Chapter 3 (Module 3.3) - Research Methods incomplete Flashcards
(26 cards)
what is an ablation?
an ablation is the removal of a brain area, generally with a surgical knife
what is a lesion?
an area of abnormal or damaged tissue caused by injury, infection, or disease
what is optogenetics?
the act of using light control a limited population of neurons
this term refers to a device for the precise placement of electrodes in the brain
stereotaxic instrument
this term refers to the application of magnetic stimulation to a portion of the scalp
can stimulate neurons in the area below the magnet
transcranial magnetic stimulation
this term refers to a crude technique that damages the axons passing through as well as the neurons in the area itself
electric lesion
What determines whether optogenetic stimulation excites a neuron or inhibits it?
Optogenetic stimulation activates a light-sensitive protein.
If that protein opens a sodium channel in the
membrane, the result is excitation of the neuron.
If it opens a chloride channel, the result is inhibition.
What is the difference between a lesion and an ablation?
A lesion is damage to a structure.
An ablation is the removal of the structure. For example, a blood clot might produce a lesion, whereas surgery could produce an ablation
what method records electrical activity of the brain through electrodes —ranging from just a few to more than a hundred — attached to the scalp?
Electroencephalograph (EEG)
what brain recording method is useful for distinguishing between wakefulness and various stages of sleep?
Electroencephalograph (EEG)
this term refers to an imaging technique that provides a high resolution image of activity in a living brain by recording the emission of radioactivity from injected chemicals
POSITRON-EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY
what method is similar to an EEG but measures the faint magnetic fields generated by brain activity rather than measuring electrical activity?
magnetoencephalograph (MEG)
Suppose someone demonstrates that a particular brain area becomes active when people are listening to music.
When that area becomes active later, what, if anything, can we conclude?
Without further evidence, we should not draw any conclusions.
Perhaps the person is listening to music or imagining music, but this area may perform functions other than music.
We would need to test how accurately we can use the fMRI data to predict what the person is doing or imagining.
what is the difference between fMRI and MRI?
fMRI is based on hemoglobin, while MRI is based on water
this term refers to a technique used to create images of brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow, which are related to neural activity
functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
What does fMRI measure?
It detects an increase in blood flow to a brain area immediately after an increase in brain activity, and it also detects a slightly slower increase in the percentage of hemoglobin lacking oxygen
what is phrenology?
the process of relaing skull antomy to behavior
this term refers to a medical imaging technique that uses X-rays and a computer to create detailed cross-sectional images of the body
CAT SCAN
what is one method of examining detailed brain anatomy in living people?
Computerized Axial Tomography (CT/CAT SCAN)
who originated phrenology?
Franz Gall
