Valerio Zerbi, EPFL, School of Engineering (STI), Neuro-Institute, Lausanne / CIBM Centre for Biomedical Imaging, has given a talk.
Short abstract:
The recent advancement of MRI-based tools for mapping brain function in rodents provides a great platform for discovering the determinants of functional (dys)connectivity, whether genetic mutations, environmental risk factors, or specific cellular and circuit dysfunctions. In my talk, I will describe our most recent contributions to the field, underlining the drawbacks of utilizing such a technique while also emphasizing the novel opportunities that this technology can provide.
I will also discuss how perturbational techniques can be used to dissect the fundamental aspects of fMRI coupling and reveal the causal contribution of neuromodulatory systems to brain network activity, with a particular emphasis on the locus coeruleus / noradrenergic system.
These examples highlight how rodent functional imaging has the potential to increase our understanding of the origins and drivers of human functional connectivity.
Relevant papers:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31227310/
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.29.505672v1