1/n
Our paper is out. Finally.
For me, the most important Mobile Brain/Body Imaging paper thus far.
And the most personal paper of my career.
rdcu.be/cxJHb
This is a rant.
A rant about science.
A rant about life.
And everything in between.
Our paper is out. Finally.
For me, the most important Mobile Brain/Body Imaging paper thus far.
And the most personal paper of my career.
rdcu.be/cxJHb
This is a rant.
A rant about science.
A rant about life.
And everything in between.
2/n
In 2015 we started working on this project attempting to demonstrate the potential impact the Mobile Brain/Body Imaging (MoBI) approach can have.
Showing how multimodal sensory information originating from movement is an essential part of cognitive processes.
In 2015 we started working on this project attempting to demonstrate the potential impact the Mobile Brain/Body Imaging (MoBI) approach can have.
Showing how multimodal sensory information originating from movement is an essential part of cognitive processes.
3/n
We used a spatial orientation task (heading computation) to compare results from established neuroimaging methods (fMRI, M/EEG) that restrict participants’ movements during spatial orientation with full-body movements.
Thanks to @DFG to fund ambitious research like this.
We used a spatial orientation task (heading computation) to compare results from established neuroimaging methods (fMRI, M/EEG) that restrict participants’ movements during spatial orientation with full-body movements.
Thanks to @DFG to fund ambitious research like this.
4/n
Using synchronized high-density EEG , full-body motion capture, and head-mounted VR, we compared stationary rotations on the spot with physical rotations on the spot to see which brain regions are involved in heading computation.
Using synchronized high-density EEG , full-body motion capture, and head-mounted VR, we compared stationary rotations on the spot with physical rotations on the spot to see which brain regions are involved in heading computation.
5/n
After developing our own neck-EEG band and getting all the hardware together, the data was in. After the next struggles with technical issues, overcoming synchronization problems and optimization of the data processing pipeline for sometimes pretty noisy EEG data.
After developing our own neck-EEG band and getting all the hardware together, the data was in. After the next struggles with technical issues, overcoming synchronization problems and optimization of the data processing pipeline for sometimes pretty noisy EEG data.
6/n
Trying to find a covariation of physical rotation with EEG band power in specific cortical regions.
We found spurious correlations (did you know that #suicides by drowning in California pools correlates with movies releases featuring Nicolas Cage?
tylervigen.com/view_correlati…
Trying to find a covariation of physical rotation with EEG band power in specific cortical regions.
We found spurious correlations (did you know that #suicides by drowning in California pools correlates with movies releases featuring Nicolas Cage?
tylervigen.com/view_correlati…
7/n
On December 16th, 2016, my spouse called me.
The optician couldn't explain the blind spot in her visual field.
He transferred her to a neurologist.
The MRI revealed a mass in the left hemisphere, close to the brainstem, that should not have been there.
On December 16th, 2016, my spouse called me.
The optician couldn't explain the blind spot in her visual field.
He transferred her to a neurologist.
The MRI revealed a mass in the left hemisphere, close to the brainstem, that should not have been there.
8/n
Surgery was scheduled the week after the diagnosis.
It went well.
She talked. Non-sensical. But she talked.
We realized correlations are no means to get deeper insights into how the brain processes vestibular information about acceleration or velocity.
What to do?
Surgery was scheduled the week after the diagnosis.
It went well.
She talked. Non-sensical. But she talked.
We realized correlations are no means to get deeper insights into how the brain processes vestibular information about acceleration or velocity.
What to do?
9/n
My amazing team found better ways to analyze the data using representational dissimilarity analyses
frontiersin.org/articles/10.33…
Difficult to find a more “mechanistic” explanation of how the brain processes vestibular information
My amazing team found better ways to analyze the data using representational dissimilarity analyses
frontiersin.org/articles/10.33…
Difficult to find a more “mechanistic” explanation of how the brain processes vestibular information
10/n
We learned that the brain tumor was a metastasis.
Hours, endless hours of waiting at endless medical institutions to learn that there were
Shadows in the lungs.
Shadows in the liver.
And finally, the diagnosis of intestinal cancer.
We learned that the brain tumor was a metastasis.
Hours, endless hours of waiting at endless medical institutions to learn that there were
Shadows in the lungs.
Shadows in the liver.
And finally, the diagnosis of intestinal cancer.
11/n
Impressive results and analyses including a new k-means clustering approach - preprint 2018.
biorxiv.org/content/10.110…
Broad-band modulations in the retrosplenial complex during full-body rotations differ drastically from the established stationary visual flow rotation.
Impressive results and analyses including a new k-means clustering approach - preprint 2018.
biorxiv.org/content/10.110…
Broad-band modulations in the retrosplenial complex during full-body rotations differ drastically from the established stationary visual flow rotation.
12/n
My wife developed post-surgery epilepsy.
Whenever I hear an ambulance I see her, in pain, in fear.
Not knowing what is going to happen.
Knowing that she will have to work on recovering her language in the next weeks yet again.
My wife developed post-surgery epilepsy.
Whenever I hear an ambulance I see her, in pain, in fear.
Not knowing what is going to happen.
Knowing that she will have to work on recovering her language in the next weeks yet again.
13/n
A fantastic scientist and team member gets closer to a mechanical explanation of frequency modulations based on active behavior.
Then, suddenly develops migraines.
Turns out, a severe concussion some years back has led to a severe post-traumatic neurological state.
A fantastic scientist and team member gets closer to a mechanical explanation of frequency modulations based on active behavior.
Then, suddenly develops migraines.
Turns out, a severe concussion some years back has led to a severe post-traumatic neurological state.
14/n
The most wonderful team supports me in my growing absence.
I am grateful.
I am with my spouse, trying to be with her most of the time.
A team still working on the analysis to understand the data.
Last efforts of a team member/scientist to understand a complex problem.
The most wonderful team supports me in my growing absence.
I am grateful.
I am with my spouse, trying to be with her most of the time.
A team still working on the analysis to understand the data.
Last efforts of a team member/scientist to understand a complex problem.
15/n
2019.
The project came to a halt.
I am with my spouse and our daughter for most of the time trying to work in between.
My team, nothing I could ask for more, takes over and does everything to keep things going.
2019.
The project came to a halt.
I am with my spouse and our daughter for most of the time trying to work in between.
My team, nothing I could ask for more, takes over and does everything to keep things going.
16/n
My spouse, never giving up to fight, passes away on June 18th, 2019.
I miss you.
Everyday.
My spouse, never giving up to fight, passes away on June 18th, 2019.
I miss you.
Everyday.
17/n
Trying to gather the pieces together again.
Pieces of life, pieces of science.
Writing up new results, still convinced this is one of the most impressive MoBI projects thus far.
Trying to gather the pieces together again.
Pieces of life, pieces of science.
Writing up new results, still convinced this is one of the most impressive MoBI projects thus far.
18/n
Neck muscle activity systematically varies dependent on rotation velocity only in physical but not visual flow rotations.
Visual cortex shows rotation velocity dependences only in visual flow rotations but not physical rotations – predictive processing?
Neck muscle activity systematically varies dependent on rotation velocity only in physical but not visual flow rotations.
Visual cortex shows rotation velocity dependences only in visual flow rotations but not physical rotations – predictive processing?
19/n
RSC demonstrates velocity dependence and entirely different spectral modulations when actively turning and computing heading.
First paper to my knowledge that shows action-dependent frequency modulations in the human cortex.
Excited. Submitted to Nature Neuroscience again
RSC demonstrates velocity dependence and entirely different spectral modulations when actively turning and computing heading.
First paper to my knowledge that shows action-dependent frequency modulations in the human cortex.
Excited. Submitted to Nature Neuroscience again
20/n
Rejected again.
Not mechanistic enough…
No strength to go on, accepting automatic transfer to Scientific Reports.
Takes ages for feedback.
1 Reviewer.
5 comments. Mainly related to figures.
#Reviewer2
Rejected again.
Not mechanistic enough…
No strength to go on, accepting automatic transfer to Scientific Reports.
Takes ages for feedback.
1 Reviewer.
5 comments. Mainly related to figures.
#Reviewer2
21/n
My most important project.
My most devastating years.
I am grateful for and honored to work with the best team I could ever ask for.
I am grateful for the support by friends along this journey.
My most important project.
My most devastating years.
I am grateful for and honored to work with the best team I could ever ask for.
I am grateful for the support by friends along this journey.
22/n
I am proud of this paper.
And I refuse to let the value of our work be judged without a real quality standard in the reviewing process.
Read it yourself. I appreciate feedback and comments.
I am proud of this paper.
And I refuse to let the value of our work be judged without a real quality standard in the reviewing process.
Read it yourself. I appreciate feedback and comments.
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