Mixed-effect statistics for group analysis in fMRI: a nonparametric maximum likelihood approach

Neuroimage. 2007 Nov 15;38(3):501-10. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2007.06.043. Epub 2007 Aug 17.

Abstract

This technical note describes a collection of test statistics accounting for estimation uncertainties at the within-subject level, that can be used as alternatives to the standard t statistic in one-sample random-effect analyses, i.e. when testing the mean effect of a population. We build such test statistics by estimating the across-subject distribution of the effects using maximum likelihood under a nonparametric mixed-effect model. For inference purposes, the statistics are calibrated using permutation tests to achieve exact false positive control under a symmetry assumption regarding the across-subject distribution. The new tests are implemented in a freely available toolbox for SPM called Distance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Biometry
  • Brain / anatomy & histology
  • Brain / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Likelihood Functions
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
  • Models, Neurological*
  • Statistics, Nonparametric