Hospital da Luz Coimbra established a protocol with Coimbra University, through the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences and the Laboratory of Perception of Objects and Actions of FPCEUC (Proaction Laboratory), for the performance of magnetic resonance sessions (MRI). These MRI will be carried out in the premises and with the modern equipment of Hospital da Luz Coimbra, viewing to integrate the research work developed by the Proaction Laboratory, namely in the context of a structural and functional study in neuroimaging. Hospital da Luz Coimbra is the single private hospital in the central region with FMRI equipment. The Proaction Laboratory is a national leader in Cognitive Neurosciences and Psychological Science, with a strong international presence, having obtained the first research grant bestowed by the renowned European Research Council in these domain, Functional magnetic resonance (FMRI): Is a non-invasive exam that allows to visualize the brain in full operation, based on minor variations in the blood flow; Allows to map the main brain functions; In most cases, the information is obtained while the individual under examination performs a given task (such as, for instance, moving his fingers or producing words, in order to understand the motor and linguistic function, respectively); Has come to surpass the static model of visualization, taking to never before achieved levels the knowledge of the brain, now unveiled in full operation; Plays a role in neuropsychology that will be decisive in the research of cognitive functions, namely memory. “A partnership that allows to accelerate research” “This partnership with Hospital da Luz Coimbra will allow to accelerate our research in Cognitive Neurosciences , namely in the understanding of how the brain works, and raise the competitiveness of Coimbra University in the area. It will also contribute to the acknowledgement of Coimbra University in the context of functional neuroimaging”, explains Jorge Almeida, one of the heads of the Proaction Laboratory. “FMRI is a fundamental technique that we use in our studies to identify with great accuracy which areas of the brain respond more to certain stimuli. In our case, we are interested in learning how the brain processes and organizes all the information on objects. We are also interested in understanding how do we gain consciousness of what surrounds us or why do we perceive some things and other not, as well as the way our brain evolves throughout our lives”, adds Jorge Almeida. “The functional magnetic resonance is a highly differentiated exam in the area of neuroimaging. It is with great enthusiasm that we join Coimbra University, through the Proaction Laboratory , thus contributing to the building of knowledge in the context of neurosciences, an area we are investing in strongly”, highlights Pedro Beja Afonso, administrator of Hospital da Luz Coimbra.
