Running MRI Subjects

Motivation:

To detail the methods for running a new MRI subject.

Bring: practice laptop (with power cord and mouse), response device, iPad (you will need this later), all paperwork and consent forms, drug screen, and for females, pregnancy test

First bring in the battery behind the MRI and place on top of base of screen (do this first to weigh the screen down)
Next attach eye tracker to the screen. The parts that screw in go inside the circles on the frame of the screen. Do not tighten these too tightly
Then attach black cords from eye tracker to battery – doesn’t matter which end of the cords go where
The orange fiber optic cable attaches to the remaining cord in the eye tracker. Remove white caps from optic fiber cable and place inside the cap for the camera – place both nearby where they won’t get knocked over or lost
Make sure projector is turned on and turn on the eye tracker, on/off switch on battery
Bring the headphones and microphone to the front of the scanner
Next bring the audio console next to the presentation computer
In/Out AUX cable above presentation computer and filter is located in the case above presentation computer

When command screen comes up, select Eyelink – the other option is Windows which you can select when you want to grab data from that computer
Switch red cable plugged in back for blue cable
Switch out MRI mirror for our personal mirror

Bring out response device and check that response device is working
Open notebook on the presentation computer and scroll up and down and click a few times
Bring in subject

Make sure that they have removed all metal and other objects from their bodies – jewelry, cell phones, wallets (can damage credit cards), change, belts, etc.

When they lay down in the scanner, make sure to give them the headphones. Their head position should be as close to the top as they can so that their eye is in an optimal position for the eye tracker. If they have a large head, you can remove the top part of the headphones and carefully place just the ear parts over their ears. Make sure they’re covering their ears completely

Techs will give them a pillow to put under their legs and ask if they want a blanket – it does get cold!

Give them the response device and the tech will give them the emergency squeeze ball
Place the PMU recorder on the index finger of the hand with the squeeze ball
The mirror goes on top of the coil. The mirror should be placed about an inch from the front of the coil
When they get raised up, ask if they can see the screen behind them
Once subject gets put into scanner make sure you can see their eye on the eye tracking computer

You can make adjustments to the camera if you’re unable to see their eye
Also make sure lights are off (middle light on the switch by the door), this makes a huge difference

Go through audio check with them to make sure they can hear
Talk to them and let them know that we will be starting some initial scans. They won’t be hearing any noises or seeing anything on the screen during this time. They should just try to stay awake and as still as possible
Right before the first fear conditioning task, calibrate the eye tracker. This will be under the Conte protocol labeled: Shortcut to Preslink
Let them know that they will be seeing dots appear on the screen and that they should look at them until they disappear and then the next will appear. Important to let them know that they should not try to anticipate where the next dot is going to appear
When calibration is done, start the experiment

The first thing they will do is pupillometry. For this, they will see the screen flash

Name it: bblid_P
Hit enter
For this, the presentation must be started at the same time someone clicks record on the eyetracking computer

Once pupillometry is done, they will be ready to go to the task

for the first fear conditioning, the eyetracking file will be labeled bblid_R1 (the reversal will be named bblid_RR)

These will begin automatically with the scanner
The PMU file will be labeled scanid_r1, scanid_rr, scanid_rb
Keep an eye on whether or not they are hearing a sound, if they are clicking down on the response device, and what their eye tracking data looks like for notes
Check for motion after each scan

They will answer questions about the faces they just saw –no scanning happens during this time

Once they have completed everything, carefully but quickly put everything back in it’s original place.
MAKE SURE TO PUT THE RED CABLE BACK IN WHERE THE BLUE CABLE WAS BEHIND THE COMPUTER