Dear SPM experts:
Our group is interested in determining the extent to which results from
previous exploratory PET studies of hunger, satiation and taste (n=11) is
reproducible in an independent group of 11 subjects who were studied using
the identical image-acquisition and image-analysis procedures.
Before we analyze the second data set, we wanted to have clear criteria
for replication. We were thinking of generating SPM's in the second
data set, and over-lapping the results of the second study with those
from the first. Those areas associated with significant activations in both
data sets would be considered replicated findings. We don't think we can
say
much about those regions associated with increased activity in only one
of the two studies other than that we failed to replicate these findings,
since we probably don't have the statistical power to refute changes in
these
regions.
Does that make sense to you? What have been the criteria used in
previous studies to confirm previous findings from the same laboratory?
What
would be the criteria to disconfirm a previous finding given our limiations
in
statistical power? Since we have replication data--a nice way to
address the problem of multiple comparisons, how liberal can we logically
make
the statistical threshold for each of the statistal maps (e.g., .05, .01,
.005, etc)? And does it make sense not to make too much of any negative
findings (given limitations in statistical power), or should we consider
additional means to say with some power that a particular finding was
disconfirmed?
References:
1. Tataranni PA, et al. Neuroanatomical correlates of hunger and
satiation in humans using positron emission tomography. PNAS 1999; 96:
4569-4574.
2. Gautier J-F, et al. Regions of the human brain affected during a
liquid-meal taste perception in the fasting state: a positron emission
tomography study. Am J Clin Nutr 1999; 70: 806-810.
3. Gautier JF, et al. Differential brain responses to satiation in obese
and lean men. Diabetes 2000 (in press).
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