Presentation from Dennis Molfese at the Building Research Collaborations Workshop, Aug. 23, 2012

1. Center for Brain, Biology, &
Behavior
Interdisciplinary Research Center
Dennis L. Molfese, Ph.D.
Mildred Francis Thompson Professor
Director: Center for Brain, Biology & Behavior
Director: Big Ten/CIC Traumatic Brain Injury Research
Consortium
Editor-In-Chief: Developmental Neuropsychology
Director: Developmental Neuroscience Lab
University of Nebraska -Lincoln

2. Acknowledgements
–Cathryn Cortesa, BA
–Nicole Earnest
–Caitlin Hudac, MA
–Kathleen Kelsey, MA
–Srinivas Kota, Ph.D.
–Christopher Rudasill, MFA
–Nathan Petro, B.A.
–Victoria Molfese, Ph.D.

3. Philosophy of The Center
Foster Interdisciplinary Collaborations.
Provide Assess to BOTH Equipment & Training.
Lead Paradigm Shift Within The Neurosciences:
–- Move from “neural phrenology” to Understanding
Brain’s Neural Spatial & Temporal Interconnectivty.
–- Address Characteristics of Processing In and
Between Brain Regions.

4. New Stadium Additions
Center for Brain, Biology,
& Behavior Health & Performance
Research Lab

5. Athletics/Academics Collaboration:
An Unprecedented Initiative
• Informs:
–Medical & Behavioral Science
–Athletic & Academic Training & Competition
–Safety
–Innovations

6. BIG 10 - Ivy League
Concussion Research
Collaboration
• Consortium of 13 University Research & Sport
Programs with BIG 10 CIC + 8 Ivy League
Schools
• Coaches
• Trainers
• Behavior & Brain Imaging Researchers
• Shared data base for images, behavior data, test
procedures & programs
• Increasing external grant funding.

7. Unprecedented New Information
• Screen Athletes Before Season (baseline)
• Track Performance, Neurocognition & Brain Measures
•Head Injured & Matched Controls
•Assess Impact of Multiple Concussion
•Shared Database Across Conferences
• Design Interventions
• Improve Equipment Design
• Develop Concussion Awareness Programs

8. Facilities

10. 1st Floor

11. 2nd Floor
Reception

12. 2nd Floor

13. Internal Stairway Connecting 2nd and 3rd Floors

14. 3rd Floor

15. Science Work Group Areas for 2nd and 3rd Floors

16. Training Plan

17. Model for Training in Brain Imaging
Techniques
1. Workshop Introduction to Theory, Methods,
Literature, Analyses (2-days)
2. Consult on research design
3. Hands-on training with equipment for setup, data
collection, data processing & analysis.
4. Assistance with:
a. Data analyses
b. Conference presentations
c. Journal article drafts
4. Grant submissions
GOAL: Establish Dominance in Mainstream Research
Areas Through Research & Grant Activities.

18. CB3 Training To Date
October 1, 2010 - August, 2012
• 8 Two-Day Workshop: 227 Faculty & Students
• Advanced Imaging Training: 69 Faculty & Students
• Current Research Studies: 12 Projects
• Department Presentations: 38

19. Current Trainees = 26
08-22-2012

20. Available Technologies
fMRI
High Density Infant & Adult NIRS
High-Density EEG/ERP
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation -TMS
Behavior Science Labs
Balance Labs
Computer Labs
Developmental Labs
Endocrine Lab
Eye Tracking Labs
Genetics Lab

21. fMRI - functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Siemens 3 Tesla
Structure
70 cm bore
DTI
Function

22. fMRI - functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
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23. Diffusion Tensor Imaging

24. Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

25. fMRI Imaging
Attachment
Dyslexia

26. Balance Lab

27. Videonystagmography (VNG)
Gait Testing
Rotational Chair

28. Balance Function
Testing
Subjective Visual Vertical
Functional Evaluation of Vestibulo-Ocu
Reflex (VOR)

29. NIRS - Near-Infrared Spectroscopy

30. TMS - Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Machine

31. High-Density ERP/EEG
Event-Related Potentials (ERP)
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Newborn Infant Adult

32. Front of Head
NEWBORN
Left Side QuickTime™ and a Right Side
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+
-
Back of Head

33. Front of Head
Adult
Left Side Right Side
+
-
Back of Head

34. Learning alters brain organization for acquisition
of new information
Same
Shape Matching Task
Different
Low GRTR High GRTR
[GRTR less than 11] [GRTR more than 11]
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Video decompressor Video decompressor
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Molfese et al, 2008

35. Eye Tracker
Eye Tracker + ERP net Eye Tracking Information

36. Intervention

37. ERPs in 2 to 4-Year-Old Preschool SLI Children Predict Subsequent
Language Gains Following 4 Month Intervention
Ability to discriminate /da/ from /ga/
Yoder, Molfese & Camarata, In Press

38. Concussion Intervention
T
Training Task Results
Additional Benefits

39. Concussion

40. Issues in Assessing Sports Concussion
• 1. Little information on brain & behavior prior to concussion.
• 2. Little long-term follow-up following concussion using
standardized testing.
• 3. Tests not comprehensive (e.g., ImPACT not effective in
measuring attention, working memory).
• 4. Little information available regarding prior head injuries.
• 5. Falsification of pre-season tests by athletes.
• 6. Pressure to resume play following possible head injury.
• 7. No research-based information regarding when players can
be safely returned to play.

41. Brain Deformation Following Side “Hit”
Direction
__
Top View
< of
Force
Direction
__
Side View
< of
Force
Pellman et al., 2006

42. Brain Deformation Following Side “Hit”
Direction
__
Top View
< of
Force
Direction
__
Side View
< of
Force
Force can
produce
Pellman et al., 2006 shearing

43. Vestibular Tests May Help to Identify
and Manage Concussion
Julie Honaker, Ph.D.

44. Sports Concussion
Working Memory: 2-back
Match Nonmatch
Match Nonmatch
N2
N400

45. Self-reported symptoms & N2
No history of persistent History of persistent 2.5 nA
headache (n=16) headache (n=19)
.01 nA
Match
N2
Nonmatch

46. 20-40% with TBI experience vision-disorders
Normal Visual World World at an Angle
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Post-Trauma Vision Syndrome
Visual Midline Shift Syndrome
Hudac et al, 2011

47. QuickTime™ and a
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49. Future Possibilities
• Use brain imaging procedures to identify distortions
produced by brain injury.
• Identify intervention that can produce more normal
neural processing.
• Use the successful intervention to enable individual
to perceive and interact with the world in more
normal fashion.

50. Questions ???
©2012 The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska. All rights reserved.

51. fMRI - functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

52. High-Density ERP/EEG:
Newborn Infant
QuickTime™ and a
Cinepak decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Event-Related Potentials (ERP)

53. High-Density ERP/EEG: Adult
QuickTime™ and a
H.263 decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

54. Function
fMRI
Tracks
Blood
Flow in
Brain
DTI
QuickTime™ and a
Photo - JPEG decompres s or
are needed to see this pic ture.
ERP
Structure
54

55. Key et al., In press
55