• Question: do you use MRI scans as part of your research?

    Asked by ciarafleming14 to Damien, Suzi, Tim on 23 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Tim Fosker

      Tim Fosker answered on 23 Jun 2011:

      Hi @ciarafleming14

      No I’ve had my own MRI scan done, but I don’t use MRI in my research, I measure electrical brain activity (EEG) instead. EEG is great for telling you about the time things happened, but not very good at telling you where they happened in the brain like functional MRI is.

    • Photo: Suzi Gage

      Suzi Gage answered on 23 Jun 2011:

      Hi @ciarafleming14
      I don’t at the moment, but when I was studying for my MSc I used the scanners. We scanned people’s brains to work out where on their skull certain areas of the brain were located, which we then stimulated using a technique called ‘Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation’

      I explained it here to someone else http://ias.im/58.2874

      Like Tim, I’ve also had my brain scanned. It’s quite fun.

      Bristol has recently got our own scanner, so there may well be more experiments I can take part in, going in a scanner.

      Have you ever had your brain scanned? Would you like to?

Comments

  • Photo: ciarafleming14

    ciarafleming14 commented on :

    @Tim Fosker did you enjoy your MRI scan? Why did you have it in the first place? Would you like to work with MRI scanners in the future?

    @Suzi Gage
    the idea of having my brain scanned seems weird… However i might have one in the future to see what it is like!

  • Photo: Suzi

    Suzi commented on :

    Hi @ciarafleming14
    It is quite a strange feeling being in a scanner, but only because you’re enclosed, you have to lie very still and it’s quite noisy. Otherwise it’s completely painless, and quite relaxing in a way. I have had my brain scanned twice and it’s quite fun. It’s also very useful for researchers to have volunteers as it can help a lot with research!

  • Photo: Tim

    Tim commented on :

    Hi @ciarafleming14

    If I’m honest I fell asleep. I was in the scanner as a test ‘guinea pig’ for a new project for 2 ½ hours, to make sure it was working. As Suzi says the scanner is very noisy, but the noise is quite rhythmic and you adapt to it if you are in it long enough. I have no plans to use MRI in my research in the future. I’m far more interested in the timing that EEG can give us than the locations that MRI does.

    I’d happily volunteer to have it done again in someone else’s research project!

  • Photo: ciarafleming14

    ciarafleming14 commented on :

    @Suzi Gage is the space very tight around you?
    would sufferers of chlostrophobia freak out if they were one?
    How long were you in it for?

    @Tim Fosker
    Haha was it boring then if you fell asleep?

    I think it’s great you both volunteer for things to help other people’s medical health it is very admirable!