MRI used to measure electromagnetic signals in the brain

Electric fields and light, two types of electromagnetism, are often monitored when researchers study brain function. However, most methods for measuring these phenomena in the brain are very invasive. Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have devised a new technique to detect either electrical activity or optical signals in the brain using a minimally invasive sensor for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI is often used to measure changes in blood flow that indirectly represent brain activity, but the MIT team has devised a new type of MRI sensor that can detect tiny electrical currents, as well as light produced by luminescent proteins.