Combined functional data from multispectral non-ionizing and non-invasive brain imaging

Ongoing research during the past few years, envisions the development of an integrated functional imaging methodology to study brain function in-vivo and ex-vivo through a multi-modal, multi-spectral approach using non-ionizing radiation to provide combined functional information from molecule to tissue level. The scope of this research is threefold: (a) provide non-invasive, non-ionizing functional imaging comprising combined blood flow and neural dynamics information, as well as passive measurement of temperature and conductivity fluctuations during activation of specified brain areas in-vivo and (b) identify new brain biomarkers related to brain functionality both in health and disease through Terahertz biomolecule imaging ex-vivo. To achieve the above mentioned the stages of our research comprise: (1) exploration of the functional imaging potential of a novel passive microwave imaging device, (2) development of integrated functional imaging systems for concurrent measurements of blood flow, neural activity, temperature and conductivity changes in the brain, (3) definition of biomolecular markers related to brain functionality and disease ex-vivo. The accumulation of a wealth of brain functional data from molecular to system level will lead to a broad range of applications, spanning the delineation of brain networks, improved post-processing of the obtained measurements, understanding the basis of neuropsychiatric diseases and effective treatment design.