Neuroscience and Neurobiology Commons^™

Human Neuroimaging Reveals That Agency In A Video Game Boosts Functional Connectivity Within And Between Networks, Emily J. Davidson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In naturalistic settings, brains continuously interface with a dynamic and interactive external environment. The inclusion of such an environment in an fMRI study is difficult, given the practical constraints imposed by the machine itself. This study sought to test whether the ecological validity of fMRI could be enhanced by testing a new paradigm that incorporated a dynamic and interactive virtual environment (DIVE). To determine the viability of this paradigm, functional connectivity was assessed during a DIVE condition and compared to functional connectivity patterns acquired in conditions with equally dynamic stimuli but that lacked interactivity with the environment. This study found …