Brain Imaging Techniques (Maguire)

Question 1

Introduction (Brain Imaging is a form of modern technology used to study…)

Answer 1

Brain Imaging is a form of modern technology used to study the brain in a NON-INVASIVE way.

Question 2

What is an MRI?

Answer 2

The use of MRI, or Magnetic Resonance Imaging, provides digital imaging of the brain through the use of a strong magnetic field that aligns with proton spins. Hydrogen in the brain is aligned with the magnetic field. A 2D or 3D image is captured. MRI’s indicate structure, but not necessarily real time activity (those are fMRIs)

Question 3

Maguire

Answer 3

A: Localization of spacial memory in London taxi drivers due to their training called the “Knowledge”- a test of using a mental map to navigate London

P: Quasi experiment (IV cannot be manipulated)- MRI scans on both 16 right handed London taxi drivers and 50 non-taxi drivers (control group). Data was measured by using VBM to measure grey matter and pixel counting to calculate the area of the hippocampus. Investigated the relationship between the number of years driving and brain structure, and compared.

F: Posterior hippocampi of the taxi drivers were LARGER, the anterior hippocampi was SMALLER. 2. Volume of right posterior hippocampi pos. correlated with the # of years spent driving.

Shows that the hippocampus is responsible for spatial awareness and memory eg. the differences in volume suggest that certain brain structures respond to environmental demands. The anterior hippocampi was seen to be associated with new spatial info, but was smaller since the taxi drivers had undergone training, they had already learnt the streets.

Question 4

Maguire Link to Brain Imaging

Answer 4

By using an MRI, Maguire was able to observe the structures in the brain and find a correlation between environment on neuroplasticity, a physiological process occurring in the brain, particularly around the hippocampi region which then affects behaviour in terms of memory
- used MRI scans to investigate the structure of the hippocampi, which would not be able to be seen using other technologies such as an EEG or a PET scan