The Amsterdam Ultra-high field adult lifespan database (AHEAD) is a freely available multimodal 7 Tesla submillimeter magnetic resonance imaging database. It provides unique information for neuroscience research into the ageing brain over the life span from 20 to over 70 years to age. AHEAD consists 0.7 mm resolution quantitative data (T1, T2*, QSM).

In the context of AHEAD, additional ultra-high resolution imaging at 0.5 mm resolution has been acquired, targeting the subcortex. Note that this more than doubles the resolution in terms of voxel volume! These data potentially allow for even higher-resolution vasculature or finer-level subcortex segmentations of anatomical details currently unresolved. You will assess whether stronger or new effects of age in these data can be identified (http://subcortex.eu/app/)

In this project you will work on post-processing and analyzing the data:

·         motion correction in MATLAB

·         segmentation and analysis in Nighres (https://nighres.readthedocs.io/en/latest/)

·         analysis of ageing (http://subcortex.eu/app/)

The following technical skills are required for performing this project:

·         profiency with working in MATLAB

·         experience in working in Linux/Unix is preferred but can be learned in the project

·         you will learn to process neuroimaging data in Nighres software

Matthan Caan is leading the motion correction. Pierre-Louise Bazin is owner of the Nighres software. AHEAD is coordinated by prof. Birte Forstmann and the Integrative Model-based Cognitive Neuroscience Research Unit (IMCN).

1. Alkemade A, Mulder MJ, Groot JM, et al. The Amsterdam Ultra-high field adult lifespan database (AHEAD): A freely available multimodal 7 Tesla submillimeter magnetic resonance imaging database. Neuroimage 2020:117200 doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117200.