Ways of Studying the Brain AO1 & AO3

Question 1

What are Post Mortem examinations?

Answer 1

The analysis of the brain after the ppts death

Question 2

When are Post Mortem examinations more likely to take place?

Answer 2

When the patient/ppt have a rare disorder and have unusual deficits in cognitive function

Question 3

Why are Post Mortem exams carried out?

Answer 3

to establish the likely cause of the patients affliction

*can involve comparisons w/a neurotypical brain to establish the extent of the difference

Question 4

What are the strengths of Post Mortem Exams?

2

Answer 4

1) Vital in providing a foundation for early understanding of the brain e.g. Tan (Broca’s area)
2) Continue to provide useful info & generate useful hypothesis for further studies

Question 5

What are the weaknesses of Post Mortem Exams?

2

Answer 5

1) Establishing the cause is an issue - the observed damage may not be linked to the deficits
2) Ethical Consent - imp for consent to be given before death if its not given then it challenges the usefulness of the exam

Question 6

What do fMRI’s detect/measure?

Answer 6

Detects the change in blood oxygenation and flow that occur b/c of brain activity in specific areas

Question 7

What is a Haemodynamic Response?

fMRI

Answer 7

When a brain area is more active it consumes more O2, to meet this blood flow is directed to the active area

Question 8

What do fMRI’s produce?

Answer 8

3D images also known as Activation Maps

Question 9

What are the strengths of fMRI’s?

2

Answer 9

1) Don’t rely on radiation so they are virtually risk free and non-invasive
2) They have High Spatial Resolution - very detailed images provide a clear picture of how the brain activity is localised

Question 10

What are the weaknesses of fMRI’s?

2

Answer 10

1) They’re expensive
2) Poor Temporal Resolution - 5s time lag between images and neural activity so its not truly representative of the brain activity

Question 11

What do EEGs measure?

Answer 11

The electrical activity w/in the brain via electrodes that are fixed on a cap

Question 12

What do EEG scans represent?

Answer 12

Wave patterns that are generated from neuron action in the brain

Question 13

What are EEGs often used for?

Answer 13

For diagnosing epilepsy and sleep disorders

Question 14

What are the strengths of EEGs?

2

Answer 14

1) Practical Application - helped develop the stages of sleep and help w/ diagnoses
2) High Temporal Resolution

Question 15

What is the weakness of EEGs?

Answer 15

Not useful in pinpointing the exact source of neural activity so unable to distinguish between activities in adjacent locations

Question 16

What does ERP stand for?

Answer 16

Event Related Potentials

Question 17

What are ERPs?

Answer 17

Type of brainwaves that are triggered by particular events

Question 18

How are ERPs gained?

Answer 18

through the statistical analysis of EEG data

Question 19

What are the strengths of ERPs?

2

Answer 19

1) More specific measurements of neural processes compared to raw EEG data
2) Good Temporal Resolution - used frequently to measure cognitive functions

Question 20

What are the weaknesses of ERPs?

2

Answer 20

1) Lack Standardisation - hard to confirm findings

2) Background noise and extraneous variables need to be completely eliminated - hard to achieve