Methods for and Use of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Psychiatry

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a noninvasive technique for measuring brain activity that uses MRI to measure the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal. Over the 30+ years since the technique was first described (Ogawa et al. 1990), BOLD-fMRI has uncovered much about the organization and function of the human brain and is now beginning to fulfill its promise as a tool for diagnostic and prognostic biomarker of psychiatric conditions. In this chapter, we will first describe the neurophysiology, basic physics, and image processing of the technique. We will then discuss three broad applications of the technique with an emphasis on both best practices and future uses for psychiatric biomarkers.