Technical challenges of functional magnetic resonance imaging

Describes the biophysics and technology behind a reliable neuroscientific tool for mapping the human brain. Since its discovery in 1991, the technique of mapping human brain activity by observing changes in cortical blood oxygenation with MRI has blossomed into a methodology of major importance for brain science and medicine. This review discusses the biophysics, the MR physics, and the technology (particularly remaining problems) underlying the development of functional MRI (fMRI). Image data analysis techniques are described and some applications are given.