Quantifying the Dynamics of Task-based Functional Connectivity (Task-dFC)

Functional Connectivity (FC), defined as the temporal dependencies between the spatially segregated regions of the brain, is a measure of quantifying functional interactions among the brain regions. It can also be used as a potential biomarker. FC can be assessed under resting wakeful condition or while the subject is engaged in task-execution. My objective is to…

  1. Compare the results of common task-FC methods using simulated and experimental data. The comparison will be across different modalities (fMRI, EEG, …), task-paradigms, and noise levels.
  2. bridge the gap between the task-based FC and dynamic FC, or in other words, study the temporal variations (dynamics) of task-based functional connectivity. I will use a Time-Varying Multi-Variate AutoRegressive (TV-MVAR) model and assess its ability to follow the transient changes in the brain signals.
  3. Investigate the changes in FC from the long-term iEEG using epilepsy dataset. Extending from my second objective, I can assess dFC over different temporal scales using this dataset and predict the seizure onset.

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Emad Askarinejad
Emad Askarinejad
PhD student

Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery at McGill University