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A COMPARISON OF TASK RELEVANT NODE IDENTIFICATION TECHNIQUES AND THEIR IMPACT ON NETWORK INFERENCES: GROUP-AGGREGATED, SUBJECT-SPECIFIC, AND VOXEL WISE APPROACHES

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Date Issued:
2020
Abstract/Description:
The dissertation discusses various node identification techniques as well as their downstream effects on network characteristics using task-activated fMRI data from two working memory paradigms: a verbal n-back task and a visual n-back task. The three node identification techniques examined within this work include: a group-aggregated approach, a subject-specific approach, and a voxel wise approach. The first chapters highlight crucial differences between group-aggregated and subject-specific methods of isolating nodes prior to undirected functional connectivity analysis. Results show that the two techniques yield significantly different network interactions and local network characteristics, despite having their network nodes restricted to the same anatomical regions. Prior to the introduction of the third technique, a chapter is dedicated to explaining the differences between a priori approaches (like the previously introduced group-aggregated and subject-specific techniques) and no a priori approaches (like the voxel wise approach). The chapter also discusses two ways to aggregate signal for node representation within a network: using the signal from a single voxel or aggregating signal across a group of neighboring voxels. Subsequently, a chapter is dedicated to introducing a novel processing pipeline which uses a data driven voxel wise approach to identify network nodes. The novel pipeline defines nodes using spatial temporal features generated by a deep learning algorithm and is validated by an analysis showing that the isolated nodes are condition and subject specific. The dissertation concludes by summarizing the main takeaways from each of the three analyses as well as highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of each of the three node identification techniques.
Title: A COMPARISON OF TASK RELEVANT NODE IDENTIFICATION TECHNIQUES AND THEIR IMPACT ON NETWORK INFERENCES: GROUP-AGGREGATED, SUBJECT-SPECIFIC, AND VOXEL WISE APPROACHES.
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Name(s): Falco, Dimitri, author
Bressler, Steven L. , Thesis advisor
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Created: 2020
Date Issued: 2020
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: online resource
Extent: 147 p.
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: The dissertation discusses various node identification techniques as well as their downstream effects on network characteristics using task-activated fMRI data from two working memory paradigms: a verbal n-back task and a visual n-back task. The three node identification techniques examined within this work include: a group-aggregated approach, a subject-specific approach, and a voxel wise approach. The first chapters highlight crucial differences between group-aggregated and subject-specific methods of isolating nodes prior to undirected functional connectivity analysis. Results show that the two techniques yield significantly different network interactions and local network characteristics, despite having their network nodes restricted to the same anatomical regions. Prior to the introduction of the third technique, a chapter is dedicated to explaining the differences between a priori approaches (like the previously introduced group-aggregated and subject-specific techniques) and no a priori approaches (like the voxel wise approach). The chapter also discusses two ways to aggregate signal for node representation within a network: using the signal from a single voxel or aggregating signal across a group of neighboring voxels. Subsequently, a chapter is dedicated to introducing a novel processing pipeline which uses a data driven voxel wise approach to identify network nodes. The novel pipeline defines nodes using spatial temporal features generated by a deep learning algorithm and is validated by an analysis showing that the isolated nodes are condition and subject specific. The dissertation concludes by summarizing the main takeaways from each of the three analyses as well as highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of each of the three node identification techniques.
Identifier: FA00013553 (IID)
Degree granted: Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2020.
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Includes bibliography.
Subject(s): Functional magnetic resonance imaging
Brain mapping
Working memory
Neural networks (Neurobiology)
Neuroimaging--methods
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Sublocation: Digital Library
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013553
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.