler
authors: Institute for Biometry and Medical Informatics, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg.
authors: Johannes
authors: J
authors: Bernarding
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D062207:Brain-Computer Interfaces; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult