Methods of studying cortical specialisation

Question 1

What happens in electrical stimulation?

Answer 1

Certain areas of the brain are stimulated to show activity.

Question 2

What is the WADA test?

Answer 2

A chemical test used to establish which functions are related to which hemisphere.

Question 3

Name an experiment for electrical stimulation and briefly outline it.

Answer 3

Olds and Milner discovered rats would press a lever for pleasure when this area was stimulated.

Question 4

Name a strength of stimulation.

Answer 4

More ethical as less harmful than surgery.

Question 5

Name a limitation of stimulation.

Answer 5

Animals used to explain human behaviour- hard to generalise and unethical.

Question 6

Name 3 types of scan.

Answer 6

PET, MRI and CAT.

Question 7

Outline what happens in a PET scan.

Answer 7

Radioactive glucose is injected because the brain uses this for energy. The amount of radioactive glucose used in tasks is measured.

Question 8

Outline what happens in an MRI scan.

Answer 8

Strong magnetic fields and radio waves used to produce brain image. Activity is measured by the brain reacting to radioactivity.

Question 9

Outline what happens in a CAT scan.

Answer 9

X-ray beam shone on patient’s head and a cross section is shown. The amount of radiation absorbed is measured.

Question 10

Name a strength of scans.

Answer 10

Detailed knowledge can be gathered of an active brain.

Question 11

Name 2 limitations of scans.

Answer 11

Time consuming. Ethical issues with radioactive sugars.

Question 12

Outline what happens in neurosurgery.

Answer 12

Manipulate brain structure through ablations and lesions.-invasive.

Question 13

Who discovered by neurosurgery that the brain builds up a simple image and then a complex one?

Answer 13

Hubel and Wiesel.

Question 14

Name a strength of neurosurgery.

Answer 14

Can manipulate one single neuron, gathering very precise and specific results.

Question 15

Name a limitation of neurosurgery.

Answer 15

Can damage other parts of the brain.

Question 16

Outline what happens in EEG.

Answer 16

Electrodes are placed on scalp and records the electrical activity in brain. The voltage differences from each parts of the brain are measured.

Question 17

Name a strength of EEG.

Answer 17

No intervention, so can measure natural brain activity.

Question 18

Name a limitation of EEG.

Answer 18

Can’t pick out individual neurons.

Question 19

Outline post-mortem studies.

Answer 19

Examining a person after death who had a disorder. Any damaged part of the brain is thought to be the cause.

Question 20

What was discovered through post mortem studies?

Answer 20

Broca’s area of interpreting speech.

Question 21

Name a strength of post mortem.

Answer 21

Able to cut open the brain and not worry about harm.

Question 22

Name a limitation of post mortem.

Answer 22

Unable to gather live brain activity.