It also provided a good compromise between spatial sensitivity and temporal resolution. Yet fMRI is not without its drawbacks. A single recording can generate one gigabyte of data. In comparison, QEEG recordings generate less than a percent as much data per comparable session. Data reduction is essential for both fields.
Investigators quickly learn to limit their analysis or face opening too many doors.
As with QEEG, our limited understanding of brain function makes a sensitive measure noisy. A recent paper examines the strengths and pitfalls associated with fMRI for ADHD populations. The only new knowledge generated out of billions of dollars spent so far on this technique is the surprising activation of the cerebellum during cognitive function. But perhaps that is a pessimistic viewpoint shared by few. There is a desperate need for some order in the world of neuroimaging, particularly functional neuroimaging.