More than 800 specialists, as well as a distinguished panel of medical historians, put together a top 10 list of medical advances which have occurred during the last 10 years.

We chose the tenth one because it is not one which is as clear to readers as it should be—being used for research not treatment.

This work is the result of a collaboration between Medpage Today and ABC News.

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Medpage Today (Illustration: Medpage Today)

10. Scientists Peer Into Mind With Functional MRI

“Mind-reading has moved from carnival attraction to the halls of medicine with what is known as a functional MRI.

“The medical mind-readers are not trying to identify a card randomly selected from a deck — they are using sophisticated imaging techniques to map the way the mind works.

“The process, often called fMRI, traces the working of neurons — brain cells — by tracking changes in the oxygen levels and blood flow to the brain. The more brain activity in one area, the more oxygen will be used and the more blood will flow to that area. The patient lies awake inside an MRI scanner. He or she is asked to perform a simple task, like identifying a color or solving a math problem.

“As the patient answers the question, the fMRI tracks the areas of the brain that are activated by tracing the speed at which the cells metabolize the sugar, or glucose.

“First developed in the early 1990s, fMRI began to shape research at the beginning of the decade. (Emphasis added)

“It has certainly taken off in the past 10 years as a means for studying the living human brain in action,” said Caselli. “It has given us innumerable insights into cognition, social interactions, reward systems, decision-making, and so on.” (Emphasis added)

“Using this technique, researchers are learning valuable information about disease such as depression, brain cancer, autism, memory disorders, and even conditions such as the skin disorder psoriasis.” (Emphasis added)

Source: Medpage Today/ABC News, December 17, 2009