Editing Human brain (section)

===Imaging===
{{Further |Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain}}
[[File:Human-brain-mri-gif-brain-mri-gif.gif|thumb|FMRI of healthy human brain]]
[[Functional neuroimaging]] techniques show changes in brain activity that relate to the function of specific brain areas. One technique is [[functional magnetic resonance imaging]] (fMRI) which has the advantages over earlier methods of [[SPECT]] and [[positron emission tomography|PET]] of not needing the use of [[Nuclear medicine|radioactive materials]] and of offering a higher resolution.<ref>{{cite web |title=Magnetic Resonance, a critical peer-reviewed introduction; functional MRI |publisher=European Magnetic Resonance Forum |access-date=June 30, 2017 |url=http://www.magnetic-resonance.org/ch/11-03.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170602035337/http://www.magnetic-resonance.org/ch/11-03.html |archive-date=June 2, 2017  }}</ref> Another technique is [[functional near-infrared spectroscopy]]. These methods rely on the [[haemodynamic response]] that shows changes in brain activity in relation to changes in [[cerebral circulation|blood flow]], useful in [[brain mapping|mapping functions to brain areas]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Buxton |first1=R. |last2=Uludag |first2=K. |last3=Liu |first3=T. | year= 2004| title=Modeling the haemodynamic response to brain activation | journal=NeuroImage | volume= 23 | pages=S220–S233 | doi=10.1016/j.neuroimage.2004.07.013|pmid=15501093 |citeseerx=10.1.1.329.29 |s2cid=8736954 }}</ref> [[Resting state fMRI]]
looks at the interaction of brain regions whilst the brain is not performing a specific task.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Biswal |first1=B.B. |title=Resting state fMRI: a personal history |journal=NeuroImage|date=August 15, 2012|volume=62|issue=2|pages=938–44|pmid=22326802|doi=10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.01.090|s2cid=93823 }}</ref> This is also used to show the [[default mode network]].

Any electrical current generates a magnetic field; [[neural oscillation]]s induce weak magnetic fields, and in functional [[magnetoencephalography]] the current produced can show localised brain function in high resolution.{{sfn|Purves|2012|p=20}} [[Tractography]] uses [[MRI]] and [[image analysis]] to create [[3D modeling|3D images]] of the [[nerve tract]]s of the brain. [[Connectogram]]s give a graphical representation of the [[connectome|neural connections]] of the brain.<ref name="Kane">{{cite book |last1=Kane |first1=R.L. |last2=Parsons |first2=T.D. |title=The Role of Technology in Clinical Neuropsychology |isbn=978-0-19-023473-7 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=2017 |page=399 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iuAwDgAAQBAJ |quote=Irimia, Chambers, Torgerson, and Van Horn (2012) provide a first-step graphic on how best to display connectivity findings, as is presented in Figure 13.15. This is referred to as a connectogram.}}</ref>

Differences in [[brain morphometry|brain structure can be measured]] in some disorders, notably [[schizophrenia]] and [[dementia]]. Different biological approaches using imaging have given more insight for example into the disorders of [[biology of depression|depression]] and [[biology of obsessive-compulsive disorder|obsessive-compulsive disorder]]. A key source of information about the function of brain regions is the effects of damage to them.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kiCtU8wBTfwC | title=Neuropsychology | last=Andrews | first=D.G. | publisher=Psychology Press | year=2001 | isbn=978-1-84169-103-9}}</ref>

Advances in [[neuroimaging]] have enabled objective insights into mental disorders, leading to faster diagnosis, more accurate prognosis, and better monitoring.<ref>{{cite web |author=Lepage, M. |date=2010 |title=Research at the Brain Imaging Centre |work=Douglas Mental Health University Institute |url=http://www.douglas.qc.ca/page/imagerie-cerebrale?locale=en |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305042011/http://www.douglas.qc.ca/page/imagerie-cerebrale?locale=en |archive-date=March 5, 2012 }}</ref>