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Noninvasive Neural Imaging and Tissue Oxygenation in the Visual System

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Neurovascular Coupling Methods

Part of the book series: Neuromethods ((NM,volume 88))

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Abstract

Noninvasive functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has become a primary tool for the measurement of behavior-related neural activity in the human brain. However, the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal used in fMRI does not directly measure neural activity. It measures hemodynamic local changes in deoxygenated hemoglobin. To understand the functional significance of these changes, local tissue oxygen concentration may be measured as a way of studying dynamic oxygenation in the brain. Here, we use a dual-purpose sensor to simultaneously measure changes in tissue oxygenation and neural activity in the central visual pathway. We find that this technique can be used reliably in an in vivo section of a functioning visual system. Based on a series of experiments, we have attempted to answer the following questions. First, are there two major components, a small initial dip and a large positive peak, in tissue oxygen response as shown in fMRI and optical imaging studies? If there are two components, is one better coupled with neural activity? If the initial dip in tissue oxygenation is found, we wish to determine if it is unreliable as is the case in fMRI. Second, is tissue oxygen response coupled linearly with neural activity for temporal, spatial, and scaling domains? Third, can neurometabolic coupling be modified by activation of intracortical inhibitory networks? Finally, extracellular neural recordings may be specified in three major categories: single cell, multiple unit activity (MUA), and local field potential (LFP). Is tissue oxygen response better coupled with LFP than the other categories, as shown for fMRI BOLD signals? Our data provide direct evidence regarding the questions above. Results on tissue oxygenation and neurometabolic coupling may be applied to questions concerning human brain mapping with fMRI.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Group in Vision Science, School of Optometry, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, 360 Minor Hall, Berkeley, CA, 94720-2020, USA

    Baowang Li & Ralph D. Freeman

Authors
  1. Baowang Li
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  2. Ralph D. Freeman
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Correspondence to Ralph D. Freeman .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA

    Mingrui Zhao

  2. Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA

    Hongtao Ma

  3. Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA

    Theodore H. Schwartz

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Li, B., Freeman, R.D. (2014). Noninvasive Neural Imaging and Tissue Oxygenation in the Visual System. In: Zhao, M., Ma, H., Schwartz, T. (eds) Neurovascular Coupling Methods. Neuromethods, vol 88. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-0724-3_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-0724-3_6

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-0723-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-0724-3

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