Seeing the Future

Research suggests that fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) scans not only measures what the brain is doing, but what it is going to do.

FMRI studies assume brain blood flow correlates with neuronal activity. Active brain cells need nutrients, which freshly oxygenated blood supplies. Now, fMRI is also shown to detect increased blood flow in brain regions that aren’t currently active — but may be in the near future.