BOLDSync: A MATLAB-based toolbox for synchronized stimulus presentation in functional MRI

• A MATLAB-based toolbox for synchronized stimulus presentation in fMRI is presented.
• Intuitive graphic interface for design and presentation of various types of stimuli.
• Synchronization precision and versatility across different experimental configurations.
• Validation of functionality and efficiency of toolbox in an fMRI experiment is provided.

BackgroundPrecise and synchronized presentation of paradigm stimuli in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is central to obtaining accurate information about brain regions involved in a specific task.New methodIn this manuscript, we present a new MATLAB-based toolbox, BOLDSync, for synchronized stimulus presentation in fMRI.ResultsBOLDSync provides a user friendly platform for design and presentation of visual, audio, as well as multimodal audio-visual (AV) stimuli in functional imaging experiments. We present simulation experiments that demonstrate the millisecond synchronization accuracy of BOLDSync, and also illustrate the functionalities of BOLDSync through application to an AV fMRI study.Comparison with existing methodsBOLDSync gains an advantage over other available proprietary and open-source toolboxes by offering a user friendly and accessible interface that affords both precision in stimulus presentation and versatility across various types of stimulus designs and system setups.ConclusionsBOLDSync is a reliable, efficient, and versatile solution for synchronized stimulus presentation in fMRI study.