The general linear model and fMRI: does love last forever?

Abstract

In this review, we first set out the general linear model (GLM) for the non technical reader, as a tool able to do both linear regression and ANOVA within the same flexible framework. We present a short history of its development in the fMRI community, and describe some interesting examples of its early use. We offer a few warnings, as the GLM relies on assumptions that may not hold in all situations. We conclude with a few wishes for the future of fMRI analyses, with or without the GLM. The appendix develops some aspects of use of contrasts for testing for the more technical reader.