Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is among the main techniques for understanding the human brain in action. It measures and maps brain activity by relating changes in local cerebral blood oxygenation across time with behavioral and cognitive measures, such as movement, perception, learning, and decision making. The statistical analysis of fMRI data most commonly aims at localizing brain areas activated by the task of interest (which will help predict psychological states or mental disease) and investigating relationships between brain areas. The first auditory fMRI studies were conducted in the early 1990s, demonstrating the viability of fMRI to replicate previous brain findings. Since then, according to PubMed, more than 2000 studies have been conducted using auditory stimuli. This profile reviews the most common experimental designs used in fMRI, reports several sample studies in the field of listening, and highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the method when applied to audition.