Comments on: Important fMRI study literacy tips http://boingboing.net/2010/07/13/important-fmri-study.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Tue, 21 May 2013 21:10:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: arikol http://boingboing.net/2010/07/13/important-fmri-study.html#comment-833821 arikol Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-833821 yeah, I know. The point is that sitting still (at least for me) is a challenge in and of itself, which might affect the results. For others, lying still in an fMRI machine may not pose a challenge. The point is just that different brain issues may make the baseline different which poses a problem in interpreting any results. A lot of studies have been performed on abnormal conditions (stroke, etc) but figuring out what is normal is quite hard. yeah, I know. The point is that sitting still (at least for me) is a challenge in and of itself, which might affect the results. For others, lying still in an fMRI machine may not pose a challenge. The point is just that different brain issues may make the baseline different which poses a problem in interpreting any results.
A lot of studies have been performed on abnormal conditions (stroke, etc) but figuring out what is normal is quite hard.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/07/13/important-fmri-study.html#comment-833603 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-833603 i'm a bit disappointed that they made no mention of my (least) favorite fMRI interpretation issue - reverse inference. RI seems to be quite common when the popular press gets a hold of fMRI data, and works like this: FACT: fear activates the amygdala. FACT: We observe amygdalar activity. INCORRECT CONCLUSION: the patient must've been experiencing fear. i’m a bit disappointed that they made no mention of my (least) favorite fMRI interpretation issue – reverse inference. RI seems to be quite common when the popular press gets a hold of fMRI data, and works like this:

FACT: fear activates the amygdala.
FACT: We observe amygdalar activity.
INCORRECT CONCLUSION: the patient must’ve been experiencing fear.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/07/13/important-fmri-study.html#comment-833631 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-833631 Glad to see I'm not the only one bothered by so much poor methodology . There is bad reporting as well. But asking 6 college students to imagine what they'd do in a hypothetical situationdoes not yeild statistically significant data. Control groups should include people not educated in contemporary westernstr ' herding of linear abstractions' , or habituated to TV/ computer use. Glad to see I’m not the only one bothered by so much poor methodology . There is bad reporting as well. But asking 6 college students to imagine what they’d do in a hypothetical situationdoes not yeild statistically significant data. Control groups should include people not educated in contemporary westernstr ‘ herding of linear abstractions’ , or habituated to TV/ computer use.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/07/13/important-fmri-study.html#comment-889995 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-889995 A look at where the fMRI technology has been used in real life: http://www.neontommy.com/news/2010/09/new-lie-detector-fmri-machine-verifies-memories A look at where the fMRI technology has been used in real life:
http://www.neontommy.com/news/2010/09/new-lie-detector-fmri-machine-verifies-memories

]]> By: arikol http://boingboing.net/2010/07/13/important-fmri-study.html#comment-833420 arikol Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-833420 Interesting! I would imagine that people with ADHD, ADD, Asperger's and such might also be affected by problem number 2. I study cognitive science at graduate level and so this is of particular interest. Interesting!

I would imagine that people with ADHD, ADD, Asperger’s and such might also be affected by problem number 2.

I study cognitive science at graduate level and so this is of particular interest.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2010/07/13/important-fmri-study.html#comment-833429 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-833429 I wonder which parts of my brain light up when I read fMRI studies that draw sweeping conclusions based on dubious methodology? I wonder which parts of my brain light up when I read fMRI studies that draw sweeping conclusions based on dubious methodology?

]]> By: dequeued http://boingboing.net/2010/07/13/important-fmri-study.html#comment-833440 dequeued Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-833440 It's interesting how much of a role executive function plays in cognition. I'm really ADHD, and if I was hooked up to an fMRI, and they asked me to do a boring task, I'm sure my brain would be dim and dark. But ask me to do a stimulating task, and my brain would light right up. It's not a reflection of capacity, but motivation. Also, just sitting still in a chair and paying attention during a lecture that I don't feel involved in requires a huge mental exertion for me, far more than for my peers. It’s interesting how much of a role executive function plays in cognition.

I’m really ADHD, and if I was hooked up to an fMRI, and they asked me to do a boring task, I’m sure my brain would be dim and dark.
But ask me to do a stimulating task, and my brain would light right up.

It’s not a reflection of capacity, but motivation.

Also, just sitting still in a chair and paying attention during a lecture that I don’t feel involved in requires a huge mental exertion for me, far more than for my peers.

]]> By: Mark Dow http://boingboing.net/2010/07/13/important-fmri-study.html#comment-833516 Mark Dow Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-833516 Any good fMRI study controls for attention and arousal. Often this is done by having the subject perform a difficult task, so they can't drift off while thinking about lunch. If they don't perform well (e.g. due to lack of motivation) they are excluded from the study. Unfortunately the tasks are and often repetitive and boring by design -- it makes for better comparisons across individuals and groups. Any good fMRI study controls for attention and arousal. Often this is done by having the subject perform a difficult task, so they can’t drift off while thinking about lunch. If they don’t perform well (e.g. due to lack of motivation) they are excluded from the study. Unfortunately the tasks are and often repetitive and boring by design — it makes for better comparisons across individuals and groups.

]]> By: apoxia http://boingboing.net/2010/07/13/important-fmri-study.html#comment-833525 apoxia Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-833525 Plus they cut out all people with ADHD, epilepsy, psychiatric disorder, neurological disorder etc. Makes for clean data that is not easily generalised. But then again, that's true of most research. Plus they cut out all people with ADHD, epilepsy, psychiatric disorder, neurological disorder etc. Makes for clean data that is not easily generalised. But then again, that’s true of most research.

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