	US 7,539,528 B2
	Using magnetic resonance imaging to directly map neuronal activity
Jinhu Xiong, 33 Colwyn Ct., Iowa City, Iowa 52245 (US); Jia-Hong Gao, 5712 Sage Hollow, San Antonio, Tex. 78249 (US); and Peter T. Fox, 11831 Elmscourt, San Antonio, Tex. 78230 (US)
Filed on Sep. 18, 2003, as Appl. No. 10/666,162.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/412171, filed on Sep. 20, 2002.
Prior Publication US 2004/0096395 A1, May 20, 2004
Int. Cl. A61B 5/055 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 600—411 [600/410]

31 Claims

1. A method for measuring neural activity comprising:

directly detecting, using magnetic resonance imaging, regional neural activity in response to stimulating a subject with a hemodynamically neutral stimulation to induce a hemodynamically neutral state in the subject undergoing magnetic resonance imaging from and concurrently with transient magnetic fields induced by the regional neural activity, the direct detecting without measurement of hemodynamic or metabolic changes as a result of the regional neural activity and occurring in a time window prior to hemodynamic activity in the subject as a result of the regional neural activity; and

spatially and temporally localizing the regional neural activity using at least a portion of the detected transient magnetic fields.