ways of studying the brain Flashcards
what does FMRI stand for
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
what does EEG stand for
electroencephalogram
what does ERP stand for
event related potential
define Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FMRI)
a method to detect changes in both blood oxygenation and flow to the brain when a person is performing a task
when a part of the brain consumes more oxygen more blood is directed to the area
what type of images does FMRI’s produce
3D
why are FMRI’s important
this shows what parts of the brain are involved in particular mental processes and this has importance in our understanding of localisation for function
define electroencephalogram (EEG)
measures electrical activity within the brain via electrodes fixed to an individuals scalp using a skull cap#
the scan recording represents brainwave patterns that are generated by neurons
why are EEG’s important
EEG’S are used by clinicians as a diagnostic tool as unusual arrhythmic patterns that may indicate neurological abnormalities (e.g: epilepsy, tumours, sleep disorders)
define Event Related Potential (ERP)
types of brainwaves triggered by events
the electrophysiological response of the brain to a specific sensory, cognitive, motor event can be isolated through statistical analysis of EEG data
define post mortem examinations
this is a technique involving the analysis of a person’s brain following their death
in terms of psychology who are post mortem examination conducted on
likely to be those with a rare disorder who have experienced unusual deficits in cognitive processes or behaviour during their lifetime
in terms of psychology why are post mortem examination conducted
areas of the brain are examined after death to determine the likely cause of affliction a person experienced
this may aulos involve comparisons with a neurotypical brain in order to ascertain the difference
