Magnetic Source Imaging

What is MSI?

The brain imaging method that we use is called magnetoencephalography, or Magnetic Source Imaging. Magnetic Source Imaging is a completely safe, noninvasive method for recording magnetic activity generated by the brain. It is like an EEG, but instead of recording the electrical impulses that the neurons in the brain generate, Magnetic Source Imaging records magnetic impulses. And it doesn't even use electrodes over the head like an EEG! This technique has been used for many years to identify brain areas that are involved in vision and hearing.

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You can watch a short movie on MSI.
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MSI in Research

Recently, through research at the University of Texas-Houston, we have developed the capacity to identify areas of the brain that are involved in language, reading, and other skills.

Reading problems

Over the past two years, we have been applying these methods to children who have reading problems, such as dyslexia. The results of our research have shown that distinct and specific areas of the brain are used when a child reads, and that these areas are a little different when children have reading problems.

The IERI Study

In the IERI study, we are interested in using these methods for brain imaging to learn more about how the brain learns to read. People are not born with the ability to read and there are no areas of the brain that become specialized for reading without some form of instruction. In this study, we want to understand the changes that take place in the brain as children learn to read in order to make more definitive statements about the relationship of reading instruction and the brain and learn more about how the brain functions in learning to read.

How MSI Works

Magnetic Source Imaging is a safe and painless procedure that provides information about the functioning of the brain. When a person performs a task that requires them to think, use language, or read, there are subtle changes that occur in the brain. For example, blood will shift from one part of the brain to another part of the brain depending on the part of the brain that is involved in the activity. Similarly, there are neurons that make connections in order to support a particular activity. When neurons make connections, there are changes in the properties of these neurons. These changes may be reflected by changes in brain electrical activity, which is recorded by an EEG. There are also changes that occur in the magnetic energy that the brain generates when a person performs an activity. Magnetic source imaging is able to measure these changes and therefore provide information about what brain areas produce the magnetic signals.

In the IERI study, we want to use magnetic source imaging to measure changes in the magnetic signals generated by the brain when a child reads letters, real words, and pretend words. While your child reads these words a special device that fits loosely over the head will record the magnetic signals that are produced by the brain. Specialized computers can then identify where the brain these signals are coming, which allows us to create a map of the areas of the brain that are activated when reading. Below you can see some brain maps created in previous studies.