Direct imaging of Neuronal Activity (DIANA) in Humans

Here we describe our initial results attempting to observe neuronal activation in humans using the Direct Imaging of Neuronal Activity (DIANA) method. Both visual and auditory paradigms were explored. BOLD and anatomical ROI were tested and dedicated single slice control experiments were performed, but clear DIANA signals remained elusive. The translation of DIANA from animals to humans appears to be non-trivial. Nevertheless, considering the potential payoff continued effort towards this goal may be well worth it. To aid in this quest, parallel studies focused on DIANA’s ability to detect spiking and hyperpolarisation in controlled settings may be of great value.