Ultra-High Field Imaging of Human Visual Cognition

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the key methodology for mapping the functions of the human brain in a noninvasive manner, is limited by low temporal and spatial resolution. Recent advances in ultra-high field (UHF) fMRI provide a mesoscopic (i.e., submillimeter resolution) tool that allows us to probe laminar and columnar circuits, distinguish bottom-up versus top-down pathways, and map small subcortical areas.We review recent work demonstrating that UHF fMRI provides a robust methodology for imaging the brain across cortical depths and columns that provides insights into the brain's organization and functions at unprecedented spatial resolution, advancing our understanding of the fine-scale computations and interareal communication that support visual cognition.

Automated summary

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has limitations in temporal and spatial resolution. Recent advances in ultra-high field (UHF) fMRI provide a submillimeter resolution tool to study laminar and columnar circuits and map small subcortical areas. UHF fMRI offers unprecedented spatial resolution and improves our understanding of the brain's organization and visual cognition.