Ways of studying the brain

Question 1

Why do we study the brain

Answer 1

To investigate the loclisation of certain functions in different areas of the brain.

Question 2

4 techniques

Answer 2

fMRI, EEGS, ERPS(event related potentials), post mortem examinations

Question 3

what is fMRis

Answer 3

Creates a 3D image of the brain measuring blood flow and highlight active areas, using a magnetic field when a person performs different tasks.

Question 4

what are eEGS

Answer 4

measures nueronal activity using electrodes on the scalp

Question 5

EVENT REALTED POTENTIALS

SAME AS EEGS BUT A …. IS PRESENT

Answer 5

MEASURES NUERONAL ACTIVITY USING ELECTRODES ON SCALP WITH A STIMULUS PRESENT.

Question 6

POST MORTEM EXAMINATIONS

Answer 6

BRAIN ANALYSED AFTER DEATH TO CORRELATE STRUCTURAL ABNORMALITIES TO CERTAIN BEHAVIOURS

Question 7

What is spatial resolution

Answer 7

Refers to the smallest featurea scanner can detect

Question 8

What is temporal resolution

Answer 8

refers to how quickly a scanner can detect changes in brain activity.

Question 9

what is non inavsive/ invasive meaning

Answer 9

whether something is inserted into the brain i.e. instrument/radiation

non invasive is risk free

Question 10

which techniques are non invasive

Answer 10

fmris,eegs,erps

Question 11

Which techniques are non invasive

Answer 11

post mortem examination

Question 12

god spatial

what is the spatial resolution of fmri

Answer 12

1-2mm

Question 13

bad spaitial

spatial resolution of eeg/erp

Answer 13

superficial general regionals onlu

Question 14

good

what is the temporal resolution of eeg/erp

Answer 14

1-10ms

Question 15

bad

temporal resolution of fmris

Answer 15

1-4s

Question 16

example of an eval 1 strength of frmis

Answer 16

fmri is non inasive. Unlike other scanning techniques, for example (PET), fMRI does not use radiation or involve inserting instruments directly into the brain, and is therefore virtually risk-free. This matters because, it should allow more patients/participants to undertake fMRI scans which could help psychologists to gather further data on the functioning human brain and therefore develop our understanding of localisation of function.

Question 17

limitation of fmris

Answer 17

poor temporal resolution;T.R refers to accuracy of the scanner in relation to time. Fmris have tr of 1-4s which is worse than other tecquies such as eegs and erps with tr of 1-10ms. This matters as researchers are unable to predict with a high degree of accuracy the onset of brain activity, which makes making conclusions about nueronal activity hard.

Question 18

eval of Post mortem examination

Answer 18

invasisve - involves putting instruments in the brain. Requires infomred consent, ethical issues, requires special permission leading to smaller sample sizes in research.

though it enables deeper regions of the brain to be investigated better than non invasive techniques.

Question 19

all possible evals

Answer 19

fMRI data is complex and can be affected by the baseline task used and how the data is
interpreted
* fMRIs have low temporal resolution and research is expensive leading to low sample sizes
which can reduce the validity of studies
* post-mortem examinations require special permission to be conducted which often leads to
small sample sizes
* post-mortem examinations can be affected by changes which occur during/after death
* post-mortem examinations enable deeper regions of the brain to be investigated than
non-invasive techniques
* EEGs and ERPs are cheaper than fMRIs so enable larger sample sizes which can increase the
validity of the data obtained
* EEGs and ERPs have poorer spatial resolution than fMRIs
*unlike post-mortem examinations, neuroimaging techniques allow the active brain to be
investigated during specific tasks/activities
* research studies used to evaluate techniques described.