The Chuang laboratory focuses on understanding the functional connectome of the brain. The brain connectome describes how neurons are wired and interact. It is a critical component for linking behaviour with cellular and molecular changes. Many neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders show deficits in specific brain networks, suggesting that disease connectomes may underlie disease progression.
The laboratory is developing functional and molecular imaging to understand the functional connectivity that underlies behaviour and how diseases lead to impairment of the brain network. Identifying disease-specific patterns of brain activity and connectivity as biomarkers could improve the characterisation of diseases and their progress; the Chuang group aims to facilitate early and specific diagnosis, optimise treatment and develop drug therapeutics.
To determine brain connectivity associated with behaviour, the Chuang group developed various magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques to track neuronal connections, map large-scale brain synchrony, quantify cerebral blood flow and metabolism in vivo in the rodent brain. They identified ongoing synchronous activity following a memory task and found that connectivity patterns reorganised toward the cortex over time, in line with current understanding of memory consolidation. The connectivity and behaviour performance can be enhanced by Aricept®, a drug for treating dementia.
To pinpoint the relationship between the functional connectome and memory performance, the group is developing and combining multiple techniques for mapping neural metabolism (eg, dynamic nuclear polarization and chemical exchange saturation transfer), neuromodulation (eg, optogenetics, DREADD) and neural recording (calcium and electrophysiology) together with functional MRI and causal modelling to track and intervene behaviour and disorders, which would be translated in human.
Group leader
Associate Professor Kai-Hsiang Chuang
Group Leader, Functional and molecular neuroimaging
Principal Research Fellow - GL
+61 7 3363 3811
k.chuang@uq.edu.au
UQ Researcher Profile
- Associate Professor Darryl Eyles, QBI, The University of Queensland
- Professor Jürgen Götz, QBI, The University of Queensland
- Professor Tianzi Jiang, QBI, The University of Queensland
- Dr Fatima Nasrallah, QBI, The University of Queensland
- Professor Linda J. Richards, QBI, The University of Queensland
- Professor Pankaj Sah, QBI, The University of Queensland
- Professor Elizabeth Coulson, QBI, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland
- Dr Patricio Opazo, QBI, University of Queensland
- Professor Feng Liu, School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, The University of Queensland
- Professor Markus Barth, CAI, The University of Queensland
- Locating causal hubs of memory consolidation in spontaneous brain network in male mice
Rodent Whole-Brain fMRI Data Preprocessing Toolbox
Xu, Nan, Zhang, Leo, Larson, Sam, Li, Zengmin, Anumba, Nmachi, Daley, Lauren, Pan, Wen-Ju, Chuang, Kai-Hsiang and Keilholz, Shella D. (2023). Rodent Whole-Brain fMRI Data Preprocessing Toolbox. Aperture Neuro, 3. doi: 10.52294/001c.85075
Author Correction: A consensus protocol for functional connectivity analysis in the rat brain
Grandjean, Joanes, Desrosiers-Gregoire, Gabriel, Anckaerts, Cynthia, Angeles-Valdez, Diego, Ayad, Fadi, Barrière, David A., Blockx, Ines, Bortel, Aleksandra, Broadwater, Margaret, Cardoso, Beatriz M., Célestine, Marina, Chavez-Negrete, Jorge E., Choi, Sangcheon, Christiaen, Emma, Clavijo, Perrin, Colon-Perez, Luis, Cramer, Samuel, Daniele, Tolomeo, Dempsey, Elaine, Diao, Yujian, Doelemeyer, Arno, Dopfel, David, Dvořáková, Lenka, Falfán-Melgoza, Claudia, Fernandes, Francisca F., Fowler, Caitlin F., Fuentes-Ibañez, Antonio, Garin, Clément M., Gelderman, Eveline ... Hess, Andreas (2023). Author Correction: A consensus protocol for functional connectivity analysis in the rat brain. Nature Neuroscience. doi: 10.1038/s41593-023-01328-1
A consensus protocol for functional connectivity analysis in the rat brain
Grandjean, Joanes, Desrosiers-Gregoire, Gabriel, Anckaerts, Cynthia, Angeles-Valdez, Diego, Ayad, Fadi, Barrière, David A., Blockx, Ines, Bortel, Aleksandra, Broadwater, Margaret, Cardoso, Beatriz M., Célestine, Marina, Chavez-Negrete, Jorge E., Choi, Sangcheon, Christiaen, Emma, Clavijo, Perrin, Colon-Perez, Luis, Cramer, Samuel, Daniele, Tolomeo, Dempsey, Elaine, Diao, Yujian, Doelemeyer, Arno, Dopfel, David, Dvořáková, Lenka, Falfán-Melgoza, Claudia, Fernandes, Francisca F., Fowler, Caitlin F., Fuentes-Ibañez, Antonio, Garin, Clément, Gelderman, Eveline ... Hess, Andreas (2023). A consensus protocol for functional connectivity analysis in the rat brain. Nature Neuroscience, 26 (4), 673-681. doi: 10.1038/s41593-023-01286-8
Chuang, Kai-Hsiang, Li, Zengmin, Huang, Helena H., Khorasani Gerdekoohi, Shabnam and Athwal, Dilsher (2023). Hemodynamic transient and functional connectivity follow structural connectivity and cell type over the brain hierarchy. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120 (5) e2202435120, e2202435120. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2202435120
Chuang, Kai-Hsiang, Wu, Pei-Huan, Li, Zengmin, Fan, Kang-Hsing and Weng, Jun-Cheng (2022). Deep learning network for integrated coil inhomogeneity correction and brain extraction of mixed MRI data. Scientific reports, 12 (1) 8578, 8578. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-12587-6
Zhou, Xiaoqing Alice, Ngiam, Grace, Qian, Lei, Sankorrakul, Kornraviya, Coulson, Elizabeth J. and Chuang, Kai-Hsiang (2022). The basal forebrain volume reduction detected by MRI does not necessarily link with the cholinergic neuronal loss in the Alzheimer's Disease mouse model. Neurobiology of Aging, 117, 24-32. doi: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.03.017
Zhou, Xiaoqing Alice, Blackmore, Daniel G., Zhuo, Junjie, Nasrallah, Fatima A., To, XuanVinh, Kurniawan, Nyoman D., Carlisle, Alison, Vien, King-Year, Chuang, Kai-Hsiang, Jiang, Tianzi and Bartlett, Perry F. (2021). Neurogenic-dependent changes in hippocampal circuitry underlie the pro-cognitive effect of exercise in ageing mice. iScience, 24 (12) 103450, 103450. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103450
Ho, Wan Yun, Agrawal, Ira, Tyan, Sheue-Houy, Sanford, Emma, Chang, Wei-Tang, Lim, Kenneth, Ong, Jolynn, Tan, Bernice Siu Yan, Moe, Aung Aung Kywe, Yu, Regina, Wong, Peiyan, Tucker-Kellogg, Greg, Koo, Edward, Chuang, Kai-Hsiang and Ling, Shuo-Chien (2021). Dysfunction in nonsense-mediated decay, protein homeostasis, mitochondrial function, and brain connectivity in ALS-FUS mice with cognitive deficits. Acta Neuropathologica Communications, 9 (1) 9, 9. doi: 10.1186/s40478-020-01111-4
Cheng, Hsiao-Ju, Ng, Kwun Kei, Qian, Xing, Ji, Fang, Lu, Zhong Kang, Teo, Wei Peng, Hong, Xin, Nasrallah, Fatima Ali, Ang, Kai Keng, Chuang, Kai-Hsiang, Guan, Cuntai, Yu, Haoyong, Chew, Effie and Zhou, Juan Helen (2021). Task-related brain functional network reconfigurations relate to motor recovery in chronic subcortical stroke. Scientific Reports, 11 (1) 8442, 8442. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-87789-5
Ewais, T., Begun, J., Kenny, M., Hay, K., Houldin, Evan, Chuang, Kai-Hisang, Tefay, M. and Kisely, S. (2021). Mindfulness based cognitive therapy for youth with inflammatory bowel disease and depression - Findings from a pilot randomised controlled trial. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 149 110594, 110594. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110594
Hu, Mengjiao, Cheng, Hsiao-Ju, Ji, Fang, Chong, Joanna Su Xian, Lu, Zhongkang, Huang, Weimin, Ang, Kai Keng, Phua, Kok Soon, Chuang, Kai-Hsiang, Jiang, Xudong, Chew, Effie, Guan, Cuntai and Zhou, Juan Helen (2021). Brain functional changes in stroke following rehabilitation using brain-computer interface-assisted motor imagery with and without tDCS: a pilot study. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 15 692304, 692304. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.692304
Quantitative Analysis of Renal Perfusion by Arterial Spin Labeling
Chuang, Kai-Hsiang, Kober, Frank and Ku, Min-Chi (2021). Quantitative Analysis of Renal Perfusion by Arterial Spin Labeling. Methods in Molecular Biology, 2216, 655-666. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0978-1_39
Optimizing diffusion MRI acquisition efficiency of rodent brain using simultaneous multislice EPI
Lee, Hsu‐Lei, Zhou, Xiaoqing Alice, Li, Zengmin and Chuang, Kai‐Hsiang (2020). Optimizing diffusion MRI acquisition efficiency of rodent brain using simultaneous multislice EPI. NMR in Biomedicine, 34 (1) e4398, e4398. doi: 10.1002/nbm.4398
Ultrafast fMRI of the rodent brain using simultaneous multi-slice EPI
Lee, Hsu-Lei, Li, Zengmin, Coulson, Elizabeth J. and Chuang, Kai-Hsiang (2019). Ultrafast fMRI of the rodent brain using simultaneous multi-slice EPI. NeuroImage, 195, 48-58. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.03.045
Ewais, Tatjana, Begun, Jake, Kenny, Maura, Chuang, Kai-Hsiang, Barclay, Johanna, Hay, Karen and Kisely, Steve (2019). Protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in youth with inflammatory bowel disease and depression. BMJ Open, 9 (4) e025568, e025568. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-025568
Evaluation of nuisance removal for functional MRI of rodent brain
Chuang, Kai-Hsiang, Lee, Hsu-Lei, Li, Zengmin, Chang, Wei-Tang, Nasrallah, Fatima A., Yeow, Ling Yun and Singh, Kavita Kaur D./O.Ranjit (2019). Evaluation of nuisance removal for functional MRI of rodent brain. NeuroImage, 188, 694-709. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.12.048
ARC Training Centre for Innovation in Biomedical Imaging Technology
(2017-2024) Australian Research Council
Understanding functional and metabolic brain connectivity in mice
(2017–2018) Universities Australia - Germany Joint Research Co-operation Scheme
Improving human fMRI through modeling and imaging microvascular dynamics (NHMRC component of an NHMRC-NIH BRAIN Initiative Collaborative Research Grant)
(2016–2023) NHMRC-NIH BRAIN Initiative Collaborative Research Grants
Understanding acute regression in adolescents and young adults with Down Syndrome (BICARE Grant administered by Mater Medical Research Institute)
(2018–2020) Mater Medical Research Institute Limited
Reduced cerebral blood flow in Alzheimer's disease and cholinergic neuron dysfunction
(2018) The Mason Foundation National Medical Program
Mechanisms and consequences of cholinergic neuron degeneration in sleep apnea
(2019-2021) NHMRC Project Grant
Project 1: Modulating learning and memory by targeting brain connectome
How memory is formed is one of the most intriguing questions in neuroscience. Recent studies suggest that memory is formed and stored in distributed brain connectivity. Our previous work showed that learning can induce long-lasting change in the spontaneous brain network detected by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Furthermore, silencing specific network hub identified can impair memory formation. This project aims to further identify connectivity signature of memory formation so as to develop novel methods for improving memory. We will use advanced MRI, electrophysiology, optogenetics and calcium recording to pinpoint and verify functional connectivity changes in memory formation in animal models. Neuromodulation will be developed to target the connection to assess its behavioural effects on learning and memory. The outcomes will advance our understanding of memory and technologies for improving cognitive function.
Project 2: Understand interplay between waste clearance, metabolism and brain connectivity in Alzheimer’s dementia
Neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia, are irreversible and generally incurable and hence early detection is essential so that interventions can be applied to slow down its progression. Abnormal brain networks that colocalized with early pathologies, such as amyloid plaque or tau tangle, in Alzheimer’s dementia (AD) have been identified. However, why specific brain networks are vulnerable remains unclear. We recently discovered a neural pathway could affect a major waste clearance pathway – the glymphatic system – in the brain, leading to the pathology of AD. We aim to further understand the relationship between brain network, metabolic waste and glymphatic function using human brain imaging data and test hypothesis in animal models. This translational study will provide new ways for improving brain function by facilitating waste clearance.
Research areas
- Functional and molecular imaging
- Neural endophenotypes
- Functional connectome in vivo
- Neurodegeneration
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