Shared Subcortical Arousal Systems Across Perceptual Modalities
Yale University
Summary
The study consists of prospective enrollment of healthy participants and patients with epilepsy, as well as analysis of an existing data set. Healthy participants will be studied with fMRI, eye metrics and behavioral testing at Yale. Patients will be studied with thalamic recording and stimulation, eye metrics and behavioral testing.
Description
The goal of the planned studies is to investigate the role of shared subcortical arousal systems in perception, including visual, auditory and tactile perception. We will investigate shared subcortical arousal circuits in perception using techniques with complementary strengths including fMRI, pupil and eye gaze measurements, behavioral testing, and direct recording and stimulation of the thalamus. Aims 1 and 2 will investigate subcortical arousal systems in visual, auditory and tactile perception using fMRI, pupil and eye gaze measurements and behavioral testing in healthy normal adult parti…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 13+ years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
A. The following are the inclusion/exclusion criteria for healthy participants age 18 years and up (Aim 1 and 2): Inclusion: (1) normal vision with or without the use of corrective lenses; (2) normal hearing not needing an assistive hearing device. Exclusion: (1) past history of diagnosis of a psychiatric or neurologic disease; (2) current psychiatric or neurologic disease; (3) requires hard contact lenses or glasses to maintain normal vision (prevents accurate pupil and eye gaze measurements); (4) pregnant or nonremovable ferrous metal objects inside or on the body (prevents MRI). B. The f…
Interventions
- DeviceEEG
Participants will have scalp EEG recorded with the international 10-20 system sampled at 256Hz using EEG amplifiers for purposes of surface event related potential analysis
- DeviceEye Tracking
An eye-tracking device may be used during the perceptual awareness task. Pupillary and gaze location measurements are recorded using either a ViewPoint\~VoltagePro.EyeLink 1000 Plus system, or Argus Science ETVision system. If using the ViewPoint\~VoltagePro system or the Argus Science ETVision system, participants will be asked to wear an eye tracker during the perceptual awareness task (similar to wearing sunglasses). If using the EyeLink 1000 Plus system, participants may be asked to place their head inside of a padded head-chin rest to stabilize head position
- DeviceBehavioral task
For the visual perceptual awareness task, the participant will be presented with barely perceptible visual stimuli. After a variable delay, the participant will be asked to report perception of each stimulus and identify its location.
- Diagnostic TestfMRI
Visual, auditory or tactile behavioral task will be performed during fMRI at the Yale MR Center. The subject will be asked to lie still in a 3T magnet scanner for up to 15-minute blocks. Each subject will have a sagittal T1-weighted localizer scan (3 minutes) and axial-oblique T1-weighted images (3 min). Multiple 5-15-minute imaging runs will be repeated up to 10 times. The subjects' responses will be recorded by a computer that is linked to the button box. The stimuli will be presented in blocks of 5 to 15 minutes throughout the MR imaging sequences.
Locations (8)
- Yale School of MedicineNew Haven, Connecticut
- University of Kansas Medical CenterKansas City, Kansas
- Massachusetts General HospitalBoston, Massachusetts
- Mayo ClinicRochester, Minnesota
- Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical CenterLebanon, New Hampshire
- University of Pittsburgh Medical CenterPittsburgh, Pennsylvania