Neurosalience #S6E4 with Juan Helen Zhou - Revolutionizing brain imaging with AI

“What makes certain brain networks vulnerable to disease—and can AI help us predict what comes next?”Dr. Juan Helen Zhou is a computational neuroscientist at the National University of Singapore, where she is an Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Translational Magnetic Resonance Research at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. She leads the Multimodal Neuroimaging in Neuropsychiatric Disorders Laboratory, integrating multimodal brain imaging and machine learning to study network vulnerability in aging and neuropsychiatric disorders, including dementia, psychosis, and ADHD.In this episode, Peter and Helen discuss her path from computer science to neuroscience and how that background shaped her approach to brain imaging and AI. They explore her work on dementia, including the role of cerebral vascular disease, why different forms of dementia must be understood as distinct network-level disorders, and how selective brain network vulnerabilities can predict cognitive decline.The discussion also covers recent advances from Dr. Zhou’s lab in reconstructing images from brain activity using generative AI and self-supervised learning, highlighting both the promise and challenges of these approaches. Along the way, Helen reflects on the importance of collaboration in neuroscience and shares advice for early-career researchers on persistence, communication, and navigating interdisciplinary science.We hope you enjoy this episode!Chapters:00:00 - Introduction to Helen Zhou and Her Background03:28 - Journey from Computer Science to Neuroscience11:13 - The Center for Translational MR Research12:59 - Involvement with OHBM and Community Growth23:44 - Research Focus on Dementia and Brain Networks28:05 - Exploring Cerebral Vasculitis and Dementia Stages44:02 - Functional Specialization and Cognitive Performance45:34 - AI-Based Interventions for Cognitive Health58:30 - Utilizing Large Datasets for Brain Research01:08:53 - Advice for Aspiring NeuroscientistsWorks mentioned:25:18 - https://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(09)00249-925:18 - https://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(12)00227-926:55 - https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.000000000000831538:33 - https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/wnl.000000000020740141:00 - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S105381191600234242:33 - https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.007941947:46 - https://openaccess.thecvf.com/content/CVPR2023/html/Chen_Seeing_Beyond_the_Brain_Conditional_Diffusion_Model_With_Sparse_Masked_CVPR_2023_paper.html55:11 - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04554-yEpisode producers:Karthik Sama, Xuqian Michelle Li

“What does it actually mean to understand the brain?”Dr. Kendrick Kay is a computational neuroscientist and neuroimaging expert at the University of Minnesota’s Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, where he is an Associate Professor in the Department of Radiology. With training spanning philosophy and neuroscience, from a bachelor’s degree in philosophy at Harvard University to a PhD in neuroscience from UC Berkeley, Dr. Kay’s work bridges deep theoretical questions with cutting-edge neuroimaging methods.In this conversation, Peter Bandettini and Kendrick Kay explore the evolving landscape of neuroscience at the intersection of fMRI, philosophy, and artificial intelligence. They reflect on the limits of current neuroimaging methodologies, what fMRI can and cannot tell us about brain mechanisms, and why creativity and human judgment remain central to scientific progress. The discussion also dives into Dr. Kay’s landmark contributions to fMRI decoding and the Natural Scenes Dataset, a high-resolution resource that has become foundational for computational neuroscience and neuro AI research.Along the way, they examine deep sampling in neuroimaging, individual variability in brain data, and the challenges of separating neural signals from hemodynamic effects. Framed by broader questions about understanding benchmarking progress, and the growing role of LLM’s in neuroscience, this wide-ranging conversation offers a thoughtful look at where the field has been and where it may be headed.We hope you enjoy this episode!Chapters:00:00 - Introduction to Kendrick Kay and His Work04:51 - Philosophy’s Influence on Neuroscience17:17 - How Far Will fMRI Take Us?23:27 - Understanding Attention in Neuroscience30:00 - Science as a Process34:17 - The Role of Large Language Models (LLMs) in Scientific Progress38:29 - Why Humans Should Stay in the Equation40:30 - Creativity vs. AI in Scientific Research54:48 - Dr. Kay’s Natural Scenes Dataset (NSD)01:00:27 - Deep Sampling: Considerations and Implications01:08:00 - Accounting for biological variation in Brain Scans: Differences and Similarities01:13:00 - Separating Hemodynamic Effects from Neural Effects01:16:00 - Areas of Hope and Progress in the field01:21:00 - How Should We Benchmark Progress?01:22:59 - Advice for Aspiring ScientistsWorks mentioned:54:48 -  https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-021-00962-x54:50 - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166223624001838?via%3DihubEpisode producers:Xuqian Michelle Li, Naga Thovinakere

"AI is really bad at perspective taking…"Dr. Charlotte Grosse Wiesmann is a cognitive neuroscientist exploring how the human social brain takes shape in early life. She is a Professor at the University of Technology Nuremberg and directs the Research Group on Social Brain Development at the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig. Her research blends developmental psychology, brain imaging, and computational modeling to uncover how infants begin to infer other people’s beliefs, intentions and mental states. In this conversation, Dr. Wiesmann unpacks how children’s brains develop the capacity for social understanding and theory of mind. Drawing on developmental psychology and neuroimaging, she reveals how the brain transforms as children first succeed on false-belief tasks, a fleeting yet powerful window into the emergence of the social mind. Within this context, the conversation explores white matter maturation, environmental influences, and brain plasticity, offering fresh insights into how studying infant development can inform the future of AI. Join the conversation to discover how early brain development is reshaping our understanding of our social minds.We hope you enjoy this episode!Chapters:00:00 - A Journey from Physics to Neuroscience14:25 - Neural Bases of Early Childhood Theory of Mind21:58 - False Belief Task and Theory of Mind25:11 - Attention Schema for Consciousness27:14 - Primary Areas Involved in Theory of Mind31:24 - Impact of Neuro Deficits on Social Cognition33:57 - Role of Environment and Timing on Social Cognition37:11 - Implicit and Explicit Mechanisms of Social Development45:02 - Social Cognition Across Species47:37 - Connecting Neural Code to Social Cognition49:56 - Temporal Progression in Theory of Mind Tasks54:54 - Future Research Directions in Understanding Social Cognition01:00:08 - Infant Learning Inspires AI Development01:04:50 - Advice for Aspiring ScientistsWorks mentioned:14:31 -  White matter maturation is associated with the emergence of Theory of Mind in early childhood37:20 -  Two systems for thinking about others’ thoughts in the developing brain49:50 -  Timing matters: disentangling the neurocognitive sequence of mentalizingEpisode producers:Xuqian Michelle Li, Karthik Sama

"I really enjoy good conversations..."In this episode, we look back at the highlights from last season and share some fun insights from our audience metrics. We’re celebrating six years of Neurosalience, and we’re excited for the incredible guests and topics coming up this season.We hope you enjoy this episode!Chapters:00:00 - Introduction to season 601:43 - Highlights from season 507:55 - Reflections on the podcast's impact20:36 - Discussion on the DIANA paper retraction27:21 - Upcoming guests and topics32:04 - Innovations for season 6Episode producer:Xuqian Michelle Li

Early career researchers give their perspectives on being an academic today. With Arshiya  Sangchooli, Natasha L. Taylor, Ashlea Segal, Stefano Moia, Jiajia Yang, and Peter Bandettini Episode ProducersOmer Faruk GulbanXuqian Michelle Li

Peter Bandettini interviews Dr. Rosanna Olsen, a senior scientist at the Rotman Research Institute and the University of Toronto. She is pioneering what we know about human memory and its associated structures, primarily focusing on the hippocampus, the role it plays, and how it changes with age and neurological diseases. Her work has shed light on how the hippocampus facilitates the flexible binding and comparison of new and existing information. She has also shown how visual exploration reveals memory processes, and has uncovered promising early dementia biomarkers based on measures of visual exploration and hippocampus. Dr. Olsen is also a leader in education. She is co-lead of the Research Training Center in Toronto, disseminating essential knowledge and skills to younger scientists, and is chair-elect of the OHBM education committee. She is also the leader of a consortium organized to reach a consensus on hippocampus segmentation. Lastly she's an avid and accomplished runner, having run the Boston Marathon, as well as many others.We hope you enjoy the conversation! Episode ProducersOmer Faruk GulbanXuqian Michelle Li

This OHBM preview podcast offers an in-depth look at how the OHBM Annual Meeting is organized, along with reflections on the unique character of the meeting and the broader OHBM community. Peter Bandettini hosts Jean Chen, Marta Garrido, and Lena Oestreich, with Kevin Sitek serving as co-host. Michael Breakspear joins the discussion in the final 20 minutes. The conversation covers both logistical and thematic aspects of the meeting, providing valuable context for attendees and those interested in the field.Episode ProducersXuqian Michelle LiKarthik Sama

In this episode Peter Bandettini, Nikolaus Kriegeskorte, Aina Puce and Michael Breakspear discuss the future of scientific publishing.Episode ProducersOmer Faruk GulbanXuqian Michelle Li

Join host Peter Bandettini as he interviews Michael Milham, a pioneer in functional brain imaging and big data neuroscience. In this episode, Dr. Milham shares insights from his groundbreaking work on large-scale fMRI datasets, deep phenotyping, and the future of precision psychiatry.Topics include: - Challenges and opportunities in big data MRI - Individual variability in brain imaging - Resting-state fMRI and pipeline reliability - Integrating multimodal and real-world data - AI, machine learning, and biomarkers in psychiatryDr. Milham is Chief Science Officer at the Child Mind Institute and a leader behind major initiatives like the creation of large, open-access datasets (e.g., ADHD-200, Healthy Brain Network) to enable population-level studies. Tune in for a deep dive into the evolving landscape of neuroimaging research and its clinical potential.We hope you enjoy this episode!Episode ProducersAlfie WearnOmer Faruk Gulban

In this episode of the OHBM Neurosalience Podcast, host Peter Bandettini sits down with Dr. Simon Eickhoff, a leading clinician-scientist in brain mapping. As a panelist at the 2024 OHBM meeting in Seoul, Dr. Eickhoff brought fascinating insights—this conversation picks up where that discussion left off.Dr. Eickhoff, a professor and director at Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf and Forschungszentrum Jülich, works at the crossroads of neuroanatomy, data science, and brain medicine. His research focuses on understanding individual differences in brain organization, aging, and psychiatric disorders using machine learning and large-scale neuroimaging analysis.Topics include: - The challenges of deriving biomarkers and using fMRI in clinical settings - His experience leading the journal Human Brain Mapping & the evolving publishing landscape - The role of AI in psychiatry and the future of precision medicineJoin us for a deep dive into the innovations and challenges shaping neuroscience and brain imaging today!Episode ProducersXuqian Michelle LiOmer Faruk Gulban