What Are the Underlying Principles of BOLD Imaging?
BOLD imaging is based on the differences in magnetic properties between oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin. Oxygenated hemoglobin is diamagnetic, causing minimal disturbance to the magnetic field, whereas deoxygenated hemoglobin is paramagnetic and disturbs the magnetic field. These differences are detected by MRI, allowing visualization of blood flow changes associated with neuronal activity.
