Editing Functional neuroimaging (section)

== Overview ==
[[File:Main brain functional imaging technique resolutions.svg|thumb|Main brain functional imaging technique resolutions]]

Common methods of functional neuroimaging include
* [[Positron emission tomography]] (PET)
* [[Functional magnetic resonance imaging]] (fMRI)
* [[Electroencephalography]] (EEG)
* [[Magnetoencephalography]] (MEG)
* [[Functional near-infrared spectroscopy]] (fNIRS)
* [[Single-photon emission computed tomography]] (SPECT)
* [[Functional ultrasound imaging]] (fUS)

PET, fMRI, fNIRS and fUS can measure localized changes in cerebral blood flow related to neural activity. These changes are referred to as ''activations''. Regions of the brain which are activated when a subject performs a particular task may play a role in the [[computational neuroscience|neural computations]] which contribute to the behaviour. For instance, widespread activation of the [[occipital lobe]] is typically seen in tasks which involve [[visual]] stimulation (compared with tasks that do not). This part of the brain receives signals from the [[retina]] and is believed to play a role in [[visual perception]].

Other methods of neuroimaging involve recording of electrical currents or magnetic fields, for example EEG and MEG. Different methods have different advantages for research; for instance, MEG measures brain activity with high temporal resolution (down to the millisecond level), but is limited in its ability to localize that activity. fMRI does a much better job of localizing brain activity for spatial resolution, but with a much lower time resolution<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Poldrack | first1 = R. A. | last2 = Sandak | first2 = R. | doi = 10.1207/s1532799xssr0803_1 | title = Introduction to This Special Issue: The Cognitive Neuroscience of Reading | journal = Scientific Studies of Reading | volume = 8 | issue = 3 | pages = 199 | year = 2004 | s2cid = 143368316 }}</ref> while [[functional ultrasound imaging|functional ultrasound]] (fUS) can reach an interesting spatio-temporal resolution (down to 100 micrometer, 100 milliseconds, at 15&nbsp;MHz in preclinical models) but is also limited by the neurovascular coupling.

Recently, [[Magnetic particle imaging]] has been proposed as a new sensitive imaging technique that has sufficient temporal resolution for functional neuroimaging based on the increase of cerebral blood volume. First pre-clinical trials have successfully demonstrated functional imaging in rodents.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Herb|first1=Konstantin|last2=Mason|first2=Erica|last3=Mattingly|first3=Eli|last4=Mandeville|first4=Joseph|last5=Mandeville|first5=Emiri|last6=Cooley|first6=Clarissa|last7=Wald|first7=Lawrence|title=Functional MPI (fMPI) of hypercapnia in rodent brain with MPI time-series imaging|journal=International Journal on Magnetic Particle Imaging|language=en|volume=6|issue=2/1|doi=10.18416/IJMPI.2020.2009009|year=2020}}</ref>