A clear understanding of how fMRI scans work calls for the involvement of different faculties. First, it is important to note that the fMRI scans are a combination of two major elements in that they are not only visual or digital, but they are both visual and digital.
This means that the functioning of the fMRI scans is conceptualized on the clear understanding of the interplay of how the scans are a combination of the above-mentioned aspects. Understanding the fMRI scans as fields for interactions, also entails the understanding that digital scientific visuals cannot be understood in a representational manner, but must have an in depth participation of their readers and writers.
Those tasked with the responsibility of deciphering the meaning of the fMRI scans must ensure that they invoke several faculties so that they can accurately deduce the brain activities that are depicted by the fMRI scan technology. In the article, the author stresses that the entire concept of understanding the fMRI scan technology, should be explained in an indexical manner as opposed to iconic or as a sign manner.
The argument here is that when the technological results are given the iconic meaning, they tend to have a direct relationship between the scan and the icon representing them. Signs, according to the author, just like icons give a vague representation between what is in question and what should be represented. To avoid this, fMRI scans should have an indexical representation (Alac 14).
In presenting the views of this article, it is clear that the author has invested in a good structure. The paper starts with a defense of why the concept of the fMRI scan technology as part of the modern neuroscience should be viewed as fields for interactions. When the technology is viewed in this manner, indexing as the main method of reference should be adopted. This makes it easy for all the concerned stakeholders to accurately decipher the indented meaning of the brain scans.
In conclusion, the writer is of the view that the adoption of indexical interpretation of the fMRI scans is beneficial to the field of modern neurosurgery in that, this technology makes it easy for brain experts to conceptualize the functioning of the brain.
This means that the concept of brain mapping is developed higher due to the technology that is adopted by the neurosurgery experts hence, producing greater insights into how the brain works. Scientific use of fMRI scans can be used to identify the specific areas of the human cortex that process certain types of information. Such an examination also helps the experts doing the analysis to decipher the relatedness or otherwise of information that is being processed.
This is done by analyzing the areas of the brain that are in activity, a fact that is enabled by the analysis of the fMRI scans. Active areas of the brain are more pronounced especially due to the increased blood flow in such parts. This way, the technology has been hailed for its role in expounding on the functioning of the brain.
Question
In digital imaging, the main areas of activity can easily be denoted through the observation of the colors of the brain being imaged. Briefly explain how different colors such as bright red areas, blue areas or green areas of the brain mean in relation to brain activity.
Work Cited
Alac, Morana. fMRI brain visuals as fields for interaction, In Handling Digital Brains.Massachusetts: MIT Press. ND. Print.