Anatomy of Fiber Bundles

To study large fiber bundles we use novel advanced diffusion imaging techniques in a large cohort of older adults (1000BRAINS), which allow for optimized reconstruction of crossing fiber bundles due to high angular resolution. These high-angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) data are reconstructed using advanced algorithms which are independent from assumptions of classic diffusion tensor imaging, such as constrained spherical deconvolution algorithms. These data are additionally used for extraction of tract-specific quantitative parameters to study white-matter microstructure during aging.

Since resolution of in-vivo diffusion imaging is limited, we additionally include fiber tract reconstructions based on high-resolution post-mortem diffusion imaging (collaboration Dr. Alard Roebroeck; Brain Imaging Center, Universiteit Maastricht, The Netherlands).