Ways Of Studying The Brain Flashcards
What does FMRI stand for
Functional magnetic resonance imaging
What do FMRIs measure?
Blood flow in the brain when a person performs a task
Give an evaluation point of FMRI scans
- Non invasive
- Good spatial resolution
- Poor temporal resolution
What does EEG stand for?
Electroencephalogram
What does ERP stand for
Event related potential
What type of brain scan is this:
Measures electrical activity in the brain by using electrodes that are fixed to an individuals scalp using a skull cap. Brainwave patterns are recorded so an overall account of brain activity is provided
EEG scan
What is an EEG scan used to identify
Identifys unusual arrhythmic patterns of activity that may indicate neurological abnormalities
Name 2 strengths of EEG scans
-High temporal resolution
-Can be used to diagnose conditions such as epilepsy ( real world applications)
What do ERP’s do
-Studies brainwaves that are triggered by particular events
- Uses statistical analysis
What are the strengths of ERP scans
-Provides more specific measurements of neural processes
-High temporal resolution
-Used to measure cognitive functions and deficits
What are the weaknesses of ERP scans
- Lack of standardisation of methodology between different research studies makes it hard to confirm findings
- Extraneous variables must be completely eliminated which is not easy
What does a post mortem examination do
The brain is analysed after death to determine whether certain observed behaviors during the patients lifetime could be linked to abnormalities in the brain
What are the strengths of post mortem exams
- Improved medical knowledge
- Has led to further research like Broca and Wernicke used it to establish links between language and behavior in the brain
What are weaknesses of post mortem examinations
- Ethical issues, informed consent cannot be given because they are dead
-issues of causation, could be other factors like trauma
