Are Functional MRI Scans Not Functioning Right?
Head First fMRI machines like this one are helping scientists decode brain activity. Courtesy Yukiyasu Kamitani/ATR Brain Activity Imaging CenterA new study says results from some fMRI scans are unintentionally distorted and inaccurate, enough that some papers based around the process could be seriously questionable. fMRI is one of the most popular ways to scan the human brain. A lot of those light-up brain photos you see? fMRIs. fMRIs work by measuring blood flow to different regions of the brain, which is a sign that those parts are being used (that's what's lighting up in photos). We've covered some especially interesting uses, like turning an fMRI on doctors to see if they empathize with patients' pain, or a DARPA plan to screen dogs to pick out the smartest contenders. But a new paper from Stanford psychologists says those scans don't always provide an accurate picture. Since the scans just measure...