Whole brain Layer-fMRI on the NexGen 7T scanner with high performance gradients and 64-channel receiver array.

Laminar-resolved fMRI has the potential to capture directional information flow within and between cortical areas to inform network neuroscience. However, common layer-fMRI imaging protocols are constrained by: limited slab coverage commonly used 0.8mm resolution barely resolves individual layer groups. In this abstract, we use the NexGen 7T scanner to develop a whole-brain functional imaging protocol at 0.6mm resolutions. The aim was to identify and mitigate challenges in protocol optimization of 3D-EPI VASO: maintaining CBV-weighting with long acquisition windows via segmentation across IR, residual EPI ghosts residual fat ghosts We show whole-brain 0.64mm CBV-based connectivity maps covering the entire neocortex.