ways of studying the brain AO3

Question 1

strengths and weaknesses of fMRI’s

Answer 1

● It is non-invasive = It does not rely on the use of radiation and it is safe (virtually risk-free)
● It produces images with high spatial resolution → this means it can provide a clear picture of how the brain is localised
limitations:
- machinery is expensive and hard to build
- ppt needs to stay still

Question 2

strengths and limitations of EEG

Answer 2

● It is crucial in diagnosing conditions such as epilepsy
● It has contributed to our understanding of the stages of sleep
● EEG has an extremely high temporal resolution = EEGs can detect brain activity at a resolution of a single millisecond
Limitations:
-

Question 3

strengths and limitations of ERP’s

Answer 3

Strengths:
● ERPs are more specific than can be achieved using raw EEG data
● ERPs have an excellent temporal resolution

Limitations:
● There is a lack of standardisation in methodology between studies → this makes it difficult to confirm findings in studies involving ERPs
● Background noise and extraneous material must be completely eliminated and this may not always be easy to achieve

Question 4

post mortem strengths and weakness

Answer 4

Strengths:
● Post-mortems provided the foundation for understanding the brain → Broca and Wernicke both relied on post-mortem studies
● Post-mortem studies improve medical knowledge
● They help generate hypotheses for further study

Limitations:
● Observed damage in the brain may not be linked to the deficits under review but to some other related trauma or decay
● Post-mortem studies raise ethical issues of consent from the patient before death