Ways of Studying the Brain Flashcards
1
Q
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)
A
- Measures changes in blood flow when performing a task and produces an image
- Active areas of brain will need more oxygen and receive more blood
- Can measure how active areas change in response to stimuli
2
Q
Pros of fMRI
A
- Non-invasive
- No exposure to harmful radiation
- More objective/reliable
- Accurate to within 1-2mm of brain
3
Q
Cons of fMRI
A
- Takes ~5s to be produced
- Expensive to maintain/buy
- Indirectly measures brain activity
- Focuses only on localised activity
4
Q
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
A
- Uses electrodes to detect small electrical charges resulting from cell activity
- When signals from different electrodes are graphed, the representation is an EEG
- Data can be used to diagnose disorders
- 4 Basic wave patterns - Alpha (relaxing), Beta (REM sleep), Theta (light sleep), Delta (deep sleep)
4
Q
Pros of EEG
A
- Directly measures brain activity
- Useful in clinical diagnosis
- Cheaper than fMRI
- Non-invasive
- Produced in under a second
5
Q
Cons of EEG
A
- Can only study superficial areas of brain
- Can’t pinpoint source of activity
6
Q
Event-Related Potential (ERPs)
A
- Measures small voltage changes in brain triggered by specific events or stimuli
- Difficult to pick out from all electrical activity in brain at once
- Sensory ERPs - within 100ms of stimuli
- Cognitive ERPs - after 100ms of stimuli
7
Q
Cons of ERPs
A
- Only measures superficial activity
- Requires many trials
7
Q
Pros of ERPs
A
- Cheaper than fMRIs
- Non-invasive
- Produced in under a second
8
Q
Pros of PMEs
A
- More detailed examinations
- Understanding of brain/disorders
8
Q
Post-Mortem Examinations (PMEs)
A
- Look for abnormalities in brains of deceased patients that could explain behaviours or illnesses
9
Q
Cons of PMEs
A
- Cannot follow up on discoveries
- Confounding variables in death
- Informed consent pre-death
