Presentation Details
| Beyond BOLD: Unlocking Human Olfactory Bulb Function with ASL Perfusion Imaging Ludwig Sichen Zhao1, 2, Manuel Taso3, M.Dylan Tisdall3, John A.Detre2, 3, Jay A.Gottfried2, 4. 1Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.2Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.3Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.4Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA |
Abstract
Olfactory processing begins in the olfactory bulb (OB), where afferent inputs are organized and transformed into neural representations. Moreover, OB dysfunction is implicated as an early feature of multiple neurodegenerative diseases. Despite extensive mechanistic work in rodents and non-human primates, in vivo study of the human OB remains limited due to constraints on imaging techniques. In particular, blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) functional MRI (fMRI) is widely used in human neuroimaging but is poorly suited for the OB because its proximity to the air-tissue interface near the sinuses induces severe susceptibility artifacts and signal dropout.
Arterial spin labeling (ASL) offers a promising alternative by quantifying blood flow (perfusion) as a direct readout of neurovascular coupling. In prior work, we demonstrated that our ASL approach improves sensitivity in high susceptibility regions, motivating its application to olfactory structures. However, ASL in small targets, such as the OB, remains challenging due to low signal-to-noise ratio, often requiring long acquisitions and limiting spatial and temporal resolution.
Here, we developed and optimized an ASL protocol to detect perfusion signals within the OB and paired it with a newly developed denoising method to improve spatiotemporal resolution. We demonstrate reliable OB blood-flow measurements within a clinically practical scan time and characterize the resting-state network in the human OB. Together, these results establish ASL as a viable approach for probing human olfactory regions where BOLD fMRI is constrained, advancing functional and translational studies of the human OB and olfactory system.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
Arterial spin labeling (ASL) offers a promising alternative by quantifying blood flow (perfusion) as a direct readout of neurovascular coupling. In prior work, we demonstrated that our ASL approach improves sensitivity in high susceptibility regions, motivating its application to olfactory structures. However, ASL in small targets, such as the OB, remains challenging due to low signal-to-noise ratio, often requiring long acquisitions and limiting spatial and temporal resolution.
Here, we developed and optimized an ASL protocol to detect perfusion signals within the OB and paired it with a newly developed denoising method to improve spatiotemporal resolution. We demonstrate reliable OB blood-flow measurements within a clinically practical scan time and characterize the resting-state network in the human OB. Together, these results establish ASL as a viable approach for probing human olfactory regions where BOLD fMRI is constrained, advancing functional and translational studies of the human OB and olfactory system.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
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