Quantitative Testing of fMRI-Compatibility of an Electrically Active Mechatronic Device for Robot-Assisted Sensorimotor Protocols

Farrens, Andria J.; Zonnino, Andrea; Erwin, Andrew; O’Malley, Marcia K.; Johnson, Curtis L.; Ress, David; Sergi, Fabrizio

doi:10.1109/tbme.2017.2741346

Cited by 12 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…• Then, dynamic tests to analyze whether the deviation of the signal of a voxel over time is affected by the stimulation device used during imaging should be performed (Farrens et al, 2018).…”

Section: Compatibility Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing MR-compatibility of somatosensory stimulation devices: A systematic review on testing methodologies

Travassos

Sayal²,

Direito³

et al. 2023

Front. Neurosci.

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Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been extensively used as a tool to map the brain processes related to somatosensory stimulation. This mapping includes the localization of task-related brain activation and the characterization of brain activity dynamics and neural circuitries related to the processing of somatosensory information. However, the magnetic resonance (MR) environment presents unique challenges regarding participant and equipment safety and compatibility. This study aims to systematically review and analyze the state-of-the-art methodologies to assess the safety and compatibility of somatosensory stimulation devices in the MR environment. A literature search, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement guidelines, was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science to find original research on the development and testing of devices for somatosensory stimulation in the MR environment. Nineteen records that complied with the inclusion and eligibility criteria were considered. The findings are discussed in the context of the existing international standards available for the safety and compatibility assessment of devices intended to be used in the MR environment. In sum, the results provided evidence for a lack of uniformity in the applied testing methodologies, as well as an in-depth presentation of the testing methodologies and results. Lastly, we suggest an assessment methodology (safety, compatibility, performance, and user acceptability) that can be applied to devices intended to be used in the MR environment.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42021257838.

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Section: Compatibility Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing MR-compatibility of somatosensory stimulation devices: A systematic review on testing methodologies

Travassos

Sayal²,

Direito³

et al. 2023

Front. Neurosci.

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“…The MR-SoftWrist can display a variety of kinesthetic environments to the user, ranging from a zero force mode where it minimally perturbs the user’s movements (peak resistive torque < 0.17 Nm, trial average resistive torque = 0.05 Nm), to a stiffness control mode where it displays a high stiffness environment (max virtual stiffness k v =0.45 Nm/deg) (3). The MR-SoftWrist introduces no change in the noise characteristics of functional images or measures of neural activity acquired during participant interaction with the robot (36). For details on the control and design of the MR-SoftWrist, see (3).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in resting state functional connectivity associated with dynamic adaptation of wrist movements

Farrens

Vahdat

Sergi

2021

Preprint

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Dynamic adaptation is an error-driven process of adjusting planned motor actions to changes in task dynamics. Adapted motor plans are consolidated into motor memories that contribute to better performance on re-exposure to the same dynamic condition. In parallel, dynamic perturbations can be compensated for by alternate motor control processes, such as co-contraction, that contribute to error reduction. Whether these control strategies share the same neural resources for memory formation is unclear. To address this gap in knowledge, we used a novel fMRI-compatible wrist robot, the MR-SoftWrist, to identify neural processes specific to dynamic adaptation and subsequent memory formation. Using the MR-SoftWrist, we acquired fMRI during a motor performance and a dynamic perturbation task to localize brain networks of interest. Resting state fMRI scans were acquired immediately before and after task performance to quantify changes in resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) within these networks. Twenty-four hours later, we assessed behavioral retention of training. A variance decomposition analysis was used to isolate behavior associated with adaptation versus alternate error reduction strategies. Immediately after the dynamic perturbation task, rsFC significantly increased within the cortico-thalamic-cerebellar network of the trained wrist and decreased interhemispherically within the cortical sensorimotor network. These changes were associated to behavioral measures of initial acquisition and retention, indicative of memory formation. Variance decomposition analysis revealed that increases within the cortico-thalamic-cerebellar network were associated with adaptation, while interhemispheric decreases in rsFC within the sensorimotor network were associated with alternate error reduction processes.

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“…We performed three different experiments to assess the MR-compatibility of the MR-SW. Experiments 1 and 2 were performed as described in [28] to test whether the robotic device: 1. introduces RF noise to the scanner operational frequency band, and 2. increases the temporal signal-to-noise ratio of the MR images acquired using a Multi-Band Accelerated EPI Pulse sequence (CMMR), a standard sequence used for fMRI protocols. Silent acquisition windows were included in the sequence as described in Sec.…”

Section: A Mr-compatibilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

StretchfMRI: a new technique to quantify the contribution of the reticular formation to long-latency responses via fMRI

Zonnino

Farrens

Ress

et al. 2019

Preprint

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Increased reticulospinal (RS) function has been observed to cause both positive and negative outcomes in the recovery of motor function after corticospinal lesions such as stroke. Current knowledge of RF function is limited by the lack of accurate, noninvasive methods for measuring RS function. Recent studies suggest that the RS tract may be involved in processing and generating Long Latency Responses (LLRs). LLRs, elicited by applying precisely controlled perturbations, can act as a reliable stimulus to measure LLR-related brainstem function using fMRI with high signal-to-noise ratio.In this paper, we present StretchfMRI, a new technique that enables simultaneous recording of neural and muscular activity during motor responses conditioned by velocity-controlled robotic perturbations, which allows for direct investigation of the neural correlates of LLRs using fMRI.Via preliminary validation experiments, we demonstrate that our technique can reliably elicit and identify LLRs in two wrist muscles-FCR and ECU. Moreover, via a single-subject pilot experiment, we show that the occurrence of an LLR in a flexor and extensor muscle modulates neural activity in distinct regions of the brainstem. The observed somatotopic organization is in agreement with the double reciprocal model of RS function observed in animal models, in which the right medullary and left pontine reticular formation are responsible for control of the motor activity in flexors and extensors, respectively.

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Quantitative Testing of fMRI-Compatibility of an Electrically Active Mechatronic Device for Robot-Assisted Sensorimotor Protocols

Abstract: The proposed set of quantitative methods supports the development and troubleshooting of electrically-active mechatronic devices for use in sensorimotor protocols with fMRI, and may be used for future testing of such devices.

Cited by 12 publications

References 37 publications

Assessing MR-compatibility of somatosensory stimulation devices: A systematic review on testing methodologies

Assessing MR-compatibility of somatosensory stimulation devices: A systematic review on testing methodologies

Changes in resting state functional connectivity associated with dynamic adaptation of wrist movements

StretchfMRI: a new technique to quantify the contribution of the reticular formation to long-latency responses via fMRI

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