Curious Findings of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is an imaging technique in which a powerful magnetic field is imposed on the body, permitting tiny signals from atomic nuclei to be detected. Then these signals are processed and changed into images by a computer.
It is used to get images of the soft tissues of the body, such as the brain and spinal cord, while in certain circumstances like in thinking or dreaming. It also helped to detect diseases like cancer.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a special form of MRI in which imaging depends upon the changes in blood flow and related neural activity in the brain and spinal cord.
In a recent research published in the journal of Current Biology, it has been found that in dreams brain is active just like in reality. In other words, you can say that we live a real life in dreams.
In another research published in the journal of PLoS One scientists have found that up to70% of right predictions can be made about the decision of a person with the help of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Similarly in another finding, published in The Journal of Neuroscience, we can judge with the help of fMRI, to some extent, “what a person will do in near future?”
Scientists from University of California (UC), Berkeley, have successfully reconstructed the clip from the brain activity with the help of fMRI using blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signals. In that research, scientists showed some movie clips to volunteers and after showing the clips, they use fMRI and get blurred images of their thinking on computer.
fMRI helped scientists to find that “Line of Gennari” – a part in the primary visual cortex of the brain – develops even in people, who are blind by birth. This part is related to visual responses. More interestingly, this part is thought to play a vital role in enhancing the touch sensation in blind people. This phenomenon of differentiation of components of nervous system, structurally and functionally, is referred to as Neuroplasticity.
Image Credit: Diagnostic Vision Ltd./Flickr
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