![]() ![]() Informative features of local field potential signals in primary visual cortex during natural image stimulation S.M. Seyedhosseini, S. Shushruth, T. Davis, J.M. Ichida, P.A. House, B. Greger, A. Angelucci, T. Tasdizen. In Journal of Neurophysiology, Vol. 113, No. 5, American Physiological Society, pp. 1520--1532. March, 2015. DOI: 10.1152/jn.00278.2014 The local field potential (LFP) is of growing importance in neurophysiology as a metric of network activity and as a readout signal for use in brain-machine interfaces. However, there are uncertainties regarding the kind and visual field extent of information carried by LFP signals, as well as the specific features of the LFP signal conveying such information, especially under naturalistic conditions. To address these questions, we recorded LFP responses to natural images in V1 of awake and anesthetized macaques using Utah multielectrode arrays. First, we have shown that it is possible to identify presented natural images from the LFP responses they evoke using trained Gabor wavelet (GW) models. Because GW models were devised to explain the spiking responses of V1 cells, this finding suggests that local spiking activity and LFPs (thought to reflect primarily local synaptic activity) carry similar visual information. Second, models trained on scalar metrics, such as the evoked LFP response range, provide robust image identification, supporting the informative nature of even simple LFP features. Third, image identification is robust only for the first 300 ms following image presentation, and image information is not restricted to any of the spectral bands. This suggests that the short-latency broadband LFP response carries most information during natural scene viewing. Finally, best image identification was achieved by GW models incorporating information at the scale of ∼0.5° in size and trained using four different orientations. This suggests that during natural image viewing, LFPs carry stimulus-specific information at spatial scales corresponding to few orientation columns in macaque V1. |
![]() ![]() Nonlinear Regression with Logistic Product Basis Networks M. Sajjadi, M. Seyedhosseini,, T. Tasdizen. In IEEE Signal Processing Letters, Vol. 22, No. 8, IEEE, pp. 1011--1015. Aug, 2015. DOI: 10.1109/lsp.2014.2380791 We introduce a novel general regression model that is based on a linear combination of a new set of non-local basis functions that forms an effective feature space. We propose a training algorithm that learns all the model parameters simultaneously and offer an initialization scheme for parameters of the basis functions. We show through several experiments that the proposed method offers better coverage for high-dimensional space compared to local Gaussian basis functions and provides competitive performance in comparison to other state-of-the-art regression methods. |
![]() ![]() Disjunctive normal random forests M. Seyedhosseini , T. Tasdizen. In Pattern Recognition, Vol. 48, No. 3, Elsevier BV, pp. 976--983. March, 2015. DOI: 10.1016/j.patcog.2014.08.023 We develop a novel supervised learning/classification method, called disjunctive normal random forest (DNRF). A DNRF is an ensemble of randomly trained disjunctive normal decision trees (DNDT). To construct a DNDT, we formulate each decision tree in the random forest as a disjunction of rules, which are conjunctions of Boolean functions. We then approximate this disjunction of conjunctions with a differentiable function and approach the learning process as a risk minimization problem that incorporates the classification error into a single global objective function. The minimization problem is solved using gradient descent. DNRFs are able to learn complex decision boundaries and achieve low generalization error. We present experimental results demonstrating the improved performance of DNDTs and DNRFs over conventional decision trees and random forests. We also show the superior performance of DNRFs over state-of-the-art classification methods on benchmark datasets. |
![]() ![]() Splenium development and early spoken language in human infants M. R. Swanson, J. J. Wolff, J. T. Elison, H. Gu, H. C. Hazlett, K. Botteron, M. Styner, S. Paterson, G. Gerig, J. Constantino, S. Dager, A. Estes, C. Vachet, J. Piven. In Developmental Science, Wiley Online Library, 2015. ISSN: 1467-7687 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12360 The association between developmental trajectories of language-related white matter fiber pathways from 6 to 24 months of age and individual differences in language production at 24 months of age was investigated. The splenium of the corpus callosum, a fiber pathway projecting through the posterior hub of the default mode network to occipital visual areas, was examined as well as pathways implicated in language function in the mature brain, including the arcuate fasciculi, uncinate fasciculi, and inferior longitudinal fasciculi. The hypothesis that the development of neural circuitry supporting domain-general orienting skills would relate to later language performance was tested in a large sample of typically developing infants. The present study included 77 infants with diffusion weighted MRI scans at 6, 12 and 24 months and language assessment at 24 months. The rate of change in splenium development varied significantly as a function of language production, such that children with greater change in fractional anisotropy (FA) from 6 to 24 months produced more words at 24 months. Contrary to findings from older children and adults, significant associations between language production and FA in the arcuate, uncinate, or left inferior longitudinal fasciculi were not observed. The current study highlights the importance of tracing brain development trajectories from infancy to fully elucidate emerging brain–behavior associations while also emphasizing the role of the splenium as a key node in the structural network that supports the acquisition of spoken language. |
![]() Entropy-based particle correspondence for shape populations, I. OguzI, J. Cates, M. Datar, B. Paniagua, T. Fletcher, C. Vachet, M. Styner, R. Whitaker. In International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery, Springer, pp. 1-12. December, 2015. Purpose |
![]() ![]() The DTI Challenge: Toward Standardized Evaluation of Diffusion Tensor Imaging Tractography for Neurosurgery S. Pujol, W. Wells, C. Pierpaoli, C. Brun, J. Gee, G. Cheng, B. Vemuri, O. Commowick, S. Prima, A. Stamm, M. Goubran, A. Khan, T. Peters, P. Neher, K. H. Maier-Hein, Y. Shi, A. Tristan-Vega, G. Veni, R. Whitaker, M. Styner, C.F. Westin, S. Gouttard, I. Norton, L. Chauvin, H. Mamata, G. Gerig, A. Nabavi, A. Golby,, R. Kikinis. In Journal of Neuroimaging, Wiley, August, 2015. DOI: 10.1111/jon.12283 BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE |
![]() Performance of an Efficient Image-registration Algorithm in Processing MR Renography Data, C.C. Conlin, J.L. Zhang, F. Rousset, C. Vachet, Y. Zhao, K.A. Morton, K. Carlston, G. Gerig, V.S. Lee. In J Magnetic Resonance Imaging, July, 2015. DOI: 10.1002/jmri.25000 PURPOSE: |
![]() ![]() A Kalman Filtering Perspective for Multiatlas Segmentation Y. Gao, L. Zhu, J. Cates, R. S. MacLeod, S. Bouix,, A. Tannenbaum. In SIAM J. Imaging Sciences, Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 1007-1029. 2015. DOI: 10.1137/130933423 In multiatlas segmentation, one typically registers several atlases to the novel image, and their respective segmented label images are transformed and fused to form the final segmentation. In this work, we provide a new dynamical system perspective for multiatlas segmentation, inspired by the following fact: The transformation that aligns the current atlas to the novel image can be not only computed by direct registration but also inferred from the transformation that aligns the previous atlas to the image together with the transformation between the two atlases. This process is similar to the global positioning system on a vehicle, which gets position by inquiring from the satellite and by employing the previous location and velocity—neither answer in isolation being perfect. To solve this problem, a dynamical system scheme is crucial to combine the two pieces of information; for example, a Kalman filtering scheme is used. Accordingly, in this work, a Kalman multiatlas segmentation is proposed to stabilize the global/affine registration step. The contributions of this work are twofold. First, it provides a new dynamical systematic perspective for standard independent multiatlas registrations, and it is solved by Kalman filtering. Second, with very little extra computation, it can be combined with most existing multiatlas segmentation schemes for better registration/segmentation accuracy. |
![]() ![]() Modeling Brain Growth and Development N. Sadeghi, J. H. Gilmore , G. Gerig. In Brain, Vol. 1, pp. 429-436. 2015. DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-397025-1.00314-6 Early brain development is characterized by rapid organization and structuring. Magnetic resonance–diffusion tensor imaging (MR-DTI) provides the possibility of capturing these changes noninvasively by following individuals longitudinally to better understand departures from normal brain development in subjects at risk for mental illness. This article illustrates the modeling of neurodevelopmental trajectories using a recently developed framework. Descriptions include the estimation of normative models for healthy singletons and twins and a statistical framework to predict development at 2 years of age only based on neonatal image data – a capability with excellent potential for preclinical diagnosis and eventual early therapeutic intervention. |
![]() ![]() Altered corpus callosum morphology associated with autism over the first 2 years of life J. J. Wolff, G. Gerig, J. D. Lewis, T. Soda, M. A. Styner, C. Vachet, K. N. Botteron, J. T. Elison, S. R. Dager, A. M. Estes, H. C. Hazlett, R. T. Schultz, L. Zwaigenbaum, J. Piven. In Brain, 2015. DOI: 10.1093/brain/awv118 Numerous brain imaging studies indicate that the corpus callosum is smaller in older children and adults with autism spectrum disorder. However, there are no published studies examining the morphological development of this connective pathway in infants at-risk for the disorder. Magnetic resonance imaging data were collected from 270 infants at high familial risk for autism spectrum disorder and 108 low-risk controls at 6, 12 and 24 months of age, with 83% of infants contributing two or more data points. Fifty-seven children met criteria for ASD based on clinical-best estimate diagnosis at age 2 years. Corpora callosa were measured for area, length and thickness by automated segmentation. We found significantly increased corpus callosum area and thickness in children with autism spectrum disorder starting at 6 months of age. These differences were particularly robust in the anterior corpus callosum at the 6 and 12 month time points. Regression analysis indicated that radial diffusivity in this region, measured by diffusion tensor imaging, inversely predicted thickness. Measures of area and thickness in the first year of life were correlated with repetitive behaviours at age 2 years. In contrast to work from older children and adults, our findings suggest that the corpus callosum may be larger in infants who go on to develop autism spectrum disorder. This result was apparent with or without adjustment for total brain volume. Although we did not see a significant interaction between group and age, cross-sectional data indicated that area and thickness differences diminish by age 2 years. Regression data incorporating diffusion tensor imaging suggest that microstructural properties of callosal white matter, which includes myelination and axon composition, may explain group differences in morphology. |
![]() ![]() Prenatal Drug Exposure Affects Neonatal Brain Functional Connectivity A. P. Salzwedel, K. M. Grewen, C. Vachet, G. Gerig, W. Lin,, W. Gao. In The Journal of Neuroscience, Vol. 35, No. 14, pp. 5860-5869. April, 2015. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4333-14.2015 Prenatal drug exposure, particularly prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE), incurs great public and scientific interest because of its associated neurodevelopmental consequences. However, the neural underpinnings of PCE remain essentially uncharted, and existing studies in school-aged children and adolescents are confounded greatly by postnatal environmental factors. In this study, leveraging a large neonate sample (N = 152) and non-invasive resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, we compared human infants with PCE comorbid with other drugs (such as nicotine, alcohol, marijuana, and antidepressant) with infants with similar non-cocaine poly drug exposure and drug-free controls. We aimed to characterize the neural correlates of PCE based on functional connectivity measurements of the amygdala and insula at the earliest stage of development. Our results revealed common drug exposure-related connectivity disruptions within the amygdala–frontal, insula–frontal, and insula–sensorimotor circuits. Moreover, a cocaine-specific effect was detected within a subregion of the amygdala–frontal network. This pathway is thought to play an important role in arousal regulation, which has been shown to be irregular in PCE infants and adolescents. These novel results provide the earliest human-based functional delineations of the neural-developmental consequences of prenatal drug exposure and thus open a new window for the advancement of effective strategies aimed at early risk identification and intervention. |
![]() Spatio-temporal Image Analysis for Longitudinal and Time-Series Image Data, S. Durrleman, T.P. Fletcher, G. Gerig, M. Niethammer, X. Pennec (Eds.). In Proceedings of the Third International Workshop, STIA 2014, Image Processing, Computer Vision, Pattern Recognition, and Graphics, Vol. 8682, Springer LNCS, 2015. ISBN: 978-3-319-14905-9 This book constitutes the thoroughly refereed post-conference proceedings of the Third |
![]() ![]() Cell tracking using particle filters with implicit convex shape model in 4D confocal microscopy images N. Ramesh, T. Tasdizen. In 2014 IEEE International Conference on Image Processing (ICIP), IEEE, Oct, 2014. DOI: 10.1109/icip.2014.7025089 Bayesian frameworks are commonly used in tracking algorithms. An important example is the particle filter, where a stochastic motion model describes the evolution of the state, and the observation model relates the noisy measurements to the state. Particle filters have been used to track the lineage of cells. Propagating the shape model of the cell through the particle filter is beneficial for tracking. We approximate arbitrary shapes of cells with a novel implicit convex function. The importance sampling step of the particle filter is defined using the cost associated with fitting our implicit convex shape model to the observations. Our technique is capable of tracking the lineage of cells for nonmitotic stages. We validate our algorithm by tracking the lineage of retinal and lens cells in zebrafish embryos. |
![]() Multiatlas Segmentation as Nonparametric Regression S.P. Awate, R.T. Whitaker. In IEEE Trans Med Imaging, April, 2014. PubMed ID: 24802528 This paper proposes a novel theoretical framework to model and analyze the statistical characteristics of a wide range of segmentation methods that incorporate a database of label maps or atlases; such methods are termed as label fusion or multiatlas segmentation. We model these multiatlas segmentation problems as nonparametric regression problems in the high-dimensional space of image patches. We analyze the nonparametric estimator's convergence behavior that characterizes expected segmentation error as a function of the size of the multiatlas database. We show that this error has an analytic form involving several parameters that are fundamental to the specific segmentation problem (determined by the chosen anatomical structure, imaging modality, registration algorithm, and labelfusion algorithm). We describe how to estimate these parameters and show that several human anatomical structures exhibit the trends modeled analytically. We use these parameter estimates to optimize the regression estimator. We show that the expected error for large database sizes is well predicted by models learned on small databases. Thus, a few expert segmentations can help predict the database sizes required to keep the expected error below a specified tolerance level. Such cost-benefit analysis is crucial for deploying clinical multiatlas segmentation systems. |