Finally, we employed a gradient echo EPI sequence optimized for SNR and spatial resolution. The sequence used for data acquisition for testing FC-related hypotheses at the laminar level could well be optimized in other ways. This includes using a spin echo sequence and trading sensitivity for a narrow SL-PSF, as well as using a multiband EPI sequence to obtain a shorter TR, possibly at the cost of SNR (but not spatial resolution). One way of increasing the spatial resolution further would be to restrict coverage to regions specifically relevant to the hypothesis being tested, but this would require a custom processing pipeline (other than the one in FreeSurfer) that does not require whole brain coverage. In summary, our seminal study offers a lot of possibilities for investigating the brain’s functional connectome at a more fine-grained laminar spatial scale.
