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AJNR - American Journal of Neuroradiology

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American Journal of Neuroradiology 27:1628-1634, September 2006
© 2006 American Society of Neuroradiology

FUNCTIONAL

Magnocellular and Parvocellular Visual Pathways Have Different Blood Oxygen Level–Dependent Signal Time Courses in Human Primary Visual Cortex

C.-S.J. Liu^a, R.N. Bryan^b, A. Miki^d, J.H. Woo^b, G.T. Liu^c and M.A. Elliott

^a Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa
^b Departments of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa
^c Department of Neurology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa
^d Department of Ophthalmology, Niigata University School of Medicine, Niigata, Japan

Address correspondence to Chia-Shang J. Liu, B1 StellarChance Laboratories, University of Pennsylvania, 422 Curie Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104; e-mail: cliu{at}mail.med.upenn.edu

PURPOSE: The magnocellular and parvocellular pathways (M and P pathways) are the major pathways of the visual system, with distinct histologic and physiologic properties that may also have different metabolic characteristics. We hypothesize that the differences of the 2 visual pathways would also manifest as differences in the signal time course of blood oxygen level–dependent functional MR imaging (BOLD fMRI). The differences in BOLD signal time course may provide insight into the metabolic requirements of the 2 pathways.

METHODS: Eleven fMRI sessions on 6 subjects were performed using stimuli that preferentially activated the 2 pathways. Regions commonly activated by both the M and P stimuli in the primary visual cortex (V1) were determined, and the contrast elicited by the stimulus, time-to-peak (TTP), and the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the BOLD signal time course were measured.

RESULTS: The functional stimuli activated cortical regions described previously in the literature, such as V1, V4, and V5. Within V1, the TTP of the signal time course of the 2 stimuli were statistically different, with the P stimulus generating TTPs that were on average 12% faster than the M stimulus (P = .0037).

CONCLUSION: We have demonstrated the ability to functionally differentiate the M and P stimuli in a commonly activated anatomic region. Because the BOLD response is dependent on the ratio of oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin in the blood, the difference in the BOLD time course between the 2 stimuli suggests that the oxygen demand of the 2 pathways may be different.

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