ways of studying the brain Flashcards
1
Q
what are the 4 ways to study the brain
A
FMRIs, EEGs, ERP, post-mortem
2
Q
what are FMRIs
A
- detect changes in blood oxidation and flow that occurs as a result of neural activity
- haemodynamic response
- produce 3D images which show the parts that are involved in mental processes
3
Q
strengths of FMRIs
A
- does not rely on radiation fo is of low risk
- produces images with very high spatial resolution
4
Q
limitations of FMRIs
A
- expensive
- has poor temporal resolution as it has a 5 second time lapse
5
Q
what are EEGs
A
- measure electrical activity in the braid by electrodes on a skull cap
- scans represent brainwave patterns that are generated by the action of neurons
- used by clinic as a diagnoses tool for epilepsy and sleep disorder
6
Q
strengths of EEG
A
- useful in studying different stages of sleep and diagnosis of epilepsy
- has high temporal resolution (1 millisecond)
7
Q
limitation of EEG
A
information received is generalized as you cannot pinpoint the exact source of neural activity
8
Q
what are ERPs
A
- raw isolated data form EEGS
- measure the types of brainwaves triggered by certain events
9
Q
strengths of ERPs
A
- has excellent temporal resolution
- used to measure cognitive functions and deficits eg working memory
10
Q
limitation of ERPs
A
- lack of standardisation in ERP methodology between different research studies
- to get pure data background noise must be eliminated
11
Q
what are post mortem examinations
A
- analysis of a persons brain following their death
- examination of people with rare diseases and unusual defects
- compared with a neurotypical brain
12
Q
strengths of post mortem examination
A
- provided a foundation for early understanding of key processes in the brain
- used by broca and wernicke and to study HMs brain
13
Q
limitations of post mortem examination
A
- causeastion is an issue
- ethical issues of consent
