Brain Imaging & Analysis Center

CIGAL supports recording of both analog and digital data from a variety of different input devices. The Real-time processor command provides integrated real-time stimulus presentation and recording of physiological and other behavioral data. Physiological fluctuations in respiration, heart-beat, and skin conductance are monitored using MRI-compatible transducers (Biopac, Inc) attached to the subject. Respiration is measured by a stretch transducer on an elastic belt placed around the abdomen; heart-beat is measured by a fiber-optic finger pulse-oximeter cuff; and skin conductance changes are measured via a pair of adhesive electrodes attached to the skin on the subject's hand. For MRI, all electrical connections are grounded and pass through MRI filters in the magnet room shield. Cardiac and skin conductance signals are amplified outside the magnet room using Biopac amplifiers. All analog physiological signals are connected to an analog/digital data acquisition device (Measurement Computing Inc.) connected to the computer via a USB interface. Physiological signals are continuously recorded at 100 Hz throughout each behavioral run. CIGAL also provides a real-time oscilloscope-like display on a second computer monitor of all physiological and other behavioral data as they are collected.

If you want to use CIGAL to collect physiological data while running other software (e.g. other stimulus control programs), see:

Background physio recording

References:
J. T. Voyvodic (1999). Real-time fMRI integrating paradigm control, physiology, behavior and on-line statistical analysis. NeuroImage. 10:91-106.

J.T. Voyvodic, G.H. Glover, D. Greve, S. Gadde, FBIRN (2011). “Automated real-time behavioral and physiological data acquisition and display integrated with stimulus presentation for fMRI”, Frontiers in Neuroinformatics, (5) 27:1-9

See Also:
Hardware, Measurement Computing

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