Articles tagged with Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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Researchers used fMRI and genetic mice to study neurotransmitters' effects on brain network connectivity, a dynamic process crucial for human health and behavior. They found activating the LC led to changes in DMN dynamics, suggesting new targets for treatment.
The brain detects unwanted memories and proactively inhibits them using the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). If inhibition fails, the ACC triggers a reactive alarm to alert other regions to stop the intrusion. This study sheds light on the neural mechanisms of controlling intrusive thoughts.
Researchers have created a Russian-language protocol for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to map individual language areas before neurosurgical operations. The study successfully validated the protocol in a control group, showing its ability to comprehensively map brain regions and reveal lateralisation of language function.
Researchers are combining optogenetics and fMRI to study the links between brain activity and behavior. This hybrid approach allows for targeted manipulation and monitoring of brain function in awake and behaving rodents, providing valuable insights into neural mechanisms.
A study published in PLOS Biology reveals distinct brain regions associated with informational and normative social influence. The researchers found that the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) is active when people conform to information, while normative influence is linked to stronger connections between dACC and other social pro...
Researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin uncovered that conceptual knowledge is tied to perceptual and experiential information. They used fMRI to measure neural activity while participants read hundreds of words, finding that experiential information was key to understanding word meaning.
A new MRI probe can monitor individual populations of neurons and reveal how they interact with each other. The technique uses genetically targeted probes to detect neural activity and provide a more precise picture of brain function.
Researchers found that viewing nostalgic images from childhood reduced pain perception in adults, with the strongest effect on low-intensity pain. Nostalgic images decreased activity in brain regions involved in pain perception, including the left lingual gyrus and parahippocampal gyrus.
A large-scale study aims to understand how individual brains change over time, identifying factors that increase cognitive decline risk and those that confer resilience. The Adult Aging Brain Connectome study will follow 1,000 participants across a decade, collecting brain scans, blood samples, and demographic data.
Researchers discovered a population of neurons in the auditory cortex that responds specifically to singing, but not speech or instrumental music. The study uses electrocorticography (ECoG) recordings to gain higher-resolution data, revealing fine-grained segregation of function within the auditory cortex.
Researchers studied 100 babies' eye movements and brain activity to reveal that by 4 months, they can categorize objects into animate or inanimate groups. This ability emerges early, with refined categories appearing between 10-19 months.
Researchers found that loneliness is driven by different brain states than social anxiety, with distinct neural activity patterns. People with social anxiety showed increased amygdala activation and reduced nucleus accumbens activation, while those with high loneliness did not display these patterns.
Researchers analyzed fMRI studies on healthy individuals and stroke survivors to understand the neural mechanisms underlying prism adaptation therapy. The study found differences in brain activity patterns between healthy individuals and those with spatial neglect, suggesting a shift in spatial processing to the left hemisphere.
Women with GAD exhibit abnormal interoception, perceiving intense heartbeats and lower neural activity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. The study suggests a causal link between cardiovascular sensitivity and frontal cortex insensitivity, contributing to anxiety symptoms.
Researchers found that delirium and spatial neglect are associated with widespread dysfunction of brain networks, including arousal, attention, and spatial orientation. This imbalance may contribute to chronic cognitive decline after stroke.
A study by the University of Tokyo reveals that musical training can activate areas of the brain associated with language processing, regardless of experience level. This connection may explain why people enjoy music even if they're not musically inclined.
Research found the female genital field's location varies among women and is thicker with more frequent sex. The somatosensory cortex devotes space to detecting touch, and the region's structure alters in relation to use.
Researchers found that our concept of self becomes increasingly indistinct as we think about ourselves farther in the past or future, affecting decision-making and memory recall. The 'temporal self-compression' effect challenges traditional notions of identity and time perception.
Research using fMRI technology reveals disruption in default mode network of adolescents and young adults with multiple concussions. The study found no difference in connectivity for those who experienced one or two concussions, but a disruption in the third group.
Researchers identified areas of the infant visual cortex that already show strong preferences for faces, bodies, or scenes, similar to those in adults. This challenges the traditional view that these regions take years to develop, suggesting a more rapid emergence of specialized brain structures.
A new study found that orgasmic meditation produces a distinctive pattern of brain function, affecting areas associated with sexual stimulation and traditional meditation. The practice was correlated with alterations in the autonomic nervous system and reported profound spiritual experiences among participants.
Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine identified the anterior insula's role in predicting and emotionally processing pain in HIV-DSP patients. The study suggests that reduced anterior insula activity or increased cingulate activity may improve pain outcomes for these patients.
A new Dartmouth study found that a neural code shared across brains is responsible for recognizing familiar faces, including social and personal information. The study used hyperalignment to align brain responses into a common space, revealing high decoding accuracy in areas outside of visual processing.
A new study by Hungarian researchers finds that dogs use complex computations and brain regions similar to humans to learn word boundaries in speech. Dogs can recognize syllable patterning, such as frequent words with consistent syllables, and use this information to extract words from continuous speech.
Research identified a deficit in activation of positive valence processing soon after trauma, suggesting its role in resilience to PTSD. The study found that decreased activity in the ventral striatum predicted more severe PTSD symptoms at 14 months.
Researchers have identified that moment-to-moment brain signal variability can reliably predict the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy for patients with social anxiety disorder. This finding suggests that neural variability may be a reliable indicator of individual differences in treatment response, particularly when using ...
Researchers found that depressed adolescents' brains reduce activity in brain areas related to visual processing when shown distressing images. Antidepressant treatment restored brain activity to healthy levels, suggesting a potential vulnerability in adolescent brains.
Researchers analyzed idle thoughts for 10 minutes to capture patterns of thinking, revealing a link between ruminative thinking and depression. Participants who scored high on a rumination questionnaire experienced negative thoughts that lasted longer than positive thoughts.
A new study shows that a four-week psychological treatment called Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) can provide potent and durable relief for chronic back pain in two-thirds of patients. The treatment alters brain networks associated with pain processing, reducing symptoms that last for up to one year.
Researchers used functional MRI to image the hippocampus of volunteers learning and recalling short stories, finding that coherent memories are woven together. The study suggests the hippocampus brings pieces together across time to form connected, narrative memories.
A new USC study found that artificial sweeteners like sucralose can trick the brain into feeling hungry, leading to increased calorie consumption. This study, one of the largest to-date on artificial sweeteners, suggests that females and people with obesity may be more sensitive to these sweeteners.
A mathematical equation analyzes participants' brain activity and mood to determine the contribution of intrinsic and extrinsic rewards to their happiness. Most people feel happier after earning points or successfully completing a game, but individual differences exist.
Researchers at University of Toronto found that the brain's prefrontal cortex generalizes perceptual experiences from different senses, producing sensations even without direct experience. The study used functional magnetic resonance imaging and massage stones to capture neural activity patterns in the brain.
Researchers at Eötvös Loránd University discovered that dogs exhibit attachment behaviors similar to human infants, responding positively to their owner's speech. The study found that the reward center of a dog's brain is more sensitive to its owner's voice compared to a familiar person's praise.
A deep learning-based method developed by Kaunas University of Technology researchers can predict the possible onset of Alzheimer's disease from brain images with an accuracy of over 99%. The algorithm was trained on functional MRI images from 138 subjects and performed better than previously developed methods.
Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have developed a new model for solving abstract problems by utilizing internal cognitive maps. The study found that humans can mentally reconstruct complex social networks and use these maps to make decisions, even with limited information.
A team of neuroscientists at the Beckman Institute developed safety standards for multiband EEG-fMRI imaging, reducing heating risks and maintaining data quality. By establishing protocols to mitigate artifacts, they enabled the use of accelerated fMRI sequences with EEG recordings.
A multi-site, multi-disorder resting-state magnetic resonance image database was compiled to harmonize data from patients with various diseases, measured at 14 sites. The dataset comprises over 2,400 samples and includes 'traveling-subject' data to minimize inter-site differences.
Georgia State University researcher Vince Calhoun has received a $3.5 million grant to develop new methods for capturing dynamic connectivity in the brain and identifying biomarkers for early detection of Alzheimer's disease. The researchers aim to analyze real-time connectivity patterns to predict future cognitive decline.
A recent study found COVID-19 survivors exhibit abnormal patterns of brain connectivity associated with increased post-traumatic stress symptoms. The research team discovered three distinct states of functional connectivity in the brains of COVID-19 survivors, which are linked to symptom severity.
A team of researchers found that when people use mental abstractions, the brain area that signals valuable information becomes highly active. This discovery could lead to new advances in basic research, education, rehabilitation, and artificial intelligence.
A team of researchers at Johns Hopkins University used machine-learning and brain imaging to quantify the association between objects in our surroundings. They identified a specific brain region involved in this process, which enables us to build context and set expectations for the world.
Researchers developed a trimodal approach combining functional MRI, electroencephalography, and EROS to capture timing and location of brain responses with higher precision. The method provides a clearer picture of how different parts of the brain activate and communicate when an individual is distracted or engaged in a cognitive task.
Researchers at Keck School of Medicine and Caltech demonstrate a new way to produce highly detailed images of the human brain using functional photoacoustic computerized tomography (fPACT). This technology has the potential to be less expensive, more portable, and accessible to patients with implants.
Research reveals people with hyperphantasia have a stronger connection between the visual network and the prefrontal cortices, linked to decision-making and attention. This contrasts with aphantasics, who have lower ability to recognize faces and perform autobiographical memory tasks
A study by University of Pennsylvania neuroscientist Joseph Kable reveals the default mode network splits into two sub-networks: one for constructing and predicting imagined events, and another for evaluating their positivity or negativity. This finding sheds light on the neural basis of imaginative abilities.
Researchers found that two brain subnetworks are responsible for constructing and evaluating imagined scenarios, with the ventral network focused on vividness and the dorsal network on valence. This discovery sheds light on the neural mechanisms underlying imagination.
Researchers at Dartmouth College have identified three brain areas, known as place-memory areas, which form a link between perception and memory systems. These areas are responsible for transforming visual information into spatial knowledge of familiar places.
Research suggests that autism develops differently in girls and boys, with distinct genetic profiles and brain mechanisms at play. Girls with ASD exhibit unique responses to social cues and have different genetic contributors to the condition.
Researchers developed a new type of minimally invasive BMI using functional ultrasound technology, which can accurately map brain activity from precise regions deep within the brain. This breakthrough allows for high-performance, less-invasive brain-machine interfaces that could benefit people with paralysis or neurological injuries.
Research using fMRI scans reveals that babies under a year old use areas of their frontal cortex to focus attention, previously thought to be immature. This discovery sheds light on the neural origins of attention in infants, potentially informing early childhood education and neurodevelopmental disorder research.
A study published in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience found that highly identified fans of 'Game of Thrones' characters activate the ventral medial prefrontal cortex (vMPFC) when thinking about the characters, similar to how they think about themselves. The vMPFC is a brain area involved in self-referential processing.
A meta-analysis of 17 studies found that participants could regulate neural activity in targeted regions using rtfMRI-NF, with a moderate impact during training and increased impact later without feedback. The study suggests a positive impact on brain and behavioral outcomes, but more research is needed to determine its effectiveness.
A new study by University of Nebraska-Lincoln psychologist Ingrid Haas found that humans process politically incongruent statements differently, with stronger neurological responses for inconsistent positions. Participants showed increased activity in brain regions involved in cognitive function when reading statements deviating from p...
A meta-analysis of 31 studies found that certain brain regions, including the insula and inferior frontal gyrus, are consistently activated during stress regardless of the test method used. This suggests a common neural basis for stress perception across different stimuli.
A new study by researchers in Japan has examined the brain activity of thirty programmers of diverse levels of expertise, finding that seven regions of the frontal, parietal and temporal cortices in expert programmer's brain are fine-tuned for programming. Expert programmers' brains show enhanced cortical representations of source code.
Researchers found that aging leads to increased intrinsic ignition and decreased metastability in the whole-brain functional network. This suggests a deficiency in efficient global communication in the brain, contributing to cognitive decline.
Researchers found abnormally high brain activation in individuals without diagnosed Alzheimer's but with memory concerns, suggesting a potential biomarker. Hyperactivation in certain regions increases before cognitive impairments and neuronal loss associated with the disease.
A new study published in Nature Communications found that deep learning models surpass standard machine learning approaches in analyzing brain imaging data, generating more accurate representations of the human brain. This is particularly beneficial for complex problems requiring large datasets and advanced analysis.
Study uses machine learning to map brain regions activated by music and finds distinct patterns for happy and sad music. Emotions evoked by films and music rely on different brain mechanisms, with films activating deeper emotion-regulating regions not seen in music.