title: A computerized tablet with visual feedback of hand position for functional magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: Neuropsychological tests behavioral tasks that very commonly involve handwriting and drawing are widely used in the clinic to detect abnormal brain function. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) may be useful in increasing the specificity of such tests. However, performing complex pen-and-paper tests during fMRI involves engineering challenges. Previously, we developed an fMRI-compatible, computerized tablet system to address this issue. However, the tablet did not include visual feedback of hand position (VFHP), a human factors component that may be important for fMRI of certain patient populations. A real-time system was thus developed to provide VFHP and integrated with the tablet in an augmented reality display. The effectiveness of the system was initially tested in young healthy adults who performed various handwriting tasks in front of a computer display with and without VFHP. Pilot fMRI of writing tasks were performed by two representative individuals with and without VFHP. Quantitative analysis of the behavioral results indicated improved writing performance with VFHP. The pilot fMRI results suggest that writing with VFHP requires less neural resources compared to the without VFHP condition, to maintain similar behavior. Thus, the tablet system with VFHP is recommended for future fMRI studies involving patients with impaired brain function and where ecologically valid behavior is important.
authors: Graham Laboratory, Physical Sciences Platform, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Toronto, ON, Canada ; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors: Mahta
authors: M
authors: Karimpoor
authors: Graham Laboratory, Physical Sciences Platform, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors: Fred
authors: F
authors: Tam
authors: Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine Toronto, ON, Canada ; Strother Laboratory, Rotman Research Institute Baycrest, Toronto, ON, Canada ; Heart and Stroke Foundation Canadian Partnership for Stroke Recovery Canada.
authors: Stephen C
authors: SC
authors: Strother
authors: Geriatric Psychiatry, Psychiatry Department, St. Michael's Hospital Toronto, ON, Canada ; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine Toronto, ON, Canada ; Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science of St. Michael's Hospital Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors: Corinne E
authors: CE
authors: Fischer
authors: Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science of St. Michael's Hospital Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors: Tom A
authors: TA
authors: Schweizer
authors: Graham Laboratory, Physical Sciences Platform, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Toronto, ON, Canada ; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine Toronto, ON, Canada ; Heart and Stroke Foundation Canadian Partnership for Stroke Recovery Canada.
authors: Simon J
authors: SJ
authors: Graham
keywords: computerized tablet; ecological validity; fMRI; handwriting; human factors; neuropsychological tests; proprioception; visual feedback