| name | fmri-task-design-guide |
| description | Guides fMRI task design: block vs. event-related vs. mixed; jittering; contrasts; power for BOLD detection |
| domain | cognitive-neuroscience |
| version | 1.0.0 |
| authors | ["awesome_cognitive_and_neuroscience_skills contributors"] |
| papers | ["Friston et al., 1999","Petersen & Dubis, 2012","Dale, 1999","Bandettini et al., 1993","Glover, 1999","Desmond & Glover, 2002","Wager & Nichols, 2003"] |
| dependencies | {"required":["research-literacy"],"recommended":["fmri-glm-analysis-guide","fmri-preprocessing-pipeline-guide"]} |
| review_status | ai-generated |
fMRI Task Design Guide
Purpose
The experimental design is the single most important determinant of an fMRI study's statistical power, interpretability, and scientific value. Choosing between block, event-related, and mixed designs involves trade-offs between detection power and estimation efficiency that depend on the research question. Similarly, the choice of inter-stimulus interval (ISI), jittering strategy, condition ordering, and trial count directly determines whether the BOLD signal of interest can be reliably detected.
A competent programmer without neuroimaging training would not know that block designs provide higher detection power but cannot estimate HRF shape, that exponentially distributed jitter is more efficient than uniform jitter, or that the BOLD response takes 12-16 seconds to return to baseline. This skill encodes those domain-specific design decisions.
When to Use This Skill
- Planning a new task-based fMRI experiment
- Choosing between block, event-related, or mixed designs
- Optimizing inter-stimulus interval and jittering strategy
- Calculating design efficiency for contrast detection
- Determining minimum trial counts per condition
- Integrating behavioral task constraints with fMRI timing requirements
- Reviewing or troubleshooting an existing fMRI task design
Research Planning Protocol
Before executing the domain-specific steps below, you MUST:
- State the research question — What specific question is this analysis/paradigm addressing?
- Justify the method choice — Why is this approach appropriate? What alternatives were considered?
- Declare expected outcomes — What results would support vs. refute the hypothesis?
- Note assumptions and limitations — What does this method assume? Where could it mislead?
- Present the plan to the user and WAIT for confirmation before proceeding.
For detailed methodology guidance, see the research-literacy skill.
⚠️ Verification Notice
This skill was generated by AI from academic literature. All parameters, thresholds, and citations require independent verification before use in research. If you find errors, please open an issue.
Design Type Selection
Comparison of Design Types
| Design Type | Detection Power | Estimation Efficiency | Trial-Level Analysis |
|---|
