Blood Oxygen Level-Dependent Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Visual Cortex

Source: Galenchik-Chan, A., et al. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) of the Visual Cortex with Wide-View Retinotopic Stimulation. J. Vis. Exp. (2023). The video demonstrates functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of the visual cortex to map activity based on blood oxygenation levels. Structural MRI images are acquired as anatomical references, followed by fMRI scans. Visual stimuli are displayed to activate retinotopic neurons in the visual cortex. The increased energy demand of these stimulated neurons drives the flow of oxygenated blood, reducing deoxyhemoglobin and enhancing the fMRI signal to measure activity.