12 channel head matrix coil

fMRI was performed using a 3T Verio scanner equipped with a 12-channel Head Matrix Coil (Siemens, Munich, Germany). Each session lasted 6.5 min and included a T2*-weight echo planar imaging pulse sequence using the following parameters: repetition time (TR) = 2,500 ms; echo time (TE) = 30 ms; flip angle = 80°; matrix size = 64 × 64; field of view = 192 × 192 mm; 39 ascending 3.2-mm thick slices with a 25% slice gap. After the functional images were acquired, a T1-weighted high-resolution anatomical image was obtained using a magnetisation-prepared rapid-acquisition gradient-echo sequence (TR = 2,250 ms; TE = 3.06 ms; flip angle = 20°; field of view = 256 × 256 mm; voxel size = 1 × 1 × 1 mm).

Whole-brain functional and anatomical images were acquired using a 3.0 Tesla Siemens MAGNETOM Trio MRI scanner with Syngo software and 12-channel Head Matrix coil. Functional images were acquired using a T2*-weighted gradient-echo echo planar imaging (EPI) pulse sequence with 30×4 mm axial slices, interleaved from bottom to top (interslice gap: 1 mm, TE: 30 ms., TR: 2000 ms., flip angle: 90^o, FOV: 192×192 mm, in-plane matrix resolution: 64×64). High-resolution T1-weighted MP RAGE gradient-echo anatomical images were collected with 176×1 mm slices (TE: 2.52 ms., TR: 2020 ms., TI:1100 ms., FOV.: 250×250 mm, image matrix resolution: 256×256). Finally, a field map was acquired with 30×4 mm slices (TE: 4.92/7.38 ms., TR: 488 ms., FOV: 192×192 mm). The data are available upon request.

Data acquisition was performed on a Siemens MAGNETOM Tim Trio 3.0 Tesla scanner with a Siemens 12 channel head matrix coil (Erlangen, Germany) at Swinburne University of Technology, Australia. Padded foam cushions were used to minimize head movement throughout the scan. All participants were instructed to try to think about nothing in particular (i.e., a resting-state), remain awake, and fixate their gaze on a white crosshair displayed centrally on a black background.
A multiband echo-planar imaging sequence with an acceleration factor of 5 was used to acquire functional MRI data for 8 minutes 38 seconds, along the anterior commissure-posterior commissure (AC-PC) plane with A > P phase encode direction (voxel size = 2 × 2 x 2 mm; 65 slices; repetition time (TR) = 1020 ms; total volumes = 500, echo time (TE) = 30 ms; flip angle (FA) = 65°). A T₁-weighted sagittal MPRAGE structural image (TR = 1900 ms, TE = 2.52 ms, FA = 9°, 176 slices; voxel size = 1 × 1 x 1 mm voxels) and T₂-weighted image (TR = 3200 ms, TE = 402 ms, 176 slices; voxel size = 1 × 1 x 1 mm voxels) were also obtained for anatomical co-registration.

All scans were performed on a Siemens Trio with a 12-channel Head Matrix Coil (Siemens AG, Erlangen, Germany). Foam pads around the subjects' heads were used to reduce head motion. During the parametric spatial working memory task, T2*-weighted BOLD fMRI was acquired utilizing an echo-planar imaging pulse sequence (repetition time = 2400 ms, echo time = 35 ms, field of view = 244 mm, matrix = 80 × 80, slice thickness = 3 mm, number of slices = 40, giving an in-plane resolution of 3 × 3 mm). A T1-weighted three-dimensional magnetization-prepared rapid gradient-echo (MPRAGE) volume was acquired for anatomical reference.