HI Everyone,
I’m analyzing dwMRI data. In particular, I would like to compare mean diffusivity (MD) scalar maps of participants before and after a motor task.
The research design comprises two sets of three MD maps, and I would like to test for changes beween task and control and changes across time in diffusion values
To test my hypothesis, I would like to structure a mixed ANOVA with two conditions (between participants, task and controll) and three levels (within sets A, B and C).
How would you structure the design matrix? Can NILearn run this kind of analysis?
Thank you so much!
A mixed ANOVA is used to compare differences between groups (between-subjects factor) and changes across conditions or time (within-subjects factor) in the same analysis. It can show the main effect of group (Task vs Control), the main effect of sets (A, B, C), and their interaction (whether changes over time differ between groups). To structure the design matrix, each row represents one MD map observation, and columns indicate group, set, participant ID, and interactions. Nilearn can be used to handle and preprocess neuroimaging data, but the mixed ANOVA itself can be performed using Python libraries like Pingouin or Statsmodels.