Development of Advanced Methods for Functional Brain Imaging
The brain processes relevant to mental function are believed to be organized on a scale of approximately one tenth of a millimeter (0.1 mm), and to occur on the order of approximately one tenth of a second (100 milliseconds). No currently available method of brain imaging can provide information at this level of detail. The two techniques in primary use provide complementary capabilities: Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) provides detailed spatial information about brain activity (over areas as small as 1 mm), but more limited time course information. Detailed temporal information (on the order of 1 millesecond) can be obtained by scalp recordings of electrical activity synchronized to stimulus events and/or behavioral responses (known as Event Related Potentials, or ERPs). However, this method provides relatively limited spatial information. CSBMB investigators are exploring the combined use of these methods, improvements in each, and entirely new methods designed to overcome these limitations, and provide spatially and dynamically detailed images of brain function on a scale that is directly relevant to mental function.
Contact:
Jonathan Cohen
Associated faculty:
Jonathan Cohen
Ingrid Daubechies
Steve Hanson