Ways of investigating the brain Flashcards
What does fMRI stand for?
functional magnetic resonance imaging
How does fMRI work?
It detects the changes in blood oxygenation and flow that occur as a result of neural activity in specific areas of the brain
How does blood oxygenation affect blood flow?
More brain activity = more oxygen consumed = blood flow is directed to the active area
What do fMRI scans produce?
3D images of the active areas of the brain
What are 3 strengths of using fMRI?
Doesn’t rely on radiation
Non-invasive
Very high spatial resolution (can pinpoint specific areas)
What are 3 weaknesses of using fMRI?
Very expensive to use
Poor temporal resolution
Difficult to determine what kind of activity is being observed
What is a post-morgen examination?
Analysis of the brain after death
Why would a post-morton examination be used?
On people with rare disorders
What happens during a post-mortem?
Areas of damage are investigated to establish causation
What are 2 strengths of using post-mortem?
Provided a foundation for early understanding, such as Broca and Wernicke
Helps generate hypotheses for further study
What are 2 weaknesses of using post-mortem?
Difficult to identify causation as the damage may not be correlated
Patients may not be able to provide informed consent
What does EEG stand for?
Electroencephalogram
How does an EEG work?
It measures electrical activity in the brain using a cap of electrodes
What does an EEG produce?
A scan recording representing brainwave patterns from millions of neurons, providing an overall account
What are EEGs normally used for?
Diagnosing arrhythmic patterns that may indicate abnormalities such as epilepsy or tumours
