UCSF

Functional imaging methodology has revolutionized our ability to understand brain-behavior relationships. In contrast with the static images obtained with standard imaging methods, functional images permit us to track brain activity as humans view stimuli, hear sounds, consider choices, and make decisions. The insights now possible because of this technology have not only provided new potential markers for disease but have also permitted questions of neural mechanism to be addressed in living humans. Because of the breadth and depth of research that directly or tangentially touches upon functional imaging, it is impossible to do justice to the various subfields, analysis streams, and methodological complexities in one chapter. Instead, this chapter will provide a brief overview of the underlying conceptual framework, basic analytic techniques, and details of the imaging methodologies available for the acquisition of functional imaging data.