Publications by authors named "Leo R Zekelman"

The cerebellum, long implicated in movement, is now recognized as a contributor to higher-order cognition. The cerebellar pathways provide key structural links between the cerebellum and cerebral regions integral to language, memory, and executive function. Here, we present a large-scale, cross-sectional diffusion MRI (dMRI) analysis investigating the relationships between cerebellar pathway microstructure and cognitive performance in over 9,000 participants spanning pre-adolescence (n>8,000 from the ABCD dataset) and young adulthood (n>900 from the HCP-YA dataset).

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The relationship between brain connections and non-imaging phenotypes is increasingly studied using deep neural networks. However, the local and global properties of the brain's white matter networks are often overlooked in convolutional network design. We introduce TractGraphFormer, a hybrid Graph CNN-Transformer deep learning framework tailored for diffusion MRI tractography.

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The study of brain differences across Eastern and Western populations provides vital insights for understanding potential cultural and genetic influences on cognition and mental health. Diffusion MRI (dMRI) tractography is an important tool in assessing white matter (WM) connectivity and brain tissue microstructure across different populations. However, a comprehensive investigation into WM fiber tracts between Eastern and Western populations is challenged due to the lack of a cross-population WM atlas and the large site-specific variability of dMRI data.

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Neuroimaging-based prediction of neurocognitive measures is valuable for studying how the brain's structure relates to cognitive function. However, the accuracy of prediction using popular linear regression models is relatively low. We propose a novel deep regression method, namely , that allows full supervision for contrastive learning in regression tasks using diffusion MRI tractography.

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Article Synopsis
  • TractGeoNet is a new system that uses advanced techniques from geometry and deep learning to analyze brain images and predict how well people do on language tests.
  • Unlike older methods, it looks at all details of brain fibers at once instead of averaging them, which helps make better predictions.
  • The system also highlights important areas of the brain that affect language skills, showing that certain brain regions, like the left arcuate fasciculus, are key to understanding language performance.
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  • Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC) is a rare genetic disorder causing neurodegeneration and impairments in speech and cognitive functions.
  • The study assessed 8 adults with NPC and healthy controls, using various tests including brain imaging, to identify issues in motor skills, speech production, and cognitive abilities.
  • Findings showed significant brain volume and structural changes in NPC patients, linking these to their motor and cognitive deficits, and suggesting potential biomarkers for understanding the disease better.*
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  • Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging white matter tractography helps plan brain surgeries by aiming to excise tumors while preserving brain function, but faces challenges due to limitations in standard imaging techniques.
  • Track density imaging (TDI) offers enhanced visualization of brain connections over traditional diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), potentially improving surgical planning.
  • This study compared TDI-based maps to DTI-based maps using patient data, with five neurosurgeons evaluating their utility in pre-surgical planning.
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Language and theory of mind (ToM) are the cognitive capacities that allow for the successful interpretation and expression of meaning. While functional MRI investigations are able to consistently localize language and ToM to specific cortical regions, diffusion MRI investigations point to an inconsistent and sometimes overlapping set of white matter tracts associated with these two cognitive domains. To further examine the white matter tracts that may underlie these domains, we use a two-tensor tractography method to investigate the white matter microstructure of 809 participants from the Human Connectome Project.

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