Articles tagged with Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
A Wayne State University study successfully classified over three-quarters of healthy older adults at risk for cognitive decline within 18 months. The combination of a genetic blood test and a five-minute functional MRI proved to be the most effective predictor.
Researchers have developed a more robust approach to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) that can improve the detection of neural activity and allow for more precise interpretations of fMRI data. This new technique involves three stages: prediction, modeling, and inference, which can turn noisy data into discrete sequences of ...
A McGill University study reveals that listening to pleasurable music releases dopamine, a key player in emotional responses. The anticipation of enjoyable music also induces dopamine release, supporting the idea that music serves as an abstract reward.
A new MRI technique has been developed that enables full three-dimensional brain scans in less than half a second, significantly reducing the scanning time. This breakthrough, made possible by combining two technical improvements, will have an immediate impact on research institutions worldwide and the Human Connectome Project.
Scientists identified key aspects of musical performance that cause emotion-related brain activity, including tempo changes and human touch. The study used fMRI neuroimaging to examine brain activity in response to music, finding increased neural activation in experienced listeners.
This special section of Perspectives on Psychological Science explores the promises and issues facing neuroimaging, including its potential to reveal the anatomy of mental functions. Researchers discuss the need for more emphasis on cognitive processes and the importance of clear communication with the public.
New research confirms that actively controlling learning situations boosts ability to remember information. Brain imaging revealed that the hippocampus is more engaged when individuals have control over their learning environment.
The study used fMRI to capture brain activity while patients experienced pain with and without acupuncture. Results showed significant reduction in activation of pain-processing areas under acupuncture, supporting the effectiveness of acupuncture in relieving pain.
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University found that coaching styles can activate the brain's Positive Emotional Attractor, leading to increased cognitive functioning, openness, and better functioning. In contrast, critical or judgmental coaching methods can lead to the Negative Emotional Attractor, causing people to defend themse...
Researchers at Yale University used fMRI to identify three distinct 'neural signatures' in children with autism and their unaffected siblings. These patterns, including reduced activity in certain brain regions and enhanced compensatory activity, may help with earlier and more accurate diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.
A brain scan can predict which children with anxiety disorder will respond to talk therapy, potentially avoiding psychiatric medication. The study found that children who show fear when looking at happy faces on a screen have the least success with cognitive behavioral therapy.
Rutgers University has received a $1,820,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to acquire an advanced functional MRI scanner. This cutting-edge technology will enable researchers at Rutgers-Newark to study brain activity and develop new insights into neuroscience discovery.
Researchers found that individuals can learn to control the activity of specific brain regions when receiving fMRI feedback signals. The study, published in Biological Psychiatry, used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to assess visual emotional stimuli and demonstrated the ability to modulate the response to aversive stimuli.
Researchers found that people retain memories more effectively when their brain activity is similar each time they study the same information. This challenges the long-held belief that variable contexts enhance memory retention. The findings provide new insights into effective studying and cognitive processing.
Researchers developed functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate pancreatic cancer models, using diffusion-weighted and transcatheter intraarterial perfusion MRI to differentiate living from dead cells. This non-invasive method may replace invasive techniques like biopsy or necropsy for assessing therapeutic efficacy.
Researchers have developed a multifunctional nanoparticle that eliminates background noise, enabling precise medical imaging. The technique uses photoacoustic imaging to detect single cells, potentially revolutionizing cancer detection and molecular imaging.
Barrow scientist A.D. Bud Craig is leading the global conversation about the insula, a hidden lobe of the brain involved in virtually every human emotion and behavior. The latest research indicates that the insula plays a crucial role in conditions such as addiction, anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia.
Researchers found that when people agree with our opinions, the 'reward' area of the brain is activated, indicating a satisfying experience. The study used fMRI to examine brain activity in response to expert opinions on music preferences, finding that agreement tends to increase brain reward activity.
A Stanford-led team has solved the mystery of how functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signals are produced, confirming earlier assumptions about their relationship to neural excitation. The breakthrough enables researchers to study brain-wide impact of changes in neural circuitry using blood-flow fMRI combined with optogenetics.
New research identifies a brain circuit that enables humans to make choices with high long-term benefits by delaying reward. The study found that vividly imagining the future reduces impulsive choice behavior, suggesting the anterior cingulate cortex plays a key role in dynamic adjustment of preference functions.
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.