HCP Aging

Imaging Protocols for HCP-Aging

Lifespan HCP-Development and HCP-Aging Siemens Prisma protocol package

ZIP version 2022.01.26

This package contains the Lifespan HCP-Development and HCP-Aging protocols for import into a Siemens 3T Prisma. These “Connectomic/HCP-Style” acquisitions are substantially similar to those used for the Young-Adult HCP (HCP-YA), but differ in some important respects that were motivated or necessitated by hardware (scanner) changes, the need to reduce the total amount of scanning per participant, and/or the additional challenges of working with young and elderly populations1.

Download Protocol Package (2 MB zip)

This package contains protocols exported under VE11C, intended for use with Siemens 32-channel head coil. Two different versions are provided:

1. HCP_VE11C_CMRRmb_CMRRmbPCASL_MartinosT1T2vNav_2021.06.25.exar1

This is the complete version of the HCP-D/A protocol and requires 3 separate C2P packages to be installed first:

  1. The “CMRR Multiband EPI 6 Month” package. This package provides the sequences for multiband accelerated fMRI and dMRI, as well as the spin echo EPI sequence used for correcting for susceptibility distortion.
    Download from CMRR | License Information
  2. The “CMRR MB-EPI PCASL” package. This provides the sequences for the multiband accelerated pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling.
    Download from CMRR | License Information
  3. The “ABCD” package from the Athinoula A. Martinos Center This provides the sequences for the navigator-corrected T1w and T2w acquisitions, which HCP-D/A is using. (It will also incidentally provide the specific fMRI and dMRI MB sequences that the ABCD Study is using; these are not used as part of the HCP-D/A protocols).
    Download from Martinos Center

Note: Relative to the previous (“2019.01.14”) version of this exar1file, the 2021.06.25 version has been updated to account for the changes to the {T1w,T2w}_setter and T1w_MPR scans necessitated by the SH05 patch.


2. HCP_VE11C_CMRRmb_NoPCASL_SiemensT1T2_2019.01.14.exar1

This version only requires the “CMRR Multiband EPI 6 Month” package (item 1a above). The T1w and T2w acquisitions in this protocol have been replaced with Siemens' product sequences, using parameters that are broadly similar but lacking the navigator correction, and using only a single-echo (rather than 4-echo) acquisition for the T1w scan. Additionally, the PCASL scan has been removed from the protocol.

Questions about this protocol can be posted to the HCP-Users List: https://humanconnectome.org/contact/#subscribe


Further Reading:

  1. Harms M et al. Extending the Human Connectome Project across ages: Imaging protocols for the Lifespan Development and Aging projects. Neuroimage 2018 Dec;183:972-984. PMID: 30261308 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.09.060

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