A survey of protocols from 54 infant and toddler neuroimaging research labs

Abstract

Infant and toddler MRI enables unprecedented insight into the developing brain. However, consensus about optimal data collection practices is lacking, which slows growth of the field and impedes replication efforts. The goal of this study was to collect systematic data across a large number of infant/toddler research laboratories to better understand preferred practices. Survey data addressed MRI acquisition strategies, scan success rates, visit preparations, scanning protocols, accommodations for families, study design, and policies regarding incidental findings. Respondents had on average 8 years’ experience in early life neuroimaging and represented more than fifty research laboratories. Areas of consensus across labs included higher success rates among newborns compared to older infants or toddlers, high rates of data loss across age groups, and age-specific scan preparation and participant accommodation. Researchers remain divided on best practices regarding incidental findings and decisions in longitudinal and cross-sectional study design. This study provides a summary of practices honed over years of work by a large collection of scientists, which may serve as an important resource for those new to the field. The ability to reference data about best practices facilitates future harmonization, data sharing, and reproducibility, all of which advance this important frontier in developmental science.

Proving and improving the reliability of infant research with neuroadaptive Bayesian optimization

“…In infant neuroimaging research, around 30%–40% of the data is lost due to bad quality or missingness (Baek et al, 2021; Hendrix & Thomason, 2022; van der Velde & Junge, 2020). The NBO approach enables researchers to optimize data quality during the experimental run by providing real‐time feedback, and requires them to carefully evaluate their procedures for data acquisition and criteria for excluding bad quality data which is then performed in near real‐time.…”

Cortical Source Analysis of Event-Related Potentials: A Developmental Approach

“…These promising first applications of fMRI protocols are still affected by a high attrition rate and small sample sizes. On the other hand, increased scanning success and fewer procedural difficulties are reported for late toddlers and older participants ( Hendrix and Thomason, 2021 , Preprint).…”