Investigation of BOLD Response in Somatosensory Pathway of Awake Marmosets Using High Resolution fMRI

Cecil Chern-Chyi Yen¹, Daniel Papoti¹, Afonso C. Silva¹

To better interpret the result from the BOLD fMRI, a comprehensive understanding of the spatiotemporal characteristic of the BOLD response is critical. In the present study, we have demonstrated the use of the novel RF coil design and refined data processing scheme to study BOLD response in the awake marmoset, a small non-human primate. Robust BOLD responses were detected in the primary and secondary somatosensory areas, as well as in the caudate nucleus. Without the confounds of anaesthesia and concerns of phylogenetic disparity, this novel animal model may shed light on the characteristic of the neural activity evoked hemodynamic response.