Ways Of Studying The Brain

Question 1

fMRI

Answer 1

measures brain flow in the brain when a person performs a task
It is non envasive and does not use radiation
Has good spatial resolution
Has poor temporal resolution

Question 2

EEG

Answer 2

Works on the premise that information is processed in the brain as electrical activity in the form of action potentials or nerve impulses, transmitted along neurons
Can be used to detect epilepsy and sleep disorders
It is non invasive
Not expensive
Could be uncomfortable for the participant
Poor spatial resolution
Good temporal resolution

Question 3

What are Event-Related Potentials (ERP)?

Answer 3

ERPs are electrical brain responses that are time-locked to a specific stimulus or event.

Question 4

How do ERPs differ from EEG?

Answer 4

The key difference is that ERPs are triggered by a specific stimulus presented to a participant.

Question 5

What is the procedure used to analyze ERPs called?

Answer 5

‘Averaging’ is the procedure used to analyze ERPs.

Question 6

Why is the averaging procedure used in ERP studies?

Answer 6

Averaging reduces extraneous neural activity to highlight the specific response to the stimulus.

Question 7

What is latency in the context of ERPs?

Answer 7

Latency refers to the time interval between the presentation of the stimulus and the response.

Question 8

True or False: ERPs have a long latency.

Answer 8

False

Question 9

Fill in the blank: The stimulus is presented many times, usually _______ to obtain an average response.

Answer 9

hundreds

Question 10

What types of stimuli can be used in ERP research?

Answer 10

Visual stimuli, auditory stimuli, or other sensory inputs.

Question 11

What is the primary purpose of a post-mortem examination in brain research?

Answer 11

To study the brain of a person who displayed unusual behavior while alive.

Question 12

What does a post-mortem examination involve?

Answer 12

Physically examining the brain after death to look for abnormalities.

Question 13

Who is an example of a researcher known for their work using post-mortem examinations?

Answer 13

Broca.

Question 14

What significant finding did Iverson (c 1970) discover in the brains of deceased schizophrenic patients?

Answer 14

A higher concentration of dopamine, especially in the limbic system.

Question 15

What does the finding of increased dopamine concentration in schizophrenic patients highlight?

Answer 15

The importance of post-mortem investigations in understanding disorders.

Question 16

What are some advantages of post-mortem studies compared to other techniques?

Answer 16

More detailed examination of anatomical and neurochemical aspects of the brain.

Question 17

Which deeper regions of the brain can be examined through post-mortem studies?

Answer 17

Hypothalamus and hippocampus.

Question 18

True or False: Post-mortem examinations can easily investigate deeper brain regions compared to other methods.

Answer 18

True.

Question 19

Fill in the blank: Post-mortem examination has successfully contributed to the understanding of many _______.

Answer 19

[disorders]

Question 20

What is one of the main limitations of post-mortem examination?

Answer 20

The issue of causation, as deficits observed during a patient’s life may not be definitively linked to brain damage found post-mortem.

For example, an inability to speak may not be directly caused by damage to Broca’s area.

Question 21

What can complicate the conclusions drawn from post-mortem examinations?

Answer 21

Extraneous variables such as age, medications, and the time between death and examination.

These factors can lead to questionable results in the research.

Question 22

What is a strength of post-mortem examinations?

Answer 22

They provide a detailed examination of anatomical structure and neurochemical aspects of the brain that other techniques cannot.

Areas like the hypothalamus and hippocampus can be accessed, providing insights into deeper brain regions.

Question 23

What significant finding did Iverson make regarding patients with schizophrenia?

Answer 23

A higher concentration of dopamine in the limbic system.

This finding has spurred further research into the neural correlates of schizophrenia and potential treatment implications.

Question 24

Are post-mortem examinations considered invasive?

Answer 24

No, because the patient is deceased.

However, ethical issues regarding informed consent still exist.

Question 25

What ethical concerns are raised by post-mortem examinations?

Answer 25

Issues of informed consent, especially in patients with severe psychological deficits.

For example, patient HM, who had severe amnesia, could not provide fully informed consent.

Question 26

Fill in the blank: Post-mortem examinations can provide researchers with insights into _______.

Answer 26

deeper brain regions.

Question 27

True or False: The changes seen in the brain during post-mortem examinations are always a result of pre-death conditions.

Answer 27

False

Changes may have occurred after or during death, complicating causation.