MIT Study Maps Brain Activity During Movie Watching

Researchers have created a detailed functional map of the brain by analyzing fMRI scans of individuals watching films, revealing 24 distinct networks involved in processing complex scenes.

The study used fMRI scans from the Human Connectome Project to analyze brain activity in 176 participants watching various movie clips.
Researchers identified 24 distinct brain networks responsible for processing elements like faces, speech, movement, and social interactions.
Executive control regions in the brain are more active during complex or ambiguous scenes, while specific function regions dominate during simpler scenes.
This research provides the first detailed functional map of the brain under naturalistic conditions using diverse audio-visual stimuli.
Future studies may explore how individual brain responses vary with age, cognitive disorders, or personal differences.