1-brain imaging

Question 1

RADIATION – types of scans

Answer 1

computerized tomography (CT) scan
Positron emission tomography (PET)

Question 2

computerized tomography (CT) scan

Answer 2

• many X-rays of a particular section of a person’s body or brain
• shows structure of brain and any abnormalities
• often used to see if someone has a tutor or significant brain atrophy

Question 3

Positron emission tomography (PET)

Answer 3

pictures of the living, active brain
- individual drinks or is injected with mildly radioactive sustance–tracer
- once it’s in the bloodstream, the amount of tracer in any given creation of the brain can be monitored
- brain areas more active→more bloodflow
- creates drought map of active and inactive areas of the brain during a given behavior

shows little details, unable to point events precisely in time and require that the brain be exposed to radiation
- has been replaced by fMRI as alternative diagnostic tool
- but.. good for understanding NT receptors!!

Question 4

MAGNETIC FIELDS – types of scans

Answer 4

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
function magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

Question 5

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Answer 5

• person place inside machine that generates strong magnetic field
  
  • causes hydrogen atoms in body’s cells to spin in one direction
• when magnetic field is turned off, hydrogen atoms emit electromagnetic signals as they return to their original positions
• machines measures these bursts of energy
• tissues of different densities give off different signals
  
  • shows the structure of the brain

Question 6

function magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

Answer 6

• similar to MRI but looks at oxygen in the blood flow
  
  • map out the blood flow!!!
• function of the brain!!
• more detailed images of brain structure and better accuracy in time than is possible in PET scans

Question 7

Electroencephalography (EEG)

Answer 7

overall activity of person’s brain, without needing info on the actual location of the activity

• measures electrical (action potentials) activities in the brain
• electrodes put on person’s head
• signals received result in printout of the electrical activity of brainwaves
  
  • measures electrical (action potentials) activity in the brain
  • shows frequency (# of waves per second)
  • amplitude (height of wave)
• helpful to research studying sleep patterns among people with sleep disorders