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Access through your institution Buy or subscribe The theoretical foundation of msMRI is relatively simple. The basic MRI signal depends on the use of a strong magnetic field to induce
phase-coherent nuclear spins, the relaxation of which is subsequently detected. But if these spins are exposed to the intrinsic magnetic field that is generated by neuronal activity, their
coherence will decrease, leading to a reduction in the magnitude of the MRI signal. Xiang _et al_. set out to establish whether detecting such a decrease was possible, using a simple
visuomotor task that elicits well-characterized activations of the visual, motor and premotor cortices. msMRI allowed them to detect activations with the same spatial resolution (3 mm) and
of the same strength (1% of the baseline signal) as functional MRI, but with a much higher temporal resolution (100 ms), comparable to what is obtained with electrophysiological methods. In
addition to increasing the temporal resolution of current imaging methods without compromising on spatial resolution, msMRI offers other advantages. In contrast to PET and functional MRI,
msMRI does not depend on the haemodynamic brain response and its complex relation to neuronal activity. And in contrast to MEG, msMRI does not depend on the detection of neuronal magnetic
fields at the scalp, but allows us to look directly at their source in the brain parenchyma. Owing to this combination of attributes, msMRI should be received as a welcome and powerful
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RESEARCH PAPER * Xiong, J. et al. Directly mapping magnetic field effects of neuronal activity by magnetic resonance imaging. _Hum. Brain Mapp._ 20, 41–49 (2003) Article CAS Google Scholar
Download references Authors * Juan Carlos López View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT
THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE López, J. Closer to the source. _Nat Rev Neurosci_ 4, 778 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn1233 Download citation * Issue Date: 01 October 2003 * DOI:
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