Neuroimaging Techniques

Neuroimaging Techniques

• Structural neuroimaging focuses on the anatomy of the nervous system and is critical for diagnosing gross intracranial diseases.
• Examples include Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT), which provide detailed images of brain structures.

Brain Function Imaging

• Functional neuroimaging is utilized to study brain activity, with functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) being a prominent technology.
• fMRI measures changes in blood flow related to neural activity, indicating which areas of the brain are active during specific tasks.

Basis of fMRI

• fMRI is based on the principle of blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) contrast.
• The technique detects changes in the magnetic properties of blood as oxygen is consumed by active brain areas.

Use of Animals in Research

• Animal research plays a critical role in understanding biological processes and disease mechanisms in ways that would be unethical or impractical in humans.
• Animals serve as models for studying complex behaviors, neurological conditions, and genetic disorders.

General Application of Animal Studies

• Studies conducted in specific animal models can yield insights that are broadly applicable to humans due to shared biological and physiological traits.
• Results from these studies can advance knowledge in various fields, including medicine, psychology, and genetics.

Test your knowledge on the developmental timeline of structural and functional neuroimaging techniques. Learn about the different technologies used to image brain function and how they differ from structural neuroimaging.