Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)
Participation in this study is entirely voluntary. Thank you very much for agreeing to participate.
- The MRI brain scan will take place at Massachusetts General Hospital (East), Navy Yard, Charlestown.
- For participating in the MRI study, you will be paid at least $75 for the main scanning session plus an additional bonus of up to $15 depending on the proportion of correct responses you make. If you need to come in for a second shorter scanning visit, you will be paid an additional $50.
- Altogether, you should schedule approximately three hours to give time for you to fill out forms and for the scanning.
Usually we are finished within 2 hours but there are sometimes delays in the schedule. - The purpose of this for us to tell which parts of the brain are active as you perform a tasks such as reading.
- When you come in to do the study, you will be given a detailed consent form and we will go over the study procedures with you in detail. Below is a brief description of what is involved.
- The procedure consists of lying on a table and having your body slid into a large horizontal cylinder which is inside a large magnet.
- There is little room in the MRI. Some people don’t like confined spaces. If you are frightened of enclosed spaces then MRI is not for you.
- You will be asked to lie still during the imaging time. In order to help keep your head still, a foam head holder will be placed around your head.
- You will be freely able to hear and speak to research staff.
- As images are taken, the MRI makes loud banging noises as though it was pounded outside with a hammer. We’ll give you earplugs to reduce this noise.
- There are no known risks to having an MRI unless you have any metal in any part of your body because the brain scanner is a magnet. That’s why it’s important for us to check this.
- If there’s any chance that you might be pregnant, you should not take part in MRI.
- There will be several planned breaks during the scanning procedures.
- We’ll start with scans that just take pictures of your brain. During this time, you will lie still and quietly in the scanner.
- After this, we’ll start with the reading of the words or sentences or watching videos. During this time, you will be asked to look at what appears on the screen. You will be asked to respond by pressing a button.
- You would be in the scanner altogether for about 1.5-2 hours. It can take a little longer or shorter depending on how the schedule is running.
- Please try to remember not to wear things with metal (e.g. earings, rings, bra with underwire, belts). You will be asked to take them off before the scan and you will be asked to change into scrubs but we like to warn people not to wear metal ahead of time.
- If you wear contact lenses, please wear these to the scanning session, not your glasses. If you wear glasses, please bring your prescription. We will give you glasses with plastic frames to wear inside the scanner.
- You should be clear about exactly when you are scheduled and who you will meet. If there are any questions about this, please ask the person who scheduled you for the study and/or try to reach us at the following numbers: 617-643-0583 (or, if no answer, try 617-627-2198).
- If you need to cancel, it is important that you let us know. This is because it takes us a while to get things set up and it would save us a lot of time if you let us know ahead of time.
- If you need to cancel before the day of the study, please try to reach us at the following numbers: 617-643-0583 (or, if no answer, try 617-627-2198).
- If you need to cancel on the day of the study, please try to reach us at 617-643-0583.
- We need to confirm that you remember your appointment. We will therefore telephone you the day before the appointment to remind you. If we can’t get hold of you, we will leave a message with our telephone number. Please call back to confirm that you will be taking part in the study.