Ways of Studying the Brain

Question 1

What are the 4 ways of studying the brain?

Answer 1

fMRI
EEG
ERP
Post Mortem Examination

Question 2

What is an fMRI measuring?

Answer 2

Haemodynamic response.

Question 3

What is a haemodynamic response and to which way of studying the brain does it relate?

Answer 3

How much oxygen is being used, when a brain area is more active, it consumes more oxygen.

fMRI.

Question 4

What type of imaging does an fMRI produce?

Answer 4

A 3D activation map.

Question 5

Does fMRI look at structure or function?

Answer 5

Both.

It shows what is there and what is working.

Question 6

What are the two strengths of fMRI?

Answer 6

Does not rely on the use of radiation unlike a PET scan does.

Easy to use.

Question 7

What are the two weaknesses of fMRI?

Answer 7

Expensive.

Poor temporal value - slow real time image, slow from showing a stimulus to response showing on screen.

Question 8

What does an EEG measure?

Answer 8

Electrical activity.

Question 9

How does an EEG measure electrical activity?

Answer 9

Via a skull cap.

Question 10

What type of imaging does an EEG produce?

Answer 10

An electrical wave map.

Question 11

Is EEG looking at function or structure?

Answer 11

Function.

Question 12

What is an EEG often used as?

Answer 12

A diagnostic tool - sleep disorders, epilepsy.

Question 13

What are the two strengths of an EEG?

Answer 13

Invaluable (really valuable) in the diagnosis of conditions.

High temporal value - very fast, real time imaging.

Question 14

What is the weakness of an EEG?

Answer 14

Information received in generalised, you cannot pinpoint the exact source of neural activity.

Question 15

ERP (not specifically questioned).

What is an ERP measuring?

Answer 15

Specific brainwaves that are triggered from particular events.

Cognitive processes.

Question 16

Is an ERP looking at function or structure?

Answer 16

Function.

Question 17

What is an ERP in relation to a EEG?

Answer 17

Basically pinpointing specific parts of an EEG.

Question 18

What is a real life example of how an ERP and an EEG are different?

Answer 18

General activity = pic of beach.

Specific activity = sandcastle in pic of beach.

Question 19

What are the two strengths of using an ERP to study the brain?

Answer 19

More specificity to measurement.

Really high temporal resolution.

Question 20

What are the two weaknesses of using an ERP to study the brain?

Answer 20

Difficult to eliminate background noises and extraneous material.

Lack of standardisation in methodology - have to do a lot of trials.

Question 21

What is a post mortem examination doing?

Answer 21

An analysis to brain structure after death.

Question 22

Usually, what is the Brian that s being studied with a post mortem examination being compared to?

Answer 22

A neurotypical (normal) brain.

Question 23

Is a post mortem examination looking at structure or function?

Answer 23

Structure because the are dead so no activity is going on.

Question 24

What are the two strengths of using a post mortem examination?

Answer 24

Improve medical knowledge.

Helps to generate hypothesis for further study.

Question 25

What are the two weaknesses of using a post mortem examination?

Answer 25

Hard to establish causation.

Ethical issues regarding consent before death - you cannot give fully informed consent.
- psychologists often want non-neurotypical brains and these tend to belong to people who are less able to give informed consent.