Exploration of the mechanisms by which neurons are organized structurally in specialized cortical areas, and how neuropathologies can affect cortical architecture is a continuing source of research and debate in Neuroscience.
However, currently the most commonly used in-vivo structural neuroimaging methods to investigate the cerebral cortex (e.g., cortical volumetric measures, cortical thickness) focus on the macrostructural level and do not effectively assess microstructure.
Novel neuroimaging methods based mainly on diffusion MRI including diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI), diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI), and free-water imaging (FWI) represent promising approaches to investigate cortical microstructural organization and its changes.
There is a critical need to develop novel sensitive MRI methods to identify cortical microstructural features and changes. The main goal of this Research Topic is to give a comprehensive overview of cortical architecture research and the recent innovative neuroimaging techniques developed to investigate it in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders, normal aging, and neurological conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson's disease, Frontotemporal lobar degeneration, other forms of dementia, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, etc.
Cortical microstructural imaging markers can help to identify early cortical changes in the preclinical phases of different diseases, determine rates of progression using longitudinal data, and differentiate clinical or pathological subtypes and variants.
Thus, topic editors will welcome any types of manuscripts supported by the Journal – comprised of research article, brief research article, review, and mini-review – pertaining, but not limited to the following themes:
- Histological and neuropathological investigations of cortical microstructures;
- Investigations of the cortical microscopic characteristics using conventional and novel advanced neuroimaging techniques;
- Clinical applications of conventional and novel neuroimaging methods to improve early diagnosis, differential diagnosis, patient stratification, and monitoring of disease progression.
Conflicts of interest: Dr. Chance has submitted patent applications related to diffusion MRI analysis. He is a co-founder and employee of Oxford Brain Diagnostics Ltd.
Dr. Torso has submitted patent applications related to diffusion MRI analysis. He is currently employed at Oxford Brain Diagnostics Ltd.
Dr. Jonkman has a collaboration with an industry partner, Qynapse.
Exploration of the mechanisms by which neurons are organized structurally in specialized cortical areas, and how neuropathologies can affect cortical architecture is a continuing source of research and debate in Neuroscience.
However, currently the most commonly used in-vivo structural neuroimaging methods to investigate the cerebral cortex (e.g., cortical volumetric measures, cortical thickness) focus on the macrostructural level and do not effectively assess microstructure.
Novel neuroimaging methods based mainly on diffusion MRI including diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI), diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI), and free-water imaging (FWI) represent promising approaches to investigate cortical microstructural organization and its changes.
There is a critical need to develop novel sensitive MRI methods to identify cortical microstructural features and changes. The main goal of this Research Topic is to give a comprehensive overview of cortical architecture research and the recent innovative neuroimaging techniques developed to investigate it in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders, normal aging, and neurological conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson's disease, Frontotemporal lobar degeneration, other forms of dementia, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, etc.
Cortical microstructural imaging markers can help to identify early cortical changes in the preclinical phases of different diseases, determine rates of progression using longitudinal data, and differentiate clinical or pathological subtypes and variants.
Thus, topic editors will welcome any types of manuscripts supported by the Journal – comprised of research article, brief research article, review, and mini-review – pertaining, but not limited to the following themes:
- Histological and neuropathological investigations of cortical microstructures;
- Investigations of the cortical microscopic characteristics using conventional and novel advanced neuroimaging techniques;
- Clinical applications of conventional and novel neuroimaging methods to improve early diagnosis, differential diagnosis, patient stratification, and monitoring of disease progression.
Conflicts of interest: Dr. Chance has submitted patent applications related to diffusion MRI analysis. He is a co-founder and employee of Oxford Brain Diagnostics Ltd.
Dr. Torso has submitted patent applications related to diffusion MRI analysis. He is currently employed at Oxford Brain Diagnostics Ltd.
Dr. Jonkman has a collaboration with an industry partner, Qynapse.
