Brain Imaging Techniques

Question 1

4 Main Brain Imaging

Answer 1

1. Electrical Recordings
2. Brain Stimulation
3. Structural Imaging
4. Dynamic Imaging

Question 2

Electrical Recording

Answer 2

Detecting Electrical Activity

1. Single Cell Recording
2. Electroencephalography (EEG)
3. Event Related Potentials (ERP)
4. Magnetoencephalography (MEG)

Question 3

Single Cell Recording

Answer 3

Electrode inserted next to neuron in the brain to record one or many neurons simultaneously
Records Action Potential (can be both single and multiple)
mostly done in animals

Question 4

Electroencephalography (EEG)

Answer 4

Electrode cap attached skull and a record electrical activities of different areas of the brain
Show different states of consciousness
On-going recording for the duration of activity
Best to provide info on cause and location of seizures

Question 5

Event related potentials (ERP)

Answer 5

Measures change in electrical signal in response to a sensory stimulus
stimulus is presented repeatedly and averaged +100 times
Tell us the location and time of processing
can show readiness potentials ( produced before subject gives a motor response to stimulus)

Question 6

Magnetoencephalography (MEG)

Answer 6

Uses magnets to detect electric fields around neurons and create a map of areas with greater magnetic activity caused by neurons firing

Question 7

Brain Stimulation

Answer 7

Electric current used to stimulate the brain

1. Intracranial Brain Stimulation
2. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

Question 8

Intracranial brain stimulation or (Deep Brain Stim (DBS))

Answer 8

Electrodes implanted in brain to stimulate tissues

invasive method

Question 9

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

Answer 9

Magnetic coil next to skull acts through the skull creates a magnetic field and causes neurons to fire

Question 10

Structural Imaging

Answer 10

Imaging the physical brain

1. Conventional Radiography
2. Pneumocephography
3. Angiography
4. Computed Tomography

Question 11

Conventional Radiography

Answer 11

Uses just an Xray which is absorbed differently from the brain, white matter, grey matter, and ventricles to scout major/obvious abnormalities

Question 12

Pheumoencephalography

Answer 12

Uses an XRay to track successive changes when small amount CSF is removed from subarachnoid space and replaced with air and moves upwards into ventricles

Question 13

Angiography

Answer 13

Uses XRay to track substances that is absorbed in the bloodstream to see any damages or abnormalities to blood vessels ei strokes

Question 14

Computed Tomography (CT scan)

Answer 14

3D brain at different angles via 2D images taken and compiled to make 3D
Gray and white matter can not be discriminately
used to see tumours

Question 15

Dynamic (Functional) Imaging

Answer 15

Tracks and images brain in real time

1. Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
2. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
3. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FMRI)
4. Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS)
5. Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI)

Question 16

Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

Answer 16

Radioactive substances injected into bloodstream to track areas of high vs low blood flow measures blood supply to where neurons are active but not direct neural activity.

Question 17

MRI

Answer 17

Hydrogen is aligned with magnetic field and then realigned in the opposite direction with a magnetic pulse to turn and different tissues differ in the rate at which they turn to get a MRI picture

Question 18

fMRI

Answer 18

uses deoxy and oxyHemoglobin to detects blood oxygen levels in active and inactive areas of the brain

Question 19

MRS

Answer 19

Detect biochemical metabolites and distinguish neurons from other substances

Question 20

Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI)

Answer 20

Images fiber pathways detecting direction and movement of water molecules to map the brain