Seed-Based Functional Connectivity Analysis of the Emotional Circuitry: Improving the Signal of Vulnerable Regions with Spin-Echo EPI

Roberto Goya-Maldonado¹, Brice Fernandez, ¹², Victor Spoormaker¹, Michael Czisch¹

Functional connectivity (fc) analysis allows monitoring specific regional brain changes in activation along time. The susceptibility artifacts commonly present during the acquisition of fMRI with GRE-EPI can drastically limit the investigation of the emotional circuitry. We tested the applicability of SE-EPI for fc analysis at 3T. The seeds placed in the emotional circuitry presented robust and anatomically reliable connectivity patterns in the differential contrast SE>GRE. This suggests a potential benefit to be further explored in functional studies addressing the affective system.