CH3 - research methods

Question 1

history of research methods

Answer 1

1600s
- ancient egyptian scrolls about brain

1700’s
- experimental studies on brain begain
- microscopes
- frog leg dipped in electrical stimulation to make muslces move (luigi galvani)

1800s
- otto friedrich and karl deitrs seperate nurons
- camillo golgi and ramon y cahal dissect brain tissue to stain and see nurons (dead tissue)

1970s
- patch clamp technique to study membranses of neurons (ervin neher and bert sakmann)
-

1990s
- stained neurons in living tissue

Question 2

CT scan

Answer 2

• uses x rays that pass through body to generate slices of brain

ADVANTAGES
- fast, cheap, noninvasive

DISADVANTAGES
- radiation exposure

Question 3

MRI

Answer 3

• magnetic fields image alignment of H+ ions

ADVANGATES
- non invasive
- no radiation
- great precison

DISADVANTAGES
- expensive
- no metal or biomed devices on patients

EX OF USES
- to investigate or diagnose conditions that affect soft tissue such as tumours or brain disorders.

Question 4

fMRI

Answer 4

• meaysres oxyegn flow in brain. increase activity = increase oxygen

ADVANTAGES
- non invasive no radiation no ingestions no injections

DISADVANTAGES
- CV diseases or compromised function can make measurements unreliable delay stimulus with output

USES
- meausre activation during a task or follow stimulation in brain

Question 5

DTI

Answer 5

• images water movemnt along neural pathwas.
• only images axons
• meausres density of neural tract

ADVANTAGES
- non invasive no radation no ingestion/injection

DISADVANTAGES
- interepration can be difficult in tracts with differnet types of fibers

USES
- study white matter degeneration in disease

Question 6

PET/SPEC scan

Answer 6

• ingested radioactive compound to track moleculat changes

ADVANATGES
- see moleuclar changes in real time

DISADVANTAGES
- radiation exposure
- expensive

USES
- visualise activity of NT
- can measure binding