“Calm Down Dear, It’s Only a Simulator.” An investigation into the effects of the fMRI environment on cognition.
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Black AA diss.pdf (357.9Kb)
Date
2007Item status
Restricted AccessAuthor
Black, Ashley Anne
Metadata
Abstract
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is a useful tool which permits the
observation of the brain’s neuronal activity in a non-invasive, on-line manner. The
usefulness of the technique has however been questioned with some arguing, and
going on to show, that the scanning environment itself can influence any cognitive
function under investigation. The current study has been undertaken in order to
specifically look at the influences of anxiety and claustrophobia on cognitive function
in the fMRI environment. Participants completed an operation span task in 2
conditions (fMRI scanner simulator and normal laboratory setting) and mean
performance levels between conditions were compared. It was found that
performance on the task was significantly lower in the fMRI scanner simulator than in
the normal laboratory setting. Anxiety and claustrophobia levels, measured using
established scales, were correlated with performance in the scanner environment to
investigate which, if any, were most related to performance in this unusual
environment. State anxiety was found to be the only variable significantly related to
performance in the fMRI scanner environment; it was shown that as state anxiety
levels increased, performance in the scanner condition decreased. State anxiety was
shown to predict a significant amount of the outcome variable, performance in the
scanner environment. These results emphasise the key role state anxiety plays in
causing reduced cognitive functioning in the fMRI environment. Such results also
stress the need for something radical to be done to eliminate, or at least reduce,
anxious reactions to the fMRI environment if we are to ever comprehensively study
cognitive functioning using this technology.