Functional connectivity is a measure of low-frequency oscillations (<0.08 Hz) that are inherent to brain tissue at rest. These oscillations are measured on fMRI, and appear to be synchronized between related areas of the brain. Although research in this area is still in its infancy, studies of the motor, auditory, visual, and sensorimotor systems, have shown that functionally related areas of the brain produce correlated low-frequency oscillations. This fascinating finding raises the possibility of a new approach to studying brain function as well as a potential tool for the diagnosis of disease. Recent fMRI studies of the precentral gyrus have demonstrated the ability of functional connectivity studies to differentiate healthy volunteers from patients with multiple sclerosis. Additional research is ongoing to determine whether functional connectivity will prove useful in the diagnosis of early Alzheimer's disease.