Neuromagnetic studies on character and word recognition(Mind viewed through cognitive neuroscience: Neuroimaging, a window on the brain)

Abstract

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is a noninvasive technique for measuring neural activities in the living human brain. In MEG studies, magnetic fields produced by electric currents flowing in neurons are measured. The site in the cerebral cortex activated by a stimulus can be found from the detected magnetic field distribution. The time resolution of the method is better than 1 ms and the spatial resolution is, under favorable circumstances, 2-3mm. MEG can thus be a useful tool for investigating neural mechanisms underlying cognition. Our recent MEG studies on character and word recognition are reviewed.