What does functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) primarily measure?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about the primary measurement focus of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and provides multiple choice options to clarify the possible answers.
Answer
fMRI primarily measures blood flow in the brain.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) primarily measures blood flow in the brain, specifically using the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) contrast technique. This method allows for the observation of brain activity as it detects changes in blood oxygenation.
Answer for screen readers
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) primarily measures blood flow in the brain, specifically using the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) contrast technique. This method allows for the observation of brain activity as it detects changes in blood oxygenation.
More Information
fMRI uses changes in blood oxygenation as a proxy to infer neural activity, allowing researchers and clinicians to study brain function and connectivity.
Tips
A common mistake is thinking that fMRI measures electrical activity directly. Instead, it measures blood flow related to neural activity.
Sources
- Functional MRI (fMRI) of the brain - Radiologyinfo.org - radiologyinfo.org
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging - Wikipedia - en.wikipedia.org
- Functional MRI (fMRI): What It Is, Purpose, Procedure & Results - my.clevelandclinic.org
AI-generated content may contain errors. Please verify critical information
