Ways of Studying the Brain

Question 1

What do FMRI scans measure?

Answer 1

Blood flow in the brain.

Question 2

If there’s more blood flow in the brain what does it mean on an FMRI scan?

Answer 2

It means that part of the brain is being used more than the other parts.

Question 3

How do researchers determine what parts of the brain are being used at times?

Answer 3

They set different tasks that are different so for example spelling or speaking etc, and then use the FMRI scan to see which part of the brain has more blood flow and therefore is being used.

Question 4

What are the positives of FMRI scans?

Answer 4

1. It’s non invasive, and you dont have to be dead.
2. allows the study of brain activity rather than just the structures of the brain.

Question 5

What are the negatives to FMRI scans?

Answer 5

1. Not directly measuring the brain, only the blood flow.
2. Only looks at areas of brain, not communications between areas.

Question 6

What are EEG scans?

Answer 6

They measure electrical activity. Electrodes placed on scalp which measures small electrical charges.

Question 7

What are the positives of EEG scans?

Answer 7

1. Non invasive.
2. Shows real time brain activity (still isn’t a real image however).
3. Useful for clinical diagnosis.

Question 8

What are the negatives of EEG scans?

Answer 8

1. Only focuses on superficial areas, not deeper down areas like the hippocampus.
   2.You can’t pinpoint where the electrical impulses are coming from.

Question 9

What are ERPS?

Answer 9

They are scans that utilize EEG scans and uses scenarios and stimuli to measure the electrical impulses.

Question 10

What are the positives of ERPS?

Answer 10

1. Non invasive.
2. Shows real time activity.
3. Shows how different manipulations affect brain activity.

Question 11

What are the negatives of ERPS?

Answer 11

1. needs a lot of trails before useful data can be extracted.
2. electrical activity deep in the brain is not recorded, only the strong surface level activity.

Question 12

What are postmortems?

Answer 12

When you study the brain of a dead person who had a difference in their brain activity.

Question 13

What are some examples of postmortems?

Answer 13

1. Tan, his brain was studied and the Broca’s area was found.
2. HM, his inability to store new memories was linked to hippocampus lesions.

Question 14

What are the Positives of postmortems?

Answer 14

1. more detailed than usual scans.

Question 15

What are the negatives of postmortems?

Answer 15

1. invasive.
2. Brain is dead when studied.
3. Retrospective - you can’t help the patient with the problems that you find.

Question 16

Why are EEGs better than FMRIs?

Answer 16

FMRI is more expensive than EEG scans which is comparatively cheap.

Question 17

Why are FMRIs better than EEGs?

Answer 17

With FMRIs you can study all parts of the brain, but with EEG scans you can only study surface level activity.

Question 18

Why are EEGs better than Post Mortems?

Answer 18

EEG scans are non-invasive whereas post-mortems are invasive and the person needs to be dead.

Question 19

Why are Post mortems better than EEGs

Answer 19

With post mortems you can measure the actual structure of the brain but with EEGs they are only surface level.

Question 20

Why are FMRIs better than Post mortems?

Answer 20

With post mortems you can measure the actual structure of the brain but EEGs are only surface level.

Question 21

Why are Post Mortems better than FMRIs?

Answer 21

Post mortems you can study a physical brain, but with FMRIs they are just images.