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Research in Action: - University of Calgary

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S<strong>in</strong>ce magnetic resonance imag<strong>in</strong>g (MRI) first gave researchers and physicians a non-<strong>in</strong>vasive peek <strong>in</strong>to<br />

the human bra<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> 1993, the field has exploded <strong>in</strong> leaps and bounds as the technology improved. Now, <strong>University</strong><br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>Calgary</strong> researcher Dr. Brad Goodyear is lead<strong>in</strong>g the next evolution as he uses functional MRI technology<br />

and techniques to study bra<strong>in</strong> function <strong>in</strong> order to uncover how diseases such as Park<strong>in</strong>son’s disease, Multiple<br />

Sclerosis and stroke <strong>in</strong>terfere with the bra<strong>in</strong>’s ability to communicate between its different regions.<br />

10 U<strong>of</strong>C <strong>Research</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Action</strong><br />

Mapp<strong>in</strong>g the bra<strong>in</strong><br />

Goodyear’s cutt<strong>in</strong>g-edge research, while still <strong>in</strong> its early stages, will ultimately reveal how communication<br />

between the bra<strong>in</strong>’s grey matter regions—the “th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g” part <strong>of</strong> the bra<strong>in</strong>—becomes severed when the bra<strong>in</strong>’s<br />

white matter—the connective tissue—becomes diseased. When those connections are lost or impaired, the<br />

bra<strong>in</strong> tries to “re-route” the signals to other parts <strong>of</strong> the bra<strong>in</strong>, but eventually exhausts its options. The result<br />

can be impairments <strong>in</strong> movement, speech and cognitive function.<br />

By tak<strong>in</strong>g high-tech snapshots <strong>of</strong> the bra<strong>in</strong> us<strong>in</strong>g functional MRI, his research will identify fluctuations <strong>in</strong> bra<strong>in</strong><br />

activity over time, produc<strong>in</strong>g a k<strong>in</strong>d <strong>of</strong> “map” <strong>of</strong> the bra<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>dicat<strong>in</strong>g the degree to which bra<strong>in</strong> regions are<br />

communicat<strong>in</strong>g. In stroke patients, these snapshots will help predict the chances <strong>of</strong> a patient’s recovery and<br />

help doctors determ<strong>in</strong>e the impact <strong>of</strong> disease. This “mapp<strong>in</strong>g” is also an essential tool <strong>in</strong> develop<strong>in</strong>g new<br />

therapeutic strategies. “What we’re try<strong>in</strong>g to develop is the miss<strong>in</strong>g l<strong>in</strong>k between the size and severity <strong>of</strong> a<br />

stroke and the actual behavioural function <strong>of</strong> the patient,” says Goodyear, an assistant pr<strong>of</strong>essor <strong>of</strong> radiology<br />

and cl<strong>in</strong>ical neurosciences at the U <strong>of</strong> C.<br />

The next level<br />

Until recently, imag<strong>in</strong>g was used to assess only the size and location <strong>of</strong> a stroke. Function was not someth<strong>in</strong>g<br />

that was measured <strong>in</strong> the bra<strong>in</strong> directly—until now. Goodyear, who also works <strong>in</strong> the Hotchkiss Bra<strong>in</strong> Institute,<br />

is “tak<strong>in</strong>g it to the next level” by us<strong>in</strong>g these MRI snapshots to predict patient outcomes, based on the<br />

strength <strong>of</strong> the communication he identifies <strong>in</strong> the patient’s bra<strong>in</strong>.<br />

By measur<strong>in</strong>g how bra<strong>in</strong> signals change <strong>in</strong> different regions <strong>of</strong> the bra<strong>in</strong> after a stroke—known as connectivity<br />

analysis—Goodyear will potentially provide patients and doctors with an objective <strong>in</strong>dicator <strong>of</strong> bra<strong>in</strong> function<br />

and, therefore, predict the likelihood <strong>of</strong> patients recover<strong>in</strong>g some or all <strong>of</strong> their bra<strong>in</strong> function. Previous models<br />

relied on patients perform<strong>in</strong>g a task and measur<strong>in</strong>g bra<strong>in</strong> function dur<strong>in</strong>g the task, but because stroke sufferers<br />

<strong>of</strong>ten have limited physical control, this left out a large population.<br />

hbi.ucalgary.ca<br />

Dr. Brad Goodyear’s high-tech<br />

“snapshots” <strong>of</strong> the bra<strong>in</strong><br />

are help<strong>in</strong>g to learn more<br />

about Park<strong>in</strong>son’s disease,<br />

Multiple Sclerosis and stroke.

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