Working with MEG: A Practical Guide to Magnetoencephalography(Practical Guides to Neuroimaging)

In 1968 at the University of Illinois, David Cohen made scientific history when he measured a neuronal oscillation known as the alpha rhythm from the brains of four human volunteers. The measurement of the alpha rhythm was not in itself a breakthrough: the German psychiatrist, Hans Berger, had discovered the rhythm decades earlier during his first recordings of human electroencephalography (EEG). What was novel about Cohen’s experiment was that it did not measure electrical potentials on the scalp as is the case for EEG. Instead, the measurements were made using a metal coil built to measure magnetic fields. Cohen had become the first person to measure the brain’s magnetic field and in doing so had pioneered an entirely new method for measuring the brain’s activity: magnetoencephalograpy (MEG). In the intervening decades MEG has grown from a highly specialised method practiced by a small number of researchers to a routine method of human neuroscience available at laboratories across the world. However, as the use of MEG has increased, so too has the number of people encountering MEG for the first time, and this has created a growing need for materials that aid the understanding of MEG for those with no prior experience.

Table of Contents:
Preface, List of Figures, PART I: Measuring the brain’s magnetic field, 1. What is MEG?, 2. How to collect MEG data, PART II: Analysing the data, 3. Analysing data time series, 4. Analysing spatial information, 5. Applications of MEG, Glossary, Index

Review :
"Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is increasingly being used to provide new insights into brain function in both health and disease, providing a richness of information that cannot be provided by any other non-invasive technique in humans. However, this complexity means that MEG can be daunting for new students and researchers. In this book, Dr Perry provides an excellent introduction to the core physical principles underlying MEG, the nature of the data and the questions that can be asked, before covering the different approaches to source localisation and analysis. The book is therefore highly recommended for anyone interested in either starting to use MEG in their own research or simply learning more about this powerful tool for neuroscience research." - Krish Singh, Cardiff University "The reader is taken on the journey from experimental conception to data interpretation, this exceptionally useful and accessible resource will be invaluable to researchers starting out in MEG." - Matthew Brookes, University of Nottingham