Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a neuroimaging technique that measures changes in blood flow and oxygenation levels in the brain to identify areas of neural activity.
Related terms
Blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) signal: This term refers to the change in blood flow and oxygenation levels that fMRI detects as an indicator of neural activity.
Neuroimaging: Neuroimaging involves various techniques used to visualize and study the structure, function, and connectivity of the brain.
Activation map: An activation map is a visual representation created from fMRI data that shows areas of increased neural activity in different regions of the brain.
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