Functional EPI data was collected using a Philips 3T Achieva TX Magnetic Resonance Scanner fitted with Quasar Dual gradients and a 32-channel head coil. 32 oblique, ascending coronal slices covering the occipital pole and ventral occipital cortex were acquired at a voxel resolution of 1.5mm2, a 128 × 128 matrix and a field of view (FOV) of 192mm. Images were acquired with a repetition time of 2s, echo time of 25ms and acceleration (SENSE) factor of 2. Higher resolution T1 anatomical images were collected at a resolution of 0.75mm3, using a 3D magnetisation-prepared rapid acquisition with gradient echo (MPRAGE) protocol with a matrix size of a 340 × 340, a FOV of 256mm and a TR of 6s. The number of volumes collected varied by stimulus. Bowties, rings and full field scans had some initial volumes discarded to compensate for the initial pulse of the scanner and enable the BOLD response to reach baseline. Details of volumes are as follows — Bowties: 186 volumes, discarded first six; Rings: 174 volumes, discarded first six; Full field: 124 volumes, discarded first four. Zero volumes were discarded from the bars as this stimulus began with an extended baseline (blank luminance block and fixation grid) of 20s.
Stimuli:
Bowties
Volumes: 186
Cycles per scan: 15
Rings
Volumes: 174
Cycles per scan: 12
Full Field
Volumes: 124
Cycles per scan: 12
Bars
Volumes: 200
Cycles per scan: 1