LIBR MRI Neuroimaging Facility
Established in July 2009 and in research operation since June 2010, the MRI facility provides advanced state-of-the-art MRI, functional MRI (fMRI), simultaneous electroencephalography (EEG) recording with fMRI, and real-time neuroimaging capabilities. Two MRI scanners are fully dedicated to research and provide an advanced capacity for the latest quantitative imaging of the human brain structure and online monitoring of brain activity in real-time. The two scanners can also be synchronized and integrated for hyperscanning, where EEG and fMRI signals of interacting two subjects are measured simultaneously.
The facility provides all the latest technology, tools, and resources necessary to conduct and support brain neuroimaging studies focused on advancing clinical research to discover causes of and cures and novel interventions for mood, anxiety, eating, and memory disorders. LIBR’s custom-made data management system allows for automatic handling of large amounts of neuroimaging data and real-time integration of fMRI, physiological data (respiration, pulse oximetry, or ECG waveforms), and EEG data simultaneously acquired with fMRI. These capabilities enable live monitoring of ongoing brain activation in real-time with extensive multimodal information. The application of real-time neuroimaging in LIBR is expanding from an online data quality check to a neurofeedback treatment for psychiatric disorders, in which a patient is trained to self-modulate a dysfunctional brain activation with feedback of own brain state, and online optimization of brain stimulation with simultaneous transcranial direct or alternating current stimulation (tDCS/tACS) during fMRI. |
The advanced combination and customization of state-of-the-art MRI, RF coils, EEG, and brain stimulation technologies, along with custom-developed software solutions and a wide range of auxiliary computerized equipment, offer a unique potential for conducting advanced brain research. The LIBR MRI facility also supports collaborative neuroimaging research with researchers from local academic institutes, including The University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, and The University of Tulsa.
The MRI facility is directed by Michael Rohan, Ph.D., an expert in functional imaging systems and methods. It operates with the technical support of Masaya Misaki, Ph.D., an expert in multimodal neuroimaging data analysis and information technology and under the management of Julie Arterbury, Senior MRI Technologist. Other staff includes two MRI Technologists, Leslie Walker and Amy Ginn. In 2022, the EEG technologies and data collection and processing transitioned to its own facility under Dr. Evan White, an expert in EEG/event-related potentials (ERPs) and clinical translation psychophysiology and Dr. Xi Ren, EEG Core Staff Scientist. The MRI facility was created from the bottom up by Jerzy Bodurka, Ph.D., and is named in his honor. |
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