magnetoelectroencephalography

Magnetoencephalography, often abbreviated as MEG, is a non-invasive neuroimaging technique that measures magnetic fields produced by electrical activity in the brain. These magnetic fields are generated by the synchronized currents of neurons, and MEG can detect these faint fields using highly sensitive magnetometers, typically superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs), housed in a magnetically shielded room. The primary advantage of MEG is its excellent temporal resolution, on the order of milliseconds, allowing researchers to track the rapid changes in brain activity. Its spatial resolution is also good, although generally not as precise as fMRI.

MEG measures the magnetic fields directly, bypassing the distortion that electrical signals can experience as they pass through the skull and scalp. This makes it particularly useful for studying the initial stages of neural processing and for localizing the sources of brain activity with high accuracy. MEG is employed in a variety of research applications, including understanding sensory and motor processes, language processing, and the neural basis of cognitive functions. It also holds promise for clinical applications, such as pre-surgical mapping of brain function in epilepsy patients or for diagnosing and monitoring neurological disorders. The equipment required for MEG is complex and expensive, necessitating specialized facilities.