fMEG OPM

Fetale Magnetoencephalography mit OPM

01/05/2022 to 30/04/2025

Fetal magnetoencephalography (fMEG) and high-resolution electroencephalography (HR-EEG) have been developed at the fMEG Center in Tübingen (DE) and Inserm 1105 in Amiens (FR), respectively. The combination of these two technologies allows non-invasive investigation of the perceptual and cognitive abilities of the premature brain starting from the third trimester of gestation, both in- and ex- utero. Newly developed optically pumped magnetometers (OPMs) represent a technological breakthrough for MEG, enabling cost-effective applications in neurodevelopmental research. The aim of the current project is to develop an OPM device for investigation of the premature and fetal brain and create a user interface for the recordings. This will be performed using the OPM system developed by the Laboratoire d’Electronique et de Technologie de L’Information (CEA LETI) in Grenoble (FR). Second, we will simulate and model the magnetic field generated by electrical currents in the premature and fetal brain using preterm HR-EEG data. This will serve for the creation and optimization of the analysis pipelines for the MEG recordings. Finally, we will test the pipeline on real datasets recorded using OPM-MEG for preterm neonates and SQUID-fMEG and OPM-fMEG for fetuses. The extraction of various neurodevelopmental biomarkers and event-related responses will contribute to the progress and validation of OPMs as new non-invasive functional imaging devices to study the developing brain. Such an approach will open new avenues in research and the clinic in the fields of neurodevelopment and the identification of predictive biomarkers of neurodevelopmental disorders.