C2. P6 Flashcards
What is a lesion?
Any structural damage to the brain
How did early researchers study the brain?
Compared individuals with lesions to individuals without
What is a computed tomography scan?
X-rays the brain in slices to look at the structure
What is an electroencephalogram?
Measures electrical activity inside the brain using electrodes
What are EEGs good at?
diagnosing sleep problems and seizures
What are the three major benefits of a EEG?
Produces second by second data, very fast, and least expensive
What is a drawback to the EEG?
Cannot create structural image of the brain
What is a Positron Emission Tomography?
Measures activity in specific brain regions
What happens before someone gets a PET scan?
Radioactive chemicals are injected into the bloodstream
What are PET scans good at?
Diagnosing dementia and damage resulting of strokes
What are two major strengths of the PET scan?
It can create a 3-dimensional image of the brain and can show brain function.
What are three drawbacks of the PET scan?
Tracer chemicals decay quickly, it is expensive, and the person must have their head in a tube, limiting their function
What is functional magnetic resonance imaging?
Uses to create a magnetic field. Measures oxygen levels in the brain
What are the strengths of fMRIs?
Can create a structural image of brain and functional. Can capture activity in real time., and does not require injection of radioactive chemicals
What are the weaknesses of an MRI?
Expensive and slow
