Biological Psychology - Lecture 2

Question 1

Tracing neural pathways

Answer 1

Certain chemicals are taken up by cells and transported forwards or backwards, even between cells - this reveals pathways between brain areas

Question 2

Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI)

Answer 2

Uses differential diffusion of water molecules in different types of tissue to show routes of axons

Question 3

Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

Answer 3

Radioactivity (via e.g. water; glucose; neurotransmitter) injected into blood & detected by PET scanner

Question 4

Function magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

Answer 4

• avoids use of radioactivity (safer) detects increased blood flow (via magnetic haemoglobin) in active brain tissue
• precise spatial information, imprecise temporal information (same is true for PET)

Question 5

Electroencephalography (EEG)

Answer 5

• records electrical signals at scalp, signals produced by electrical brain activity
• precise temporal information, imprecise spatial information

Question 6

Magnetoencephalography (MEG)

Answer 6

• records magnetic field at scalp, N.B these fields are produced by electrical brain activity
• precise spatial and temporal information

Question 7

Single-cell unit recording

Answer 7

• very precise spatial and temporal information
• only one cell at a time
• impractical in humans

Question 8

Prosopagnosia due to brain lesion

Answer 8

inability to recognise faces following damage to inferior temporal cortex

Question 9

Amnesia due to Alzheimer’s disease

Answer 9

Poor new learning following damage to medial temporal lobe

Question 10

Executive dysfunction due to Parkinson’s disease (PD)

Answer 10

Lack of dopamine impairs function of frontal lobes, including “executive functions”, in PD

Question 11

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

Answer 11

Focussed magnetic field disables briefly (for a few milliseconds) a small area of cortex, a “reversible lesion”; precise temporal and spatial information

Question 12

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

Answer 12

• a small current (AA battery) applied across the scalp for e.g. 20 minutes
• makes neurons more/less excitable
• may boost cognitive training & improve psychiatric symptoms