Design Efficiency

Tom Jenkins
Cat Mulvenna
MfD March 2006

What is efficiency?
How well you experimental design answers
the question you are interested in
A numerical value which reflects the ability
of your design to detect the effect of interest

What is efficiency?
GLM: Y=X +
Aim is to minimise variance in , which will be
reflected in more significant t and F test results
2 ways to minimise variance in - data or design
As design efficiency increases variance in
decreases
Efficiency can be calculated because the variance
in is proportional to the variance in X
1/var() = Var(X) = XTX

What is efficiency?
A measure of how reliable the PEs are, defined as
the inverse of the variance of a contrast of PEs
E(c,X) 1/cT (XTX) -1c
E=efficiency, c=contrast, X=design matrix
Equation tells us that efficiency varies even within
a model depending on contrast of interest

What is efficiency?
Signal processing perspective
Maximise energy of predicted fMRI time
series- i.e. the sum of squared signal values
at each scan. This is proportional to the
variance of the signal
To best detect signal in presence of noise,
maximise variability of signal

How can we maximise efficiency?

Blocks or events?
Sequencing (order of stimuli)
Spacing (timing of stimuli, SOA)
Stimulus presentation in relation to scan
acquisition
Filtering in SPM
Psychological validity

Sequencing: Efficiency calculations

hrf
Peak

Brief
Stimulus
Undershoot

Initial
Undershoot

Convolution with hrf

Inefficient design

Stochastic Design

Block design

Fourier Transform

Spacing- effect of SOA for events

Effect of null events on contrast

efficiency

Permuted, Random and Alternating

designs

Stimulus timing in relation to scan

acquisition

SOA as a multiple of
TR

SOA not a multiple of TR

or jitter introduced

Filtering

Long block length-effect of high pass

filter

Summary
Blocked designs most efficient but limitations
Event related designs: dynamic stochastic most
efficient
Think about SOA- often smaller the better within
reason.
For blocked designs optimal block length is 16s.
Dont pick an SOA which is a multiple of your TR
Try not to contrast events that are further apart in
time than your high pass filter
Compare tasks that are neither too different or too
similar

References and Acknowledgemnets

Rik Henson
http://www.mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk/Imaging/Com
mon/fMRIefficiency
Catherine Jones MfD 2004
Human Brain Function
Liu et al Efficiency, power and entropy in
event related fMRI with multiple trial types
Neuroimage 2004; 401-413.

Thankyou
MfD 2006