Brain stimulation combined brain imaging

Trends in Cognitive Sciences
Volume 13, Issue 7, July 2009, Pages 319-327

Concurrent brain-stimulation and neuroimaging for studies of cognition

Neuroimaging can address activity across the entire brain in relation to cognition, but is typically correlative rather than causal. Brain stimulation can target a local brain area causally, but without revealing the entire network affected. Combining brain stimulation with concurrent neuroimaging allows a new causal approach to how interplay between extended networks of brain regions can support cognition. Brain stimulation does not affect only the targeted local region but also activity in remote interconnected regions. These remote effects depend on cognitive factors (e.g. task-condition), revealing dynamic changes in interplay between brain areas. We illustrate this with examples from top-down modulation of visual cortex, response-competition, inter-hemispheric rivalry and motor tasks; but the new approach should be applicable to many domains of cognition.

Article Outline

Introduction: causal roles for specific brain regions within extended networks in support of cognition
Concurrent TMS–fMRI reveals remote effects of brain stimulation
Concurrent TMS–EEG also reveals remote effects of brain stimulation
State-dependence of remote effects in concurrent TMS–EEG
State-dependence of remote effects in concurrent TMS–fMRI
Concluding remarks
Acknowledgements
References

----

attached:

(Real time fMRI maybe necessary to understand this.)

Nature Reviews Neuroscience 9, 720-729 (September 2008) | doi:10.1038/nrn2414

Opinion: Applications of real-time fMRI