Advanced Neuroimaging

Course manual 2022/2023

Course content

This course provides an overview of advanced MRI techniques used in neuroimaging, including quantitative structural MRI, diffusion MRI, resting-state functional connectivity, and high-resolution laminar (f)MRI. Key image processing techniques and concepts used in multi-modal, high-resolution neuroimage analysis are also covered, from quantitative contrast reconstruction to image registration, tissue segmentation, cortical mapping, atlasing and morphometry. This course aims at introducing modern MR imaging techniques besides task-fMRI that relevant to human cognitive neuroscience in health and disease, and at building an understanding of the increasingly complex analysis techniques employed to interpret such MRI data.

Study materials

Literature

• Selected readings from research articles (provided)

Software

• Neuroimaging software and data (provided)

Objectives

• Understand cutting edge high-field /ultra high-field neuroimaging methods for studying human brain structure and connectivity.
• Be able to analyze the main techniques underlying image preprocessing, registration and segmentation in neuroimaging, focusing on their strengths and limitations.
• Discuss advanced analysis techniques applied in recent neuroscientific articles.
• Build and assess multi-modal neuroimaging pipleines including structure, function and connectivity to address neuroscientific questions.

Teaching methods

• Lecture
• Computer lab session/practical training
• Presentation/symposium
• Self-study

The main part of the course will be lectures, where the important concepts are introduced and discussed. Knowledge will be anchored by reading research articles on the topic and running data analysis pipelines in the practical training.

Learning activities

Attendance

Requirements of the programme concerning attendance (OER-B):

1. In the case of practicals, the student must attend at least 80%. Should the student attend less than 80%, he/she must redo the practical, or the Examinations Board may have one or more supplementary assignments issued.
2. In the case of study-group sessions with assignments, the student must attend at least 80% of the study-group sessions. Should the student attend less than 80%, he/she must redo the study group, or the Examinations Board may have one or more supplementary assignments issued.

Assessment

Inspection of assessed work

Assessments will be made available on Canvas.

Assignments

After the first lecture, two research articles will be assigned to read and discuss on Perusall. This assignment will be graded for 20% of the final grade.

In addition, each student will prepare a 10 minute oral presentation of a research article chosen among a list. This assignment will be graded for 30% of the final grade.

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Timetable

The schedule for this course is published on DataNose.

Additional information

Materials and information are shared via Canvas.

Last year's student feedback

In order to provide students some insight how we use the feedback of student evaluations to enhance the quality of education, we decided to include the table below in all course guides.

Contact information

Coordinator

• dr. Pilou Bazin

Staff

• Prof. dr. Birte Forstmann
• dr. Matthan Caan
• Steven Miletic