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PSY219 > 5: The Research Methods of Biopsychology > Flashcards

5: The Research Methods of Biopsychology Flashcards

1
Q

Stereotaxic surgery…

A

Device inserted into target sites to investigate activity.

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2
Q

Stereotaxic atlas…

A

Locates brain structures for the device to be inserted.

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3
Q

Bregma…

A

Base point, like ‘North star’; top of the skull where sutures (skull bones) intersect.

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4
Q

Aspiration lesions…

A

Used for cortical tissue that is visible to the surgeon’s eye.

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5
Q

Radio frequency lesions…

A

Subcortical lesions. Current sent via stereotaxic electrode, which is sent to target site. Heat destroys tissue.

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6
Q

Cryogenic blockade…

A

Alternative to sectioning; a cryoprobe is used in target sight to freeze activity. Unlike sectioning, this is reversible = +ve.

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7
Q

Lidocaine…

A

Reversible microinjections, a type of local anaesthetic.

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8
Q

Electrical simulation…

A

Target sites are stimulated using bipolar electrode.

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9
Q

Intracellular unit recording…

A

Records activity in one neuron’s membrane potential. Intra- because it’s inside nerve cell.
Difficult to achieve in freely moving animals, so have to be immobilised.

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10
Q

Extracellular unit recording…

A

Records firing of a neuron via electrodes in neuron’s extracellular fluid.
Difficult to achieve in freely moving animals.

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11
Q

Multiple unit recording…

A

Larger electrode tip, so records signals from more neurons.

Graph - sum number of recorded action potentials per unit of time.

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12
Q

Intragastically…

A

Through a tube into the stomach.

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13
Q

Intraperitonically…

A

Injected into peritoneal cavity of abdomen, ‘IP’.

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14
Q

Subcutaneously…

A

Injected into fat just beneath skin, ‘SC’.

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15
Q

Intravenously…

A

Injected into large surface vein, ‘IV’.

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16
Q

Cannub…

A

A stereotaxic tube that directs drugs into brain. Surpasses blood-drain barrier.

17
Q

Neurotoxins…

A

Microinjected into the brain to perform more accurate lesions.

18
Q

Selective neurotoxins…

A

Kainic acid (used to kill intestinal worms) or ibotenic acid (from Amanita mushrooms); enter cell bodies of neurons to kill them.

19
Q

6-Hydroxydopamine…

A

(6-OHDA) - selectively absorbed by dopamine and epinephrine neurons and destroys them.

20
Q

2-Deoxyglucose (2-DG) technique…

A

2-DG is injected into animal’s brain, then activity is performed by them. The neurons involved absorb 2-DG (as it contains glucose - but it cannot be metabolised).
Then they are killed and an autopsy is performed on the brain.
Using an autoradiography the experimenter can locate traces of 2-DG and therefore what parts of the brain are involved in performed activity.
Density is colour-coded.

21
Q

Cerebral dialysis…

A

Measures extracellular concentration of target neurochemicals without killing animal.
A tube is inserted into target brain structure and local extracellular chemicals diffuse into this.
Tube is collected and the solution receives a chromatograph, which records the chemical make-up of these fluids.

22
Q

Immunocytochemistry…

A

Colours antibodies of interest in brain which then bind to particular enzymes found in target neurons (i.e. one that contains dopamine). The dye helps locate these neurons so that we know which parts of the brain and/or neurons produce certain chemicals.

23
Q

In Situ hybridisation…

A

Locates target neuroproteins via artificial production of mRNA (hybrid RNA).
RNA is a messenger that is involved in synthesis of neuroproteins.
Therefore mRNA helps discover the location of neurons that produce target neuroprotein.

24
Q

Gene knockout techniques…

A

Creates organisms devoid of a particular gene to investigate said gene’s role.
E.g. study of melanopsin knockout mice found that said gene helps regulate circadian rhythms. Found in retina (makes sense, as these rhythms are affected by light levels).

25
Q

Gene replacement techniques…

A

Allows for interspecific gene make-ups - such mice are called transgenic.
Aspires to treat problems involving defected genes by replacing them with better genes.
But unrealistic - too much research done on animals to observe valuable differences.

26
Q

Fantastic fluorescence and the brainbow…

A

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) found in jellyfish, glows bright green when exposed to blue light.
Used as a locating tool to other target genes by inserting GFP into target cells.
GFP can now be altered to glow different colours! Can colour-code other neurons by the mixture of the proteins it generates - brainbow!

27
Q

Single-test approach…

A

Old test used to distinguish between psychological problems caused by brain damage and by functional or structural brain changes.
But not very sensitive, so ineffective.

28
Q

Standardised-test-battery approach…

A

‘Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery’.
Those with brain damage perform poorly - test is effective at differentiating between healthy and brain-damaged individuals, but not to more subtle differences between brain-damaged or psychiatric patients.

29
Q

Customised test-battery approach…

A

Better as test is better at discriminating between brain-damaged and psychiatric patients.
Helps narrow down nature of problem in brain, i.e. memory, behavioural/chemical etc.

30
Q

Sodium amytal test…

A

Injected and temporarily anaesthetises lateral hemisphere. The language-dominant side is mute, whereas the non-dominant isn’t. This is how it’s located.

31
Q

Dichotic listening test…

A

Same aim as sodium amytal test.

32
Q

Testing for memory…

A

Is problem to do with LTM, STM, or both?
Anterograde or retrograde?
Semantic, episodic, explicit, implicit?

33
Q

Testing for language…

A

Test for phonology
Test for syntax
Test for semantics

34
Q

Behavioural methods of cognitive neuroscience has two assumptions…

A

Constituent cognitive processes - complex cognitive processes are built by combination of simpler cognitive processes.
Each of these constituent cognitive processes is run by a certain part of the brain. Aim to locate cognitive processes at responsible brain site.

35
Q

Paired-image subtraction technique…

A

Uses fMRI and PET scans to observe what areas of the brain are being used during instructed task.

PSY219 (11 decks)

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