Medical Searching for the Person in the Brain [NY Times]

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Imaging machines, while powerful, only provide surface-level insights into brain activity, akin to a Mars probe's view of a planet's surface without sampling the terrain beneath. This limitation means that many complex neural circuits associated with emotions like happiness, guilt, or jealousy remain unexplored. Neuroscientists believe that understanding these deeper, less visible brain functions could reveal significant insights into human behavior. The discussion raises concerns about the potential misuse of MRI technology, particularly in legal contexts, where claims of using MRIs as lie detectors may be misleading. Critics argue that MRI scans measure only specific brain activity and rely on statistical analysis, questioning their reliability compared to traditional lie detection methods.
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The catch is that, for all their power, imaging machines are like the Mars probe: they see surfaces, mountain peaks, valleys — without being able to take samples of the underlying terrain.

The regions that peak in activity when a person is happy or guilty or jealous are connected to many other areas along complex circuits distributed throughout the brain that are, for the most part, still unlit by the computerized spotlight of the imaging machine.

And it is here, in these subterranean, subtle enfoldings of the brain, that neuroscientists say they are most likely to discover its deepest secrets.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/05/w...e11af6a48&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

A nice cautionary tale for the layman about brain imaging.
 
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Hypnagogue, you always come up with really interesting articles. Keep up the good work. :smile:
This one caught my attention regarding the possibilities of the possible abuses of M.R.I. results. Especially by the court system. Being one of the resident neuroscientists here do you or anyone else have any opinions on the validity of the use of M.R.I.'s as lie detectors? I've heard claims done in the media saying that they can be used as lie detectors, but I'm thinking that this is a case of misguided reporting by them because M.R.I's only look a certain portion of brain activity and measure brain activity via statistics, like the article & your quote hint at. I also have heard that the court system has/ or has plans to use them in that manner, and I am not certain if it will be any more reliable that the standard "lie detector test".
 

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