New uses for expanding fMRI since early this semester

This is your brain...this is your brain on an fMRI scan

As engineers continue to create more and more new technologies, it is interesting to see how many of these are applied to the health field. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is a new technology that allows doctors to see into patients’ brains, and to see what parts of the brain are used during what applications. Although doctors can currently determine a general area the activity takes place, they are unable to determine the exact location of the activity, until now.

How does it work?
The fMRI works a lot like the MRI, but with fMRI, doctors can determine exactly which neuron is active at which time. The fMRI still detects magnetic pulses through the brain, like the MRI, but it also enables the doctor to see activity in the brain. The neurons in the brain are set off as certain images are shown, or activities are done. What the fMRI detects is the neuron activity. As each neuron fires, oxygenated blood rushes to that site and produces a different magnetic content than deoxygenated blood, thus registering as activity on the fMRI scan.

How Can Society Use this Technology?
Doctors are able to understand which neurons are used during what activities and can more accurately detect what neurons need to be operated on or treated. In addition to doctors detecting activity, each scan produces a map of the individual’s brain that allows the doctor to create a surgical map of the brain. This surgical map allows less room for error when operating on the brain in order to remove a tumor or to distinguish which area of the brain is not correctly producing activity. This technology, developed early in the nineties, has just recently been put to use in a variety of situations outside the surgical arena.
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin have been able to located and isolate the area and neurons in the brain that are associated with time-lapse. What this means for the medical world, is a possible new cure for Parkinson’s disease. The researchers found that Parkinson’s disease affects the amount of time that has passed and targeting the specific neuron will allow researchers and doctors to create a cure for the disease.

What are the Latest Applications of fMRI?
The latest developments in fMRI technology have allowed researchers to find that it is possible to reduce or completely avoid chronic pain. Researchers at Omneuron, a brain-imaging company in California, have found that it is possible to reduce chronic pain by targeting a certain set of neurons in the brain. Through fMRI, the researchers were able to pinpoint the exact neuron that creates the pain for these individuals and through therapy, they were able to alleviate the pain for these individuals.
Recently, studies have shown that certain neurons are hyperactive when drug-abusers are shown images or objects related to drug use. The stimulation causes the neurons to become apparent on the fMRI, thus allowing the researchers to work with the individual to reduce the cravings they feel.
In order for the research done at Omneuron to be effective, they are working to create a monitor that simultaneously shows the patient and the doctor the brain activity of the patient. By allowing the individual to see his or her own brain activity, it would enable them to decrease the cravings they often battle. Creating a self-stimulating reaction to beat the craving would give the patient the ability to decrease their dependence on the other drug stimulant.
Doctors and researchers are turning more and more to fMRI’s in order to reduce the necessity to prescribe pharmaceutical drugs and give the patients more control over their lives. With the new fMRI technology, patients are given more control and are able to put to use biofeedback therapeutic techniques. These techniques are also used to lower heart rate or blood pressure.

Why is fMRI a better choice?
As a substitute for the old magnetic resonance imaging machines, the fMRI is better because it allows doctors to pinpoint specific different neurons in each individual. Because most individuals experience different symptoms and have different trouble segments in the brain, it is difficult to say exactly which part of a brain area is effecting the function. Before the development of this technology, doctors understood that certain functions occurred in certain parts of the brain, but could not exactly determine the neuron that is malfunctioning, or over stimulating the body in the case of drug addicts.

The article was retrieved from MIT Technology Review at:
http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=17674&ch=biotech&sc=&pg=1

Other Sources:
http://www.fmri.org/fmri.htm
http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=fmribrain