Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is the most frequently used functional neuroimaging method and the one that accounts for most of the neuroimaging literature. It measures the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal in different parts of the brain during rest and during task-induced activation of functional networks mediating basic and higher functions. A basic understanding of the various instruments and techniques of recording the hemodynamic responses of different brain regions and the manner in which we establish activation and connectivity patterns out of these responses is necessary for an appreciation of the contemporary functional neuroimaging literature. To facilitate such an understanding is the purpose of this chapter.