Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Signal Modelling and Contrasts : an Example of Manual Praxis Tasks

The goal of neuroscience as a discipline is to understand how the neural system is organized in the brain, giving rise to mental processes and the control of behavior. One of the most frequently utilized methods in neuroscientific studies is the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which is a non-invasive technique for quantifying brain processes dynamics. In a standard fMRI procedure, the hypothesis of the correlation between a cognitive task and the observed physiological signal is tested. This way, a certain computational model of a given brain mechanism can be validated. The procedure of modelling fMRI signal time course will be explained in this article as exemplified by planning functional grasps of tools. Subsequently, the results of contrasting model parameter estimates will be presented for a different experiment on manual praxis skills, i.e., bimanual tool grasps and manipulations.

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Opracowanie rekordu ze środków MNiSW, umowa Nr 461252 w ramach programu "Społeczna odpowiedzialność nauki" - moduł: Popularyzacja nauki i promocja sportu (2021).