Functional MRI is a method that allows for indirect measure of brain activity by detecting associated relative changes in the concentration of oxygenated hemoglobin. Functional MRI is challenging because so far it seems impossible to optimize important parameters independently, including: high spatial and temporal resolution, geometrically accurate images, functional contrast specific to neural activation in the whole brain, minimal noise contributions to the signal from non-neural sources. Typically focusing on any of these parameters involves making compromises with the other ones.

We study how functional MRI acquisition sequences, parameters and data analysis methods affect quality and reproducibility of the functional quantitative information. We implement and evaluate harmonized multi-site MRI acquisition and analysis protocols for longitudinal human resting state. Research fronts with selected publications include:

• Resting state fMRI dynamics

  • Minati L, Chiesa P, Tabarelli D, D'Incerti L, Jovicich J. Synchronization, non-linear dynamics and low-frequency fluctuations: Analogy between spontaneous brain activity and networked single-transistor chaotic oscillators. Chaos. 2015 Mar;25(3):033107.  (PubMed)

  • Minati L, Zacà D, D'Incerti L, Jovicich J. Fast computation of voxel-level brain connectivity maps from resting-state functional MRI using l1-norm as approximation of Pearson's temporal correlation: proof-of-concept and example vector hardware implementation. Medical Engineering & Physics,  2014 Sep;36(9):1212-7. (PubMed)

  • Davis, B., Jovicich, J., Iacovella, V., Hasson, U. (2013). Functional and developmental significance of amplitude variance asymmetry in the BOLD resting state signal. Cerebral Cortex. (PubMed)

  • Robinson S, Basso G, Soldati N, Sailer U, Jovicich J, Bruzzone L, Kryspin-Exner I, Bauer H, Moser E. A resting state network in the motor control circuit of the basal ganglia. BMC Neurosci. 2009; 10:137. (PubMed)

  • Soldati N., Robinson S., Persello C., Jovicich J., Bruzzone L., "Automatic Classification of Brain Resting States using fMRI Temporal Signals". Electronics Letters, 2009, 45(1): 19-21. (IEEE Xplore)

• Functional MRI acquisition and analysis techniques for improved BOLD sensitivity and reduced geometric distortions 

  • Gesierich B, Jovicich J, Riello M, Adriani M, Monti A, Brentari V, Robinson SD, Wilson SM, Fairhall SL, Gorno-Tempini ML. Distinct neural substrates for semantic knowledge and naming in the temporoparietal network. Cerebral Cortex. 2012 22(10):2217-26. (PubMed) 

  • Robinson S. and Jovicich J. B0 mapping with multi-element RF coils at high field. Magn Reson Med. 2011;66(4):976-88. (PubMed)

  • Jovicich J, Norris DG. Functional MRI of the human brain with GRASE-based BOLD contrast. Magn Reson Med.1999;41(5):871-6. (PubMed)

  • Jovicich J, Norris DG. GRASE imaging at 3 Tesla with template interactive phase-encoding. Magn Reson Med.1998;39(6):970-9. (PubMed)

• Neural basis of DMN

  • Lin P., Hasson U., Jovicich J.*, Robinson S.* A neuronal basis for task-negative responses in the human brain. Cerebral Cortex, 2011, 21(4): 821-830. (*equally contributing authors) (PubMed)

• Real time fMRI methods

  • Soldati N., Calhoun V.D., Bruzzone L. and Jovicich J. The use of a priori information in ICA-based techniques for real-time fMRI: an evaluation of static/dynamic and spatial/temporal characteristics. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 2013, 7:64. (PubMed)

  • Soldati N., Calhoun V.D., Bruzzone L., Jovicich J. ICA analysis of fMRI with real-time constraints: an evaluation of fast detection performance as function of algorithms, parameters and a priori conditions. Frontiers in Human Neurosciences, 2013, 7:19. (PubMed)