Magnetic resonance functional neuroimaging: New insights into the human brain

Magnetic resonance (MR) functional neuroimaging emerges as a new tool for mapping human brain functions at unsurpassed spatial resolution. The technique is noninvasive, widely available, and applicable to single subjects. Despite its tremendeous potential in cognitive neuroscience, ongoing methodologic developments pose significant challenges. They are mostly caused by the fact that MR detection of a focal change of brain activity is indirect and therefore relies on an unaffected neurovascular and/or neurometabolic coupling. This article describes some of the crucial elements necessary to transform a paradigm-related change in brain activity into a corresponding MR activation map. Pertinent examples range from data acquisition and signal processing to the underlying physiological mechanisms and details of the paradigm design.