Structural Brain Mapping

Prof. Dr. Christian Gaser

About

Our research program is directed toward the development of advanced computation tools for the analysis of structural brain data that are applied among others to investigate training-induced brain plasticity and identifying influencing factors on brain ageing. We are developing algorithms and tools for processing voxel- and surface-based imaging data which encompasses segmentation, surface reconstruction, and disease prediction. Our Computational Anatomy Toolbox for voxel- and surface-based morphometry is widely used in the scientific community (>40000 downloads).

Team

Dr. Katja Franke
Dr. Robert Dahnke
Tannaz Saraei
Polona Kalc

Projects

Age-dependent impact of physical activity on gut-brain axis in humans (SMARTAGE)
https://www.uniklinikum-jena.de/etnsmartage/en

Identification and manipulation of the psychosomatic clocks of the lifespan (IMPULS)
https://www.uni-jena.de/201008_Alternsforschung_IMPULS

Computational Anatomy Toolbox (CAT12)
http://neuro.uni-jena.de/cat

Publications

Franke K., Gaser C. Ten Years of BrainAGE as a Neuroimaging Biomarker of Brain Aging: What Insights Have We Gained? (2019) Front Neurol 10:789.
Rogenmoser L, Kernbach J, Schlaug G, Gaser C. Keeping brains young with making music (2018) Brain Struct Funct. 223(1):297-305.
Kurth F, Gaser C, Luders E (2015) A 12-step user guide for analyzing voxel-wise gray matter asymmetries in statistical parametric mapping (SPM). Nat Protoc. 10(2):293-304.
Gaser C, Franke K, Klöppel S, Koutsouleris N, Sauer H; Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (2013) BrainAGE in Mild Cognitive Impaired Patients: Predicting the Conversion to Alzheimer's Disease. PLoS One 8(6):e67346.
Franke K, Ziegler G, Klöppel S, Gaser C; Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (2010) Estimating the age of healthy subjects from T1-weighted MRI scans using kernel methods: exploring the influence of various parameters. Neuroimage 50(3):883-92.
Koutsouleris N, Meisenzahl EM, Davatzikos C, Bottlender R, Frodl T, Scheuerecker J, Schmitt G, Zetzsche T, Decker P, Reiser M, Möller HJ, Gaser C (2009) Use of neuroanatomical pattern classification to identify subjects in at-risk mental states of psychosis and predict disease transition. Arch Gen Psychiatry 66(7):700-12.
Draganski B, Gaser C, Kempermann G, Kuhn HG, Winkler J, Büchel C, May A (2006) Temporal and spatial dynamics of brain structure changes during extensive learning. J Neurosci. 26(23):6314-7.
Draganski B, Gaser C, Busch V, Schuierer G, Bogdahn U, May A (2004) Neuroplasticity: changes in grey matter induced by training. Nature 427(6972):311-2.
Gaser C, Schlaug G (2003) Brain structures differ between musicians and non-musicians. J Neurosci. 23(27):9240-5.
Gaser C, Volz HP, Kiebel S, Riehemann S, Sauer H (1999) Detecting structural changes in whole brain based on nonlinear deformations-application to schizophrenia research. Neuroimage 10(2):107-13.