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Principal Investigator: Kalanit Grill-Spector
Organization: STANFORD UNIVERSITY
Fiscal Year: 2024
Award: $102,650
Funding agency: National Eye Institute
Project Summary/Abstract
Perception of ecologically relevant visual stimuli such as faces and bodies is achieved through
two processing streams extending from early visual cortex (EVC) to lateral occipito-temporal
cortex (LOTC) and ventral temporal cortex (VTC), respectively. However, if and how the
underlying microstructure and white matter connections constrain the functional organization
and support neural computations in these visual streams remains poorly understood.
Leveraging advancements achieved in the prior funding period, we propose a unique
multimodal approach, combining functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), quantitative
MRI (qMRI), diffusion MRI (dMRI), anatomical quantification, and innovative computational
modeling to elucidate how structural factors constrain the functional organization of LOTC and
VTC. The research has three main aims. Aim 1 will test a quantitative model of functional-
anatomical correspondence in high-level visual cortex. Using fMRI, analysis of micro- and
macro-structure, the research will quantify the correspondence between macroanatomical
landmarks, cytoarchitecture, and functional regions in LOTC and VTC. Aim 2 will determine
how white matter connections regulate the functional organization of high-level visual
cortex. Using dMRI and fMRI this aim will test (i) if different white matter connections from EVC
to downstream regions contribute to the segregation of functional regions within and across
visual streams, and (ii) if the eccentricity of the origin of these white matter connections impacts
the visual field coverage of downstream regions. Aim 3 will develop and test a
spatiotemporal population receptive field model of responses in visual cortex. This aim
will provide not only an innovative approach using fMRI and computational modeling to predict
responses to a large range of stimuli that vary in size, position, timing, and duration, but will also
provide a quantitative framework to test the impact of top-down attention on basic visual
computations. Overall, the proposed research will significantly advance understanding of high-
level vision by filling in longstanding gaps in knowledge. The research will (1) provide a
parsimonious model of how the microstructure and connections scaffold the function and
computations of both ventral and lateral streams, (2) break new ground in computational models
of visual cortex, and (3) generate innovative multimodal in vivo methods to quantify
microstructural properties of visual cortex. Together, the research has important implications for
clinical conditions that are associated with malfunction of high-level vision including
developmental prosopagnosia, autism, and dyslexia.
Terms: <ASD><Administrative Supplement><Anatomic Sites><Anatomic structures><Anatomy><Attention><Autism><Autistic Disorder><Award><Behavior><Body Tissues><Brain><Brain Nervous System><Clinical><Code><Coding System><Computer Models><Computerized Models><Computers><Congenital prosopagnosia><DWI (diffusion weighted imaging)><DWI-MRI><Data><Dedications><Diffusion><Diffusion MRI><Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging><Diffusion Weighted MRI><Diffusion weighted imaging><Diffusion-weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging><Dyslexia><Early Infantile Autism><Encephalon><Face><Face blindness><Functional MRI><Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging><Funding><Grant><Hour><Human><Individual><Infantile Autism><Journals><Kanner's Syndrome><Knowledge><Lateral><Length><Linux><MR Imaging><MR Tomography><MRI><MRIs><Magazine><Magnetic Resonance Imaging><Manuscripts><Maps><Measures><Medical Imaging, Magnetic Resonance / Nuclear Magnetic Resonance><Methods><Mission><Modeling><Modern Man><Msec><NMR Imaging><NMR Tomography><Neuranatomies><Neuranatomy><Neuroanatomies><Neuroanatomy><Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging><Outcome><Peer Review><Perception><Personal Satisfaction><Population><Position><Positioning Attribute><Preparation><Property><Publications><Publishing><Reporting><Research><Research Resources><Resources><STEM research><Scanning><Scientific Publication><Sight><Societies><Stimulus><Stream><Structure><Temporal Lobe><Testing><Tissues><Training><Vision><Visual><Visual Cortex><Visual Fields><Visual System><Word Blindness><Zeugmatography><artificial neural net><artificial neural network><autism spectral disorder><autism spectrum disorder><autistic spectrum disorder><computational framework><computational modeling><computational models><computational neural network><computational resources><computer based models><computer framework><computerized modeling><computing resources><cortex mapping><cortical map><cortical mapping><cost><dMRI><data acquisition><data acquisitions><deep learning based neural network><deep learning neural network><deep neural net><deep neural network><depository><developmental prosopagnosia><diffused><diffuses><diffusing><diffusion tensor imaging><diffusions><eye field><fMRI><fMRI scan><faces><facial><falls><functional MRI scan><functional magnetic resonance imaging scan><improved><in vivo><innovate><innovation><innovative><millisecond><multi-modality><multimodality><neural><neural imaging><neural mechanism><neural model><neuro-imaging><neuroimaging><neurological imaging><neuromechanism><post-pandemic><predict responsiveness><predicting response><preparations><receptive field><repository><response><scaffold><scaffolding><science, technology, engineering and math research><science, technology, engineering and mathematics research><segregation><spatiotemporal><stem><structural determinants><structural factors><substantia alba><synthetic neural network><temporal cortex><visual cortical><visual function><visual process><visual processing><visual stimulus><well-being><wellbeing><white matter>