Methods in Cognitive Neuroscience

Question 1

Which type of technique is used to understand normal brain functioning by comparing structural images of brains with and without specific lesions?

Answer 1

Brain lesion analysis

Question 2

Which neuroimaging tool might be used for brain lesion analysis?

Answer 2

Structural MRI

Question 3

When performing a brain lesion analysis, it is possible to use a control group of patients with lesions OUTSIDE of the ROI. True or false?

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Brain lesion analysis is usually conducted via cortical surfaces. True or false?

Answer 4

True

Question 5

Which type of technique record’s the brain’s electrical activity via electrodes attached to the surface of the scalp?

Answer 5

Electroencephalography (EEG)

Question 6

An EEG electrode attached to the surface of a participant’s auditory cortex picks up an electrical trace in the brain after they are asked to listen to a song. This electrical trace is called a(n):

Answer 6

Event-related potential (ERP)

Question 7

An electrical potential that is elicited by an “event” (such as a visual or auditory stimulus) is called a(n):

Answer 7

Event-related potential (ERP)

Question 8

EEGs have _____ spatial resolution, but _____ temporal resolution: (poor, accurate)

Answer 8

Poor, accurate

Question 9

Spatial resolution refers to:

Answer 9

The source of brain activity

Question 10

Temporal resolution refers to:

Answer 10

The time a burst of activity occurred

Question 11

CTs, MRIs and DTIs are examples of ____ neuroimaging and fMRIs and PETs are examples of ____ neuroimaging:

Answer 11

Structural; functional

Question 12

Which type of neuroimaging technique uses x-ray to show brain structure?

Answer 12

Computed tomography (CT)

Question 13

Which structural neuroimaging technique is fairly recent, thus producing higher-resolution images of the brain?

Answer 13

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Question 14

Which structural neuroimaging technique produces images of white matter tracts and axons?

Answer 14

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)

Question 15

Which neuroimaging technique relies on changes in blood flow in order to produce images of the metabolically active parts of the brain?

Answer 15

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

Question 16

Which functional neuroimaging technique requires the inhalation or injection of a radioactive substance in order to track the metabolic changes in the brain?

Answer 16

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans

Question 17

A PET scan is the least-invasive neuroimaging technique for understanding brain function - true or false?

Answer 17

False

Question 18

For which 2 reasons might fMRIs be carried out instead of PET scans?

Answer 18

They are less invasive and have greater spatial resolution

Question 19

Magnetic pulses produced by TMS machines that cause neurons to fire are _____ (inhibitory or excitatory):

Answer 19

Excitatory

Question 20

Magnetic pulses produced by TMS machines that disrupt brain activity are _____ (inhibitory or excitatory):

Answer 20

Inhibitory

Question 21

On which part of the brain is the TMS coil placed if we are wanting to excite neurons responsible for saccadic eye movement?

Answer 21

Superior prefrontal cortex (S-PFC) OR superior parietal lobe (SPL)

Question 22

Neuroimaging and other methods use in cognitive neuroscience can be used in combination to produce more stable conclusions about underlying brain systems. True or false?

Answer 22

True