INTERPRETING BOLD: Furthering the dialogue between cellular and cognitive neuroscience

Cognitive neuroscientists use BOLD signals to non-invasively study brain activity, although the neurophysiological underpinnings of these signals are poorly understood. By bringing together scientists using BOLD/fMRI as a tool with those studying the underlying neurovascular coupling mechanisms, this meeting will create a dialogue to understand how BOLD relates to brain activity and inform future neurovascular and cognitive research. It is a follow-up to a highly successful  Royal Society Theo Murphy meeting on the same topic, held in January, 2016, which generated a special issue of PhilTransB.

This year, symposia topics include resting state fMRI, psychopharmacology and BOLD, differences in neurovascular coupling across the brain and the use of cognitive models to better interpret BOLD signals. The meeting format will explicitly promote cross-disciplinary discussion.