Ways of studying the brain

Question 1

What does fMRI stand for?

Answer 1

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Question 2

How does fMRI work?

Answer 2

Measures blood flow in the brain.

Question 3

What is the spatial resolution of an fMRI scan?

Answer 3

1-2mm

Question 4

What does a concentration of blood flow signify in an fMRI scan?

Answer 4

That area of the brain is active.

Question 5

What is the temporal resolution of an fMRI scan?

Answer 5

1-4 seconds

Question 6

What does EEG stand for?

Answer 6

Electroencephalogram

Question 7

How does an EEG work?

Answer 7

Electrodes are placed on the top of the scalp, they detect the neural activity on the outer layers of brain tissue.

Question 8

What does ERP stand for?

Answer 8

Event-related potentials.

Question 9

How does an EPR work?

Answer 9

Very similar to an EEG. The difference being that during an ERP, the participants will be given a stimulus.

Question 10

Do ERPs have a short or long latency period?

Answer 10

Short latency.

Question 11

Define post-mortem examination.

Answer 11

Dissecting the brain of a deceased person who exhibited a particular characteristic when living.

Question 12

Give an example of the use of post-mortem examination.

Answer 12

Iverson used post-mortem and found that schizophrenia patients had a higher concentration of dopamine in the limbic system.

Question 13

Give an advantage of fMRI scans.

Answer 13

+Has high spatial resolution (1-2mm) and this allows it to determine the activity of certain areas with greater accuracy. findings will be more valid.

+fMRI is not an invasive technique.
there is no requirement to take radioactive substances beforehand. Protects the participants.

Question 14

Give a disadvantage of fMRI scans.

Answer 14

-fMRI has low temporal resolution.
Causation cannot be placed upon that task resulting in activity due to the time difference of 4 seconds in some cases.

Question 15

Give an advantage of EEGs.

Answer 15

+High temporal resolution.

+Useful for diagnosing certain disorders such as epilepsy, therefore has high practical validity.

Question 16

Give a disadvantage of EEGs.

Answer 16

-Only measure the outer tissues of the brain, could miss activity happening in the center of the brain.

-Cannot identify the source of activity.

Question 17

Give an advantage of EPRs.

Answer 17

+Overcomes the issue of spatial resolution that is common with EGGs.

+High temporal resolution, makes it easier to identify the cause of certain activities.

Question 18

Give a disadvantage of ERPs.

Answer 18

-ERPs are highly susceptible to extraneous variables and so is therefore to keep control and establish cause and effect.

Question 19

Give an advantage of post-mortem examination.

Answer 19

+Highly detailed examination of deeper areas of the brain that other techniques cannot reach.

+Allows for a greater understanding of disorders.

Question 20

Give a disadvantage of post-mortem examination.

Answer 20

-The patient whose brain is being examined is already dead, therefore the issue of consent arises and also the issue that there will be no brain activity.