7: RESEARCH METHODS IN NEUROSCIENCE Flashcards
father of neuroscience methods
SANTIAGO RAMON Y CAYAL
CELLULAR Q: How do we find out how neurons communicate?
ANSWER: histology + staining
ANATOMICAL Q: How do we find out how diff brain areas interconnected?
ANSWER: autopsy of healthy/diseased brains
FUNCTIONAL Q: How do we find out how certain brain areas mediate certain bhvrs?
ANSWER: human/animal brain lesions
SYSTEMIC Q: How do we find out how disease affects brain function?
ANSWER: neuroimaging techniques
important research method used to investigate brain functions involving REMOVING/INACTIVATING part of the brain + evaluating the animal’s subsequent bhvr
EXPERIMENTAL ABLATION
- to discover wat function = performed by diff regions of the brain
- to understand how these functions = combined to accomplish participants bhvrs
2 GOALS OF LESION STUDIES
If cognition X = disrupted by a lesion to brain area Y, then region ___ supports function ___
Y supports x
idea that in the brain, there is a place for everything + everything is in its place
MODULAR CONCEPT OF BRAIN ORGANIZATION
- circuits within brain perform FUNCTIONS not BHVRS
- NO ONE brain region = responsible for a bhvr
- each brain function contributes to PERFORMANCE of bhvr
BRAIN FUNCTIONS VS BHVRS
MANY BRAIN FUNCTIONS = ____ ____ THROUGHOUT THE BRAIN!
HIGHLY DISTRIBUTED
- loss of function supported by particular region
- loss of sub-component necessary for bhvr caused by disruption to network
- co-existing bevel changes unrelated to the particular region
3 CAUSES FOR CHANGE IN BHVR AFTER A LESION
idea that correspondence btwn animals + human = LOW (e.g. right parietal lesions in monkeys does NOT produce HEMISPATIAL NEGLECT like it does in humans)
METHODOLOGICAL LIMITATION OF APPLYING ANIMAL LESION MODEL RESULTS TO HUMANS
- pass electrical current thru stainless steel wire covered w insulating coating except for tip
- wire = guided to destination using exact coordinates to precise location within brain
- research activates lesion-making device which produces RADIO FREQ (RF) current
- RF current destroys all cells surrounding tip of electrode
PRODUCTION OF BRAIN LESIONS
lesions that target specific NT neurons
CHEMICAL LESIONS
lesion that involves injection of EXCITATORY AMINO ACID that spares axons that = passing thru the area (cell bodies = targeted)
EXCITOTOXIC LESIONS
lesion that uses an anaesthetic/cooling method after which brain can go back to normal (no physical damage to brain)
REVERSIBLE LESIONS
research design in which animal being used in study = used as own control group (i.e. they test the animal w + w/o lesion to see how it reacts)
WITHIN-SUBJECT DESIGN
brain surgery using STEREOTAXIC APPARATUS to position an electrode/cannula in a specified position in brain
STEREOTAXIC SURGERY
device that includes head holder (maintains animal’s skull in place), holder for electrode/cannula + calibrated mechanism that moves electrode/cannula holder in measured distances along 3 axes (ant-post, dors/vent, lat/med)
STEREOTAXIC APPARATUS
junction of sagittal + coronal sutures of skull used as reference point for STEREOTAXIC BRAIN SURGERY
BREGMA
collection of images of sections of brain of particular animal w measurements that provide coordinates for STEREOTAXIC SURGERY
STEREOTAXIC ATLAS
soft spot on babies’ heads at junction of coronal/sagittal sutures
FONTANELLE
placebo procedure that duplicates all steps of producing a brain lesion except the one that actually causes brain damage
SHAM LESIONS
Btwn LESION/SHAM group of animals in a study: how do we know if the lesions are the cause of bhvrl deficits?
If the LESION group behaves DIFFERENTLY from the SHAM group
- anesthesia
- incision
- lesion
- sutures + stitches
STEPS FOR LESION GROUP IN A LESION STUDY
- anesthesia
- incision
- sutures + stitches
STEPS FOR CONTROL/SHAM GROUP IN A LESION STUDY