Function BIRN Sample Queries
The vision of BIRN is to allow investigators to interact with multiple datasets and databases around the country, rather than depending on a single data source. Examples of the kinds of queries that fMRI investigators might want to answer are listed below; these were the kinds of questions that could be asked of the traveling subjects and multi-site fMRI datasets being made available.
In the final form, these queries will be broken down into concepts from the ontologies and would launch searches around the country. The datasets and analyses the queries that could be used to answer the questions and initiate new ones.
I. How is the BOLD signal in an fMRI study related to task performance in normal controls in a particular working memory task, across sites?
A. Specific queries should be made into age, gender, handedness, performance level, and education level, for each task.
B. For the traveling subjects data scanned in multiple GE and Siemens scanners: What is the test-retest reliability, learning/fatigue effects, variability in performance (both within and across sessions), and variability in BOLD signal? These questions can be asked both about global effects and within a region of interest.
C. How do different calibration methods affect the data under different analytical methods?
II. Is the BOLD signal (its amplitude, onset delay, or other characteristics) during working memory tasks different among controls, first-episode, chronic, and late-onset schizophrenics?
A. What BOLD signal differences are still present after accounting for differences in performance, age, gender, and treatment?
B. What are the relative differences in BOLD signal in DLPFC compared to motor cortex?
C. What are the relative differences in BOLD signal in brain systems underlying working memory (e.g., DLPFC, cingulate cortex, temporal lobe areas, parietal cortex, cerebellar cortex)?
a. In particular, do negative symptoms correlate with decreased BOLD signal in the DLPFC?
D. What are the relative differences in BOLD signal in other brain areas and systems during the working memory task?
E. What are the gender differences in BOLD signal and working memory performance, and their interactions?
F. What are the age of onset and age differences in BOLD signal?
G. What is the variability in performance (both within and across sessions), between diagnostic groups?
III. The analogous questions exist for the early auditory processing tasks (Auditory Oddball); more specific questions also exist such as, do positive symptoms correlate with increased BOLD signal in the STG .
IV. What are the effects of treatment on the BOLD signal?
A. What is the effect of long-term antipsychotic treatment (type, dose, and duration) on the activity of various brain structures and systems (e.g., DLPFC, cerebellum, etc.)?
B. Is this effect modulated by age of onset, gender, current age, symptom profile, and treatment specifics? Which main effects on the BOLD signal are maintained after accounting for these other patient and treatment characteristics?
C. To what degree do specific anti-psychotic medications normalize various measures of brain function?
D. To what degree do novel treatments, such as cognitive enhancers, growth-factor promoting compounds, or glutamate receptor agonists, affect various measures of brain function?
V. Is there a relationship between atrophy in various brain structures following long-term disease and cognitive performance, and is it different based on diagnosis?
A. Are there volumetric differences across diagnostic groups?
B. How do these volumetric differences relate to differences in BOLD signal?
C. What is the concordance between differences in volume, BOLD signal, performance, and symptom profiles? E.g., is there a relationship between negative symptoms, and the effects of atrophy on cognitive performance?
Common subsidiary queries:
What are the kinds of cognitive tasks that have been tested, that are publicly available? What are the details of their timing, methods, and instructions?
What is the age range and disease status of subjects available in the federated, distributed databases?
Which subjects have both morphometric data and functional data, or can equivalent data sets be found which have morphometric or functional data?
The above represent research questions that the DB and data query structure needs to be able to address. More detailed, specific questions such as the following have to be developed in support of the above:
Find all right-handed Sz patients under the age of 25 in the DB who did a working memory task (or some other kind of task) (or some other kind of diagnosis or patient characteristics).
What are the results of the cognitive tasks in each age/disease progression group, including behavioral differences (mean RT, % correct, etc.).
What are the scanner models and characteristics represented in the dataset?