Current Issues Flashcards
What did Hubel & Weisel (1959) find?
Measured cat visual cortex cell recording and won Nobel prize in 1981
What is EEG?
measures field potentials produced by large groups of neurons
What is an event related potential?
Electrical signals related to stimuli
What is MEG?
Uses magnetic fields to produce high quality 2D/3D images of brain structures without X-RAY
What is TMS?
Rapidly changing magnetic field induces a weak electrical current (rTMS causes virtual lesion)
What is tDCS?
Transcranial direct current stimulation: low current electrical stimulation delivered to a neuronal target across the scalp (anodal: + stimulation increases neuronal excitability and cathodal: - stimulation decreases neuronal excitability
What are the two types of Functional Brain Imaging?
Based on principles of haemodynamics, PET and FMRI measure oxygen levels in blood
What is PET?
Inject radioactive isotope into the bloodstream. Lasts 30secs but limited task time
What is FMRI?
Strong magnetic scanner to measure difference in properties of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood
What is pure insertion in functional brain imaging?
Insert another task to control task and look at changes- change is what is needed in task
What is subtraction?
Area of interest - area of control= you might not be subtracting everything and assumes area of interest will change when control changes
The cognitive functionalist view of functional imaging
The mind can be studied independently of the brain
Cognitive neuroscientist view of functional imaging
Studies of the brain informs our understanding of the mind
Support for functionalist view
Fodor (1999), Page (2006): wish to know how the MIND works, not WHERE the brain works
Support for cog neuroscience view
Henson: (1999) function to structure deduction and structure to function induction (2000)
