Articles tagged with Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
A study published in World Journal of Gastroenterology found that biliary balloon stimulation activates the insular cortex, prefrontal cortex, and somatosensory cortex. This suggests the presence of pressure-sensitive vagal afferents in the biliary tract and potential cortical relay beyond the brainstem.
New research from Vanderbilt University reveals that our brains coordinate goal-directed and stimulus-driven attention when surprised. The inferior frontal junction plays a primary role in coordinating these two forms of attention, which may limit our conscious perception during unexpected events.
A new study found that increased activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) among adults with alcohol dependence may indicate less control over drinking behavior. The ACC's role in regulating emotions and decision-making could be critical in understanding the development of addiction.
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center found that the brain evaluates faces in two distinct ways: for quality of experience and economic value. The study used fMRI to measure brain activation while participants viewed faces and money, predicting how much they would pay to see a more attractive face.
Participating in social service activities like tutoring children can delay or reverse declining brain function in older adults. The study found that seniors made gains in key brain regions supporting cognitive abilities, improving daily life planning and organization.
A study using fMRI revealed that adults exposed to lead as children incur permanent brain injury, with distinct areas of the brain affected differently. Lead exposure has been associated with diminished IQ, poor academic performance, and increased risk of criminal behavior.
A recent study using fMRI found that men tend to process emotional stimuli in terms of required action, while women focus on the feelings engendered by these stimuli. Women showed stronger activation in the left thalamus when viewing negative images, indicating a stronger neural circuit for identification of emotional stimuli.
A study found that choosing high-risk, high-gain options activates a key brain area associated with reward and pleasure. The researchers also discovered that the brain's response increases with the amount of money involved.
Researchers at UAB used fMRI to analyze the brain's response to surprising sounds, finding activity in the frontal lobe controls emotional expression. The study aims to develop biological markers using fMRI that can help identify and treat PTSD sufferers.
Researchers discuss imaging techniques that may contribute to early diagnosis and advancements in treatment for Alzheimer's disease. The study highlights the potential of biomarkers like MRI and PET to identify underlying structural and functional pathology in AD, MCI, and related diseases.
A Universite de Montréal study published in PNAS found that negative emotions amplify pain, while positive emotions reduce it. The research used fMRI scans to measure brain activity in subjects exposed to painful electric shocks while viewing pleasant or unpleasant images.
Researchers found that the first association between a smell and an experience leaves a lasting impression in the brain. After one week, they could predict which associations would be remembered based on brain activity alone.
Researchers used fMRI to divide the precuneus into four distinct functional regions, finding similarities with monkey brains. This discovery confirms that higher-order association areas have complex architectures preserved across evolution.
Researchers found that closing eyes during emotional stimulation increases brain activity in the amygdala, a region responsible for emotions. This could lead to new therapies for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and other neurological diseases.
Researchers apply brain imaging techniques to create efficient and fair solutions to the public-goods provision problem. By analyzing fMRI data, individuals are incentivized to truthfully value public goods, reducing free-riding behavior.
Researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center have identified an area of the brain involved in the earliest stages of schizophrenia. Activity in this region, known as the CA1 subfield, may help predict disease progression and provide opportunities for more targeted drug development to block the mechanism.
Researchers have developed a predictive tool to detect at-risk soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The study shows that fMRI can be used to forecast which soldiers might be vulnerable to stress psychopathology in the future.
A three-month practice period of playing Tetris led to greater brain efficiency and a thicker cortex in adolescent girls, with increased gray matter observed in areas associated with critical thinking and reasoning. The study suggests that mental practice may increase cortical thickness and improve cognitive skills.
Astrocytes play a key role in generating fMRI signals by regulating blood vessel diameter and responding to changes in nerve cell activity. This discovery sheds light on the basic mechanisms behind fMRI signals and highlights the need for careful interpretation of imaging data.
A Canadian study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that sounds and images share a similar neural code in the human brain. Researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) to examine how people distinguish between different types of sounds, such as speech and music, or different images. ...
Scientists at Rutgers University and UCLA have developed a highly accurate way to peer into the brain to uncover a person's mental state. They found that specific mental functions do not correspond directly with certain brain areas but rather a unique pattern of neural connections.
A study by UCLA and Rutgers neuroscientists found that functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can accurately predict a person's mental task, such as reading words aloud or counting tones. The research suggests that brain patterns are similar across healthy individuals, allowing for predictions on new people.
Neuroscientists have pinpointed the brain's MT+ area as responsible for processing 3-D motion. The region encodes two types of cues from moving objects, including binocular disparity and retinal motion, to create a 3-D perception.
New research from Vanderbilt University found that training increases brain processing speed and enhances multitasking efficiency. Through daily practice, individuals showed improved performance on simple tasks when completed separately or together.
A new neuroimaging study finds that honest people show no additional neural activity when telling the truth, implying that extra cognitive processes are not necessary to choose honesty. In contrast, dishonest individuals exhibit increased activity in control-related brain regions when tempted to lie.
High levels of brain energy are necessary for maintaining consciousness, according to Yale researchers. The study proposes that a conscious person requires a high level of brain energy, which supports human behavior and should be considered when interpreting fMRI signals.
A study published in Current Biology confirms that parts of the brain responsible for object processing also activate when individuals touch objects. Despite struggling with visual input, HJA showed activity only for tactile objects, suggesting a direct connection between the sense of touch and object recognition.
Neuroscientists at Duke University Medical Center used fMRI to study brain activity while participants made economic decisions. The study found that brain regions associated with rational processing were active when subjects used simplifying strategies, contradicting traditional notions of rational vs. irrational decision-making.
A University of Pennsylvania psychology study found that individuals who identify as visual learners activate the visual cortex when reading words, while verbal learners convert pictorial information into linguistic representations. The study uses functional magnetic resonance imaging technology to scan the brain.
A study using fMRI found that expert advice suppresses brain regions involved in making value judgments, particularly when risk is involved. This 'off-loading' of decision-making can lead to detrimental consequences if the trusted source turns out to be incompetent or corrupt.
A study published in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research found that the brain maintains language skills despite alcohol damage by drawing from other regions. The research used fMRI scans to investigate neural activity in alcoholic and healthy males performing an auditory language task.
A study by John T. Serences and colleagues found that the visual cortex actively 'thinks' about specific features of an object during short-term memory, allowing for the maintenance of relevant details. This suggests that observers have top-down control over which features are stored in their online mental workspace.
Researchers at the University of Oregon and UC-San Diego used fMRI to identify specific information people store in short-term memory. They found that brain activity patterns can predict what someone is remembering based on visual details.
Vanderbilt researchers found that early visual areas retain information previously hidden from brain studies, revealing an echo of the stimulus in these areas. They used a new technique to decode data from fMRI and found that this echo allows for accurate recall of visual patterns, including orientation.
Researchers used fMRI scans to study the connection between loneliness and brain activity. The study found that lonely individuals showed reduced activity in the ventral striatum, a region associated with rewards, when viewing pleasant settings. In contrast, non-lonely individuals showed increased activity in this region.
A new study reveals that exercise can help reduce cigarette cravings by changing the way the brain processes information. Researchers used fMRI scans to investigate how physical activity affects brain activity among smokers, finding a significant reduction in cravings after exercise.
Researchers have discovered that brain activity remains active even when the eyes are closed, with slow fluctuations dominating during rest. The study's findings could lead to advanced diagnostic techniques and a better understanding of brain function.
Researchers used fMRI to track real-time brain activity as participants read and processed individual words and short stories. The study found that readers mentally simulate each new situation encountered in a narrative, using perceptual and motor representations to comprehend narrated activity.
A new MIT study found that schizophrenia is linked to an overactive 'default mode' brain system involved in self-reflection. This hyperactive system causes patients to have an exaggerated focus on themselves, leading to cognitive and psychological symptoms.
Researchers found a brain region that facilitates rapid switching between learning and remembering, improving learning efficiency. The study used fMRI to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying this process, revealing complex interactions between different brain areas.
A new study by Rice University psychologist Denise Chen found that the brain recognizes and encodes the smell of male sexual sweat in women. The research, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to directly study human sexual sweat.
High levels of amygdala activity predict hypersensitivity to anticipation, while anterior cingulate cortex activity predicts response to antidepressant medication. These findings have important implications for treating anxiety disorders and may lead to personalized treatment approaches.
New brain-imaging research from UC San Diego finds that visual areas respond more strongly to objects of value, altering neural activation in the human visual system. This altered processing affects not only high-level cognitive function but also early stages of information processing.
Researchers at UC Davis have discovered a new mechanism of attention in the human brain using modafinil. The study shows that modafinil shifts the brain into an 'exploitation mode' where subjects perform better on tasks requiring focus.
Researchers used fMRI to find that patients with stress-related psychiatric disorders have abnormal brain activation in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, affecting memory suppression. This can lead to poor memory and increased anxiety due to lingering traumatic memories.
Researchers used a hand-operated robotic device and fMRI to track brain function after strokes, finding that the brain can regain function through rehabilitative exercises even six months post-stroke. The study, which tested five right-hand dominant patients, showed significant increases in cortical activation with hand training.
Researchers found older adults' brains show increased activation in regions processing external noise during memory encoding failure. This leads to decreased performance and 'misses' in face recognition tasks.
Researchers from GU/GUMC presented numerous studies on learning, facial recognition, and social interaction in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Additionally, they explored ways to improve cognition and reduce brain lesions in stroke survivors using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) techniques.
A Caltech-led study found that voters' brain responses to politicians' appearances, particularly negative aspects, play a significant role in determining election outcomes. The research suggests that negative evaluations based on appearance may influence which candidate will lose an election, more so than positive evaluations.
The McGovern Institute's MINT program awards up to $100,000 in seed funding for innovative collaborative projects in neuroscience research. Recent awards focus on developing alternative electrode materials, manipulating intracellular signaling pathways with light, and improving computational analysis of brain imaging data.
A new imaging study reveals two distinct brain regions competing for control: one associated with risk aversion, the other with a desire for risk-taking. The prefrontal cortex plays a critical role in risk assessment.
Patients with generalized social phobia show increased blood flow in medial prefrontal cortex and amygdala when reading negative statements about themselves. This context-dependent response may guide future therapeutic formulations for the disorder.
Researchers have discovered a persistent brain signal that never switches off, suggesting its role in supporting cognitive functions and maintaining the brain's structure. This low-frequency signal is thought to be more fundamental than previously identified gamma frequency activity.
Researchers used fMRI scans to study how listeners' brains predict speaker's words before hearing the final sound. The team found that the brain considers multiple possible words with similar sounds and meanings before settling on the correct word.
Patients who recover well from head injuries often report mental fatigue and decreased performance compared to healthy individuals. A recent study found that their brains show increased activity in key regions, indicating a need for enhanced cognitive support.
A new study reveals that experienced Zen meditators can quickly clear their minds of distractions compared to novices. After being interrupted by a word-recognition task, experienced meditators' brains returned faster to their pre-interruption condition.
A new brain imaging study reveals that there are optimal times for multitasking, allowing individuals to be more efficient. The research found that certain brain regions show higher activity when people are performing well under multiple tasks.
A neuroimaging study found that chronic insomnia is associated with compromised cognitive processes, but these deficits can be reversed through non-pharmacological treatment. Sleep therapy was shown to improve verbal fluency tasks and restore altered brain function in people with insomnia.
Research at the University of Chicago shows that playing sports or watching them improves language skills for discussing their sport. The brain's motor areas are activated when listening to conversations about a sport, even if there's no intention to act.
Research shows that walking on a treadmill can significantly improve mobility and health in stroke survivors even years post-stroke. Brain scans reveal increased metabolic activity in areas associated with walking, suggesting the brain's ability to rewire and recover through exercise.