Brain activity shows more than expected

2009/03/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Medikuntza

In an MRI brain image, a visual stimulus and waiting for its appearance give the same results, a group of researchers group of researchers at Columbia University. During the research carried out with the monkeys, seeing a point on a screen detected an increase in blood in the visual cortex. But, although they did not believe it, the same thing happened when the monkey was waiting for the point.

When interpreting magnetic resonance imaging, scientists measure brain blood flows. The technique is based on brain bleeding associated with visual stimuli. But the study reveals that blood flow cannot be directly associated with visual stimuli.

According to the researchers, this activity can be a brain excitation so far unknown. Therefore, they consider that they will have to start interpreting the data differently.