🟢 Biopsychology - Ways of Studying the Brain Flashcards
What are invasive methods of studying the brain
A procedure where the body is “invaded” or entered by a needle, tube, device or scope
1 invasive method
Post mortem study
What is a post mortem examination
An examination of a corpse in order to determine the cause of dearh
How did post mortem studies help study the brain
Brain was examined to try and correlate structural abnormalities / damage to behaviour
1positives of post mortem studies in studying the brain
- level of detail, deeper region of brain investigated
2 issues of post mortem studies in ways to study the brain
- cause and effect, damage could have been caused by another incident
- lack of rights (ethical)
Example of a post mortem study
Paul Broca
‘Tan’ inability to say any other word. 1861, through post mortem examination, Broca discovered that Tan had a lesion in the left cerebral hemisphere caused by syphilis. Area became known as Broca’ area
3 non invasive methods
EEG - electroencephalogram
ERPs - Event-Related potentials
FMRI - functional magnetic resonance imaging
What is a non invasive methods
One where there is no break in the skin or any invasion of healthy tissue
What is an FMRI
3D scans using magnetic and radio waves. They measure brain activity tracking blood flow and measuring the change in energy released by haemoglobin reflecting activity of the brain.
Process of an FMRI
the person lies in a large cylinder magnet and radio waves are then sent through the body, affecting the body’s atoms. Moving picture of the brain produced
2 positives of a FMRI
Captures dynamic brain activity as opposed to MRI / post mortem which only show physiology of brain.
Good spatial resolution 1-2mm
2 negatives of FMRI
- expensive
Interpretation difficult and affected by temporal resolution due to 5 second delay
What is an EEG
Non invasive measurement of electrical activity in the brain
Process of an EEG
. When the brain cells send messages to each other they produce tiny electrical signals. In an EEG, electrodes are placed onto the scalp using a sticky substance. These electrodes pick up the electrical signals/neuronal activity from
the brain and send them to an EEG machine, which will record the
signals on a computer screen which clinicians then monitor.
3 positives of EEG
cheaper than FMRI
non invasive so ethical validity
Good temporal resolution
1 negative of EEG
poor spatial resolution
What are ERPS?
Use electrodes, measure very small voltage changes within the brain when presented with stimulus
2 positives of ERPs
Cheaper than FMRI
High temporal resolution
1 negative of ERPs
Poor spatial resolution
