Ways Of Investigating The Brain Flashcards
What does an fMRI do?
It detects changes in blood oxygenation and flow that occur due to neural activity in specific parts of the brain
What are 4 strengths of fMRIs?
Does not rely on use of radiation
Non-invasive
Straightforward to use
High spatial resolution which provides a clear picture of how brain activity is localised
What are 4 weaknesses of fMRIs?
Expensive
Poor temporal resolution, as there is a lag between image and initial firing of neuronal activity
Only measures blood flow, so cannot focus on individual neurons
What does an EEG do?
Measures electrical activity within the brain via electrodes, that are fixed to an individual’s scalp using a skull cap
What are 3 strengths of EEGs?
Can be used to diagnose conditions such as epilepsy
Safe and painless
High temporal resolution (~ a millisecond)
What are 2 weaknesses of EEGs?
They can risk seizures in people that already experience them
Low spatial resolution
What do ERPs do?
Look at specific stimulus response using EEGs and repeat many times to get an average
What are 3 strengths of ERPs?
Easy, non-invasive
More specific than EEGs
High temporal resolution
What are 2 weaknesses of ERPs?
Lack spatial resolution - doesn’t tell us where
Difficult to eliminate all extraneous brain activity
What is a post-mortem?
Analysis of the brain after death to determine whether certain observed behaviours during the patient’s lifetime could be linked to abnormalities in the brain
What are two strengths of post-mortem examinations?
They were vital before technology (used by Broca and Wernicke)
Can see deeper regions of the brain
What is a weakness of post-mortem examinations?
A cause-and-effect relationship cannot be established as other extraneous variables may have impacted
