Sonali Mehandru  with Bob Brown  and Jingzhi Liu

Investigation of Functional MRI Theory and Applicability to Brain Functioning via the BOLD Technique with Secondary Analysis of Related Electrophysiological Methods

Modern medical imaging techniques have been revolutionized with the introduction of magnetic resonance technology.  By exploiting the properties of the ubiquitous hydrogen spin, MRI powerfully captures stationary images of complex anatomical structures.  However, to reveal the more dynamic processes that characterize anatomical functioning, especially within the brain, an equally more dynamic imaging mode has been developed.  Functional MRI builds on the strength of frequency-dependent signals under varying field gradients with additional methods to visualize changes in physiological states.  A specific feature of fMRI is its application of the BOLD (Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent) technique in which changes in blood susceptibility promote phase shifts in relation to the external magnetic field.  This study explores the techniques and applications of fMRI in conjunction with the techniques employed in electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) to investigate some critical connections between central cortical activity and macroscopic behavior.