# Concurrent high resolution calcium imaging and fMRI reveal intra anterior cingulate cortex neuronal activity and large-scale brain network connectivity in healthy and nicotine-addicted mice

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · 2024 · $194,375

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
 Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), studies have provided significant insights into
unique large-scale functional organizations of the brain including default mode network (DMN) and salience
network (SN). The aberrant communications of brain functional connectivity among these networks have been
observed across different classes of addiction and are associated with craving and relapse. The overarching
goal of this project is to identify the functional role of anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in network integration in
normal and addiction conditions. Our central hypotheses are that: 1) distinct functional clusters of neurons exist
in rodent ACC and these clusters coactivate with distinct large-scale brain networks, 2) SN-related neurons in
ACC will be activated in attention tasks whereas DMN-related neurons in ACC will be deactivated. 3) functional
integration of SN-related neurons in ACC is decreased in nicotine addiction and causally relates to attention
deficits via large-scale brain network dysfunctions. While fMRI can be utilized to depict large-scale brain
networks, one technical challenge towards the testing of these hypotheses is to obtain spatially resolved
neuronal activity within the ACC during fMRI. To address this, we will utilize an innovative MRI-compatible
fluorescent miniature microscope, allowing concurrent imaging of ground-truth neuronal activities at cellular
resolution during fMRI. We also implemented a silent zero-echo-time (ZTE) fMRI technique, enabling awake
rodent imaging in a stress-free condition. Addressing these hypotheses will clarify the utility of ACC in predicting
addiction related attention deficits and its putative role in serving as a novel treatment target for addiction.
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## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10806238
- **Project number:** 5R21DA057503-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
- **Principal Investigator:** Li-MING Hsu
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $194,375
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-03-15 → 2026-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10806238

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10806238, Concurrent high resolution calcium imaging and fMRI reveal intra anterior cingulate cortex neuronal activity and large-scale brain network connectivity in healthy and nicotine-addicted mice (5R21DA057503-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10806238. Licensed CC0.

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