New technique reveals brain function

Researchers have a relatively good understanding of “where” and “when” the brain edits incoming information; the question is “how” does this happen. It may be that researchers at the University of Bergen have found the answer.

Cognitive neuroscience research has revealed many different aspects of the brain’s functional capacity. It has not been possible to assemble the results of the different methods used to map the brain’s activity as yet, to give researchers a complete picture of what is happening in the brain. Researchers have a relatively good understanding of part of the story, for example “where” or “when” the brain edits incoming information, but how these two aspects relate to one another has been poorly understood.

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is a technique whereby researchers can see the movement of blood and fluid through the brain. The movement patterns can indicate where there is activity within the brain. Another technique, called event-related potentials (ERPs), is used to measure electronic activity in the brain and gives data about how the brain processes information that is resolved temporally.

In the work published in PNAS, Eichele and his colleagues show how it is possible to integrate the results from both fMRI and ERP studies to produce results that are spatiotemporally resolved. Their technique results in complementary and accurate mapping of mental processes within the brain in terms of both location and time duration.

The UiB research team have successfully undertaken research work with this new technique that is leading to a much better understanding of the brain’s cognitive functions.

Media Contact

Prof. Kenneth Hugdahl alfa

All latest news from the category: Health and Medicine

This subject area encompasses research and studies in the field of human medicine.

Among the wide-ranging list of topics covered here are anesthesiology, anatomy, surgery, human genetics, hygiene and environmental medicine, internal medicine, neurology, pharmacology, physiology, urology and dental medicine.

Back to home

Comments (0)

Write a comment

Newest articles

Lighting up the future

New multidisciplinary research from the University of St Andrews could lead to more efficient televisions, computer screens and lighting. Researchers at the Organic Semiconductor Centre in the School of Physics and…

Researchers crack sugarcane’s complex genetic code

Sweet success: Scientists created a highly accurate reference genome for one of the most important modern crops and found a rare example of how genes confer disease resistance in plants….

Evolution of the most powerful ocean current on Earth

The Antarctic Circumpolar Current plays an important part in global overturning circulation, the exchange of heat and CO2 between the ocean and atmosphere, and the stability of Antarctica’s ice sheets….

Partners & Sponsors