Ways of studying the brain

Question 1

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

Answer 1

-A method used to measure brain activity while a person is performing a task
-work by detecting changes in blood oxygenation and blood flow that indicate increased neural activity
-fMRIs produce three-dimensional images showing which parts of the brain are involved in particular mental processes, which is important for establishing localisation of function

Question 2

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

Answer 2

-EEGs record changes in electrical activity using electrodes attached to the scalp
-The scan recording represents the brainwave patterns that are generated from the action of millions of neurons, providing an overall account of brain activity
-EEGs are often used as a diagnostic tool, as unusual arrhythmic patterns may indicate neurological abnormalities e.g., epilepsy

Question 3

Event-related potentials (ERPs)

Answer 3

-ERPs record changes in electrical activity using electrodes attached to the scalp, but uses a specific stimulus to see where the activity is
-Using a statistical averaging technique, all extraneous brain activity from the original EEG recording is filtered out, leaving only those responses that relate to a specific stimulus or task
-Research has revealed many different forms of ERP and how these are linked to cognitive processes such as attention and perception

Question 4

Post-mortem examinations

Answer 4

-Post-mortems examine abnormalities in the structure of the brain, which try to explain psychological abnormalities that people have before death
-They may also involve comparison with a neurotypical brain to ascertain the extent of the difference