Research Methods/Levels Flashcards
Cognitive/Behavioral Assessments
Stroop test, memory tests, etc.
Anatomical
- structural imaging (CT, MRI, DTI)
- functional imaging (PET, fMRI)
- lesion studies
- TMS
Electrophysiological
- EEG
- ECoG
- MEG
- ERP
- patch-clamping
- single-unit recordings
- has very good temporal resoultion
Biochemical
- pharmacology
- immunocytochemistry
Genetic
- gene sequencing
- knockouts
- transgenics
Stroop test
- tests executive function
- names of colors in different colors
Computed Tomography (CT)
- provides an important tool for imaging neurological pathology
- 3D
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- As the magnets realign they send out signals and locations of atoms; use magnet field
- better resolution than ct
Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI)
- helps to figure out the wiring of the brain
- offers information about anatomical connec- tivity between regions
- uses water molecules
PET
- uses radioactive labeled chemicals injected in the blood to track rCBF
- has limitations because of the radiation
- the blood flow indicates brain activity
fMRI
- uses the magnetic properties of hemoglobin to track rCBF
- has better spatial resolution than PET scans
Lesion Studies
- only done surgically in animals
- humans are done only by chance accidents
- basically a piece of the brain is cut out and the difference in behavior or function is observed
Transcranial magnetic simulation (TMS)
- magnetic field interferes with electrical signals in the brain and can shut down activity in that area
- spatial resolution is not great (other nearby brain areas could be effected)
- works better on the areas near the skull rather than subcortical regions
- if the magnet is too strong, it can induce a seizure
Electroencephalography (EEG)
- different states of consciousness
- good temporal resolution down to the millisecond
- not good spatial resolution
Electrocorticography (ECoG)
-better spatial resolution than EEG
Magnetoencephalography (MEG)
- detects the magnetic signals being produced
- electrical currents produce magnetic fields
- expensive
- the orientation of the neurons also effect which brain cells can be detected
- use when in need of a high degree of spatial resolution
Event-Related Potentials (ERP)
- a way of using data from EEG,ECoG, and MEG to extract data from recordings
- the random stuff not apart of the sound gets cancelled out
- for MEG called event-related fields
- good temporal resolution
Patch clamping
- glass pipet filled with saline solution rather than an electrode
- amazing spatial and temporal resolution
Single-Unit Recordings
- stick a wire into the brains
- neurons near the wire can be detected
Immunocytochemistry
- the indicators are fluorescent pigments
- create an antibody to bind to the protein your interested in
- one antibody sticks to the protein and another sticks to the first antibody that has the indicator
Optogenetics
- use of light to turn neurons on and off
- find a protein that is sensitive to light and use that to breed other animals like mice
Knockouts
- knockout animals
- remove a gene to see what changes
Transgenic
-take a gene that isn’t usually expressed and insert it into the genome
