Psych 112E Part 1

Question 1

fMRI (Functional magnetic resonance imaging)

Answer 1

fMRI measures the BOLD (blood oxygenation level dependent) signal level of blood oxygenation in different parts of the brain. Noninvasive and no lasting detrimental effects. People can be awake while the process is going on.
More neural activity leads to Higher metabolic demand leads to Greater oxygen use

Question 2

fMRI spatial resolution, temporal resolution, measurement/manipulation, species

Answer 2

Spatial resolution: Relatively low (though always improving); activity reflects average of millions of neurons (But, measures over entire brain!)
Temporal resolution: slow (i.e. seconds) Limited partly due to technical limitations on BOLD measurement, and partly due to time course of functional hyperemia.
Measurement/Manipulation: Measurement
Species: Humans, some non‐human animals

Question 3

Voxels in fMRI