The Physics of MRI and How We Use It to Reveal the Mysteries of the Mind

Abstract

Our ability to interpret and process information and regulate emotion is determined by the structure and chemical makeup of our brains. A change to the structure or biochemical makeup of our brains can affect our mental health, the way we cope with the normal stresses of life, our productivity, and our overall well-being. Scientists interested in studying the brain and mental health disorders (called neuroscientists) seek to understand how the architecture and biochemical makeup of the brain differs in health and disease. To do this, we use a technique called magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to image inside the living brain, to examine its function and structure. This article explains the physics of MRI and how we use it to generate images of our brains in order to investigate how the mind works.