The most common method of acquiring fMRI data is dependant upon a physiological response within the brain called the “blood oxygenation level dependent” (BOLD) effect. Despite its widespread use in the research community, the researchers at DRCMR are cautious with their interpretation of BOLD-effect data. The fact that it is an indirect measure of brain activity, heavily influenced by such physiological effects as blood flow, blood volume and oxygen extraction fraction, means that extra care must be taken in the analysis. Hence, we put a great deal of effort into reducing that fraction of the recorded data that are unrelated to brain activity. This is done by reducing any effects of cardiac and respiratory pulsation, and by correlating activity with measures of blood flow using arterial spin labelling (ASL). With such factors in mind, we believe that studies of the brain will better reflect what occurs at the neuronal level. When it comes to the analysis stage, DRCMR ensures that it has a repertoire of advanced methods at hand, both from in-house development, from collaborators and from other research groups around the world. Only by doing this can we ensure that our research output maintains its high international standard.
DRCMR has strong collaboration in the field of fMRI with national and international researchers from basic neuropsychology, motor physiology and neurology to psychiatry and physics. DRCMR is the “Principal Responsible Unit” for the fMRI experiments in the CIMBI project where personality traits are studied with multiple imaging modalities. In addition, the basal features of the visual system are studied in collaboration with the Center for Visual Cognition, University of Copenhagen. Effects of physical exercise and motor cognition are studied in collaboration with the Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences, University of Copenhagen.
Other collaboration
Informatics and mathematical modelling, DTU
