OPM quantum sensors enhance non-invasive neuroimaging performance

Abstract

Much of our understanding of how neural circuit activity relates to human behaviour as well as mental health stems from non-invasive assessments of the central nervous system. Further progress in key questions, however, requires a higher differentiation of circuit-level activity, which remains constrained by the sensitivity and resolution of existing instruments. Here we show that neural quantum sensing with optically pumped magnetometers (OPMs) addresses this issue by significantly outperforming EEG and conventional MEG in both signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and signal coherence across trials. SNR for OPMs was increased by up to 205% compared to EEG and by up to 40% compared to conventional MEG. Likewise, the signal coherence across trials of OPMs was increased by up to 61% compared to EEG and by up to 23% compared to conventional MEG. Our data emphasize the important role of OPMs for non-invasive neuroimaging, paving the way for significant advances in basic research as well as translational applications.