Stufying The Brain

Question 1

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fmri)

Answer 1

• Brain scanning technique measures blood flow in brain when a person performs a task, creates dynamic 3D map of the brain, highlighting which areas are involved in different neural activities.
• non invasive
• 1-4 s
• 1-2mm

Question 2

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

Answer 2

• measures electrical activity through electrodes attached to scalp. Small electrical charges are detected by the electrodes that are graphed over a period of time, indicating the level of activity in the brain
• non invasive (uncomfortable)
• 1-10ms
• superficial general regions only

Question 3

Event related potentials (ERP)

Answer 3

Uses similar equipment to EEG. However key difference is that a stimulus is presented to a participant and researcher looks for activity related to that stimulus

• non invasive (uncomfortable)
• 1-10ms
• superficial general region only

Question 4

Post Morton examination

Answer 4

• When researchers study the physical brain of a person who has displayed a particular behaviour while they were alive that suggested possible brain damage
• N/A (invasive although the person is no longer alive)