Brain imaging techniques largely spread in neuroscience literature. Due to initial technical limitations such as the very low signal-to-noise ratio, group experiments became the rule. This fact, together with the wide use of standard brains to localize the activations, lead several experimenters to the wrong idea that the brain can be described by a Cartesian coordinate system, neglecting at the same time the importance of individual neuroanatomy. My commentary on the paper by Devlin and Poldrack reinforces their reminder that it is necessary to deal with anatomy. Moreover, it adds some considerations on the relevance of single subjects studies and on the importance of the BOLD intensity signal, which should be used to describe brain activity together with the most used statistical tools.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging: measuring versus estimating
FADIGA, Luciano
2007
Abstract
Brain imaging techniques largely spread in neuroscience literature. Due to initial technical limitations such as the very low signal-to-noise ratio, group experiments became the rule. This fact, together with the wide use of standard brains to localize the activations, lead several experimenters to the wrong idea that the brain can be described by a Cartesian coordinate system, neglecting at the same time the importance of individual neuroanatomy. My commentary on the paper by Devlin and Poldrack reinforces their reminder that it is necessary to deal with anatomy. Moreover, it adds some considerations on the relevance of single subjects studies and on the importance of the BOLD intensity signal, which should be used to describe brain activity together with the most used statistical tools.I documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
