Analysis of Simultaneous Eye-tracking and fMRI Data Collected in Children with ASD Restricted; Files Only
Huang, Xucheng (Fred) (Spring 2024)
Published
Abstract
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a useful tool for understanding the complexities of brain activity, particularly in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). While recent studies have examined dynamic connectivity in ASD using resting-state fMRI, analyzing dynamic connectivity of task-based fMRI may offer novel insights. To enhance our understanding of brain connectivity in ASD, this thesis has two aims: 1) analyze the relationship between eye-tracking data and movie-watching tasks in children with and without ASD using the general linear model; 2) develop a novel model for analyzing dynamic connectivity during a task. For aim 1, we develop an analytic pipeline for convolving eye-blink and eye-fixation events with the Hemodynamic Response Function (HRF), which is then analyzed using conventional task-based modeling approach. For aim 2, we propose a novel covariance regression in which we estimate the association between time-varying correlations between brain regions and the eye-tracking data. We analyzed 12 ASD children and 22 non-ASD children collected in the Brain Connectivity Study at Emory University. Brain activation was significantly lower in ASD during eye-fixation events in regions associated with sensory processing, attention networks, auditory processing, executive functions, and language processing. The covariance regression analysis further identified large individual variability in functional connectivity among the ASD group. Our two-stage modeling approach extends beyond studies of ASD, providing an analytical framework to complement traditional task-based fMRI analyses with dynamic connectivity modeling.
Table of Contents
One table and and six figures were included in my thesis.
One table:
Demographic table and summary of Eye-Blink and Eye-Fixation Measurements: the median percentages for the duration of eye-blink and eye-fixation, along with the first and third quartile ranges, for each video clip across different sexes and ASD and non-ASD groups.Six figures are:
Convolution of Eye-Tracking Metrics with the HRF Function for a Single Subject. These signals are later used as predictors in the general linear model of fMRI task activation; Quantile-Quantile (Q-Q) Plot Analysis for OLS Model Residuals was conducted on brain region pairs $vv'$, which were randomly selected from two participants diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and two Typically Developing (non-ASD) participants, with the pairs themselves also chosen at random. Global brain activation (Mean effects in non-ASD group) from three models for 100 brain regions, representing the effects of eye-blink, eye-fixation, and the differential effects between eye-fixation and eye-blink. Mean differential effects modifications in ASD versus non-ASD in brain activation during eye-blink events, eye-fixation events, and when comparing the effects during eye-fixation versus eye-blink events. Subject level's Z-Statistics for Dynamic Brain Functional Connectivity Linear Effects between eye-fixation and eye-blink events. The results are presented in visual heatmaps and chord diagrams. Population level's Z-Statistics for Dynamic Brain Functional Connectivity Linear Effects between and in ASD vs. non-ASD group. The results are presented in visual heatmaps and chord diagrams.About this Master's Thesis
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File download under embargo until 20 May 2025 | 2024-04-08 10:50:02 -0400 | File download under embargo until 20 May 2025 |
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