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March 16, 2015

OpenfMRI allows neuroscientists to share brain research data

 Science Nation

Researchers around the world can compare notes on one of the most powerful tools available for imaging human brain function, the fMRI, thanks to support from the National Science Foundation (NSF). An fMRI is a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan that measures brain activity by detecting changes in blood oxygenation and flow. Researchers use fMRI to watch how blood flows through active areas of the brain in real time, and the scans can be used to produce "maps" of activity during a brain's thought processes. These maps change based on what a person is thinking. Globally, researchers run more than 2,000 fMRI studies every year, but currently, there is limited infrastructure for sharing results.

Credit: National Science Foundation


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