Ways Of Studying The Brain - Scanning Techniques

Question 1

What are the four ways/scanning techniques to study the brain?

Answer 1

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI)
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
Event related potentials (ERP)
Post mortem examinations

Question 2

How does functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) work? *

Answer 2

• used to identify which brain areas are specifically active in diff mental processes
• by producing an activation map, which shows more active brain areas as it shows inc oxygen levels due to inc blood flow to area
• the more active brain area is, the more oxygen is used

Question 3

What are the two AO3 PEELS to evaluate FMRIs?

Answer 3

Strength - safe technique
Higher spatial resolution but lower temporal resolution

Question 4

How does electroencephalograph (EEG) work?

Answer 4

• brain scanning technique that works by placing electrodes on scalp using skull cap
• which detect electrical changes from activity of brain cells
• results are put on a graph over a long period of time to see a persons general brain activity
• detects sleep patterns and used to help diagnose conditions such as brain tumours and epilepsy

Question 5

What are the two AO3 PEELS to evaluate EEGs?

Answer 5

Strength - high temporal resolution
Weakness - low spatial resolution

Question 6

How does event related potentials work (ERPs) ?

Answer 6

• electrodes are also placed on scalp (like EEGs) to show specific brain activity (rather than general)
• by presenting a stimulus to indv repeatedly and measuring brain activity by graphing electrical signals from brain cell activity (like an EEG)
• however all extraneous brain activity from original EEG is filtered out to leave only responses that link to stimulus, these are the ERPs which are types of brainwaves triggered by particular events

Question 7

What are the two AO3 PEELS to evaluate ERPs?

Answer 7

Strength - high temporal resolution
Weakness - hard to obtain meaningful data

Question 8

How do post mortems work?

Answer 8

• brain of dead patient is examined and dissected to see if there is any physical/structural abn
• it is then compared with another brain that doesnt show this bhv or mental process
• mainly used on patients with rare disorder or defect
• research has identified brocas area as an important brain area for lang production

Question 9

What are the two AO3 PEELS to evaluate post mortems?

Answer 9

Strength - detailed examination
Weakness - hard to est cause + effect