Biomagnetic methodologies for the noninvasive investigations of the human brain (MAGNOBRAIN)

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) non-invasively infers the distribution of electric currents in the brain by measuring the magnetic fields they induce. Its superb spatial and temporal resolution provides a solid basis for the 'functional imaging' of the brain provided it is integrated with other brain imaging techniques. MAGNOBRAIN is an applied research project that developed tools to integrate MEG with MRI and EEG. These include: (1) software for MEG oriented MRI feature extraction; (2) the Brain Data Base (BDB) which is a reference library of information on the brain used for more realistic and biologically meaningful functional localisations through MEG and EEG; and (3) a database of normative data (age and sex matched) for the interpretation of MEG. It is expected that these tools will evolve into a medical informatics environment that will aid the planning of neurosurgical operations as well as contribute to the exploration of mental function including the study of perception and cognition.