We all think of MR as a diagnostic tool to let us look inside the brain for signs of disease. It gives fantastic anatomical detail and contrast between tissues. Functional MR, or fMRI, is becoming a popular tool in investigating how the brain works. It measures changes in blood flow in different regions of the brain as people perform certain tasks. This information allows us to relate function and structure.
Of course, the advertising industry is very interested in how their products affect our brains. Only 50% of ads trigger any response, and they are the ones people like. Does this mean that ads we dislike are more effective? Read the whole story at Analyst Cafe.
Radio Australia’s All in the Mind recently investigated the effects of fMRI on science and journalism. Dr. Jonica Newby, a former veterinarian and broadcaster, contributed to the podcast panel discussion. One of the topics was the news generating potential of these scientific fMRI studies, since people have a fascination with the brain and how it works. Since the science is still in its infancy, what do the results mean? Are science and the media exaggerating the conclusions past the strength of the evidence? It’s worth a read or a listen.
This is a technology we’ll be hearing more about in the media and in scientific journals. It may have applications in veterinary medicine, such as in evaluating the optical pathways in dogs. But the need for general anesthesia in animal patients makes interpreting the brain scans even more difficult. Hopefully we’ll see more research on this in the future.
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