Open AccessJuSpace : A tool for spatial correlation analyses of magnetic resonance imaging data with nuclear imaging derived neurotransmitter maps
Author(s) -
Dukart Juergen,
Holiga Stefan,
Rullmann Michael,
Lanzenberger Rupert,
Hawkins Peter C. T.,
Mehta Mitul A.,
Hesse Swen,
Barthel Henryk,
Sabri Osama,
Jech Robert,
Eickhoff Simon B.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
human brain mapping
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.005
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1097-0193
pISSN - 1065-9471
DOI - 10.1002/hbm.25244
Subject(s) - serotonergic , dopaminergic , neuroscience , neurotransmitter , functional magnetic resonance imaging , neuroimaging , dopamine , psychology , serotonin , medicine , central nervous system , receptor
Recent studies have shown that drug‐induced spatial alteration patterns in resting state functional activity as measured using magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) are associated with the distribution of specific receptor systems targeted by respective compounds. Based on this approach, we introduce a toolbox (JuSpace) allowing for cross‐modal correlation of MRI‐based measures with nuclear imaging derived estimates covering various neurotransmitter systems including dopaminergic, serotonergic, noradrenergic, and GABAergic (gamma‐aminobutric acid) neurotransmission. We apply JuSpace to two datasets covering Parkinson's disease patients (PD) and risperidone‐induced changes in rsfMRI and cerebral blood flow (CBF). Consistently with the predominant neurodegeneration of dopaminergic and serotonergic system in PD, we find significant spatial associations between rsfMRI activity alterations in PD and dopaminergic (D2) and serotonergic systems (5‐HT1b). Risperidone induced CBF alterations were correlated with its main targets in serotonergic and dopaminergic systems. JuSpace provides a biologically meaningful framework for linking neuroimaging to underlying neurotransmitter information.