Functional MRI An Introduction to Methods

Brain scanning using magnetic resonance imaging has experienced exponential growth in the past decade, fast becoming the principal method for studying how the human brain operates by mapping its active processes. Functional MRI: An Introduction to Methods brings together some of the most distinguished researchers in this field to introduce the practices and principles behind these mapping techniques. This book covers fMRI as a whole and the growing demand for information concerning BOLD (blood oxygenation level dependent) contrast. The book divides into six sections. Part I is a scene-setter giving a broad overview of the area and the technique itself. Part II outlines the physical and physiological backdrop to fMRI, covering issues such as spatial and temporal resolution and quantitative measurement. The effectiveness of the scanner and design issues are debated in Part III. Part IV covers data preparation and analysis. This is followed by an outline of how the applications can be used in clinical practice and cognitive neuroscience (Part V). The final part discusses how fMRI and other neuroelectromagnetic functional mapping techniques can be integrated into one system.