Chapter 7 - Research Methods

Question 1

What are the 3 types of neuropsychological testing?

Answer 1

1. CORSI BLOCK-TAPPING TEST
   - short term recall of spatial position
   - series of blocks, only scientist can see the number
2. MIRROR DRAWING TEST
   - procedural memory (implicit memory of learning to do something)
   - drawing a start in a mirror
3. RECENT MEMORY TASK
   - identify which item they’ve seen most recently
   - some people can say which they say first or that it’s familiar but not vice versa

Question 2

How do researchers identify molecular, neuro chemical and structural differences among neurons?

Answer 2

Histological stains.

• stained brain can identify cell bodies when viewed with light microscope
• reveals neurons entire structure
• view synapses

Question 3

What is the clearest example of neuronal/behavioural relation?

Answer 3

Parkinson’s - cells in substantia nigra died

Question 4

What are the 2 types of stains?

Answer 4

NISAN STAIN

Golgi stain - you see behaviour lost and if there is cell loss it increases knowledge

Question 5

What is behavioural neuroscience?

Answer 5

1. The study of the biological basis of behaviour
2. Major challenge is to develop methods for studying both normal and abnormal behaviour
3. Includes study of both humans and laboratory animals

Question 6

What is the study of animal behaviour?

Answer 6

Ethology

Question 7

What is the Morris (1980) swimming task?

Answer 7

Rats placed in large swimming pool where there is an escape platform invisible below the surface of the water.

1. Place learning (must find platform using external cues)
   2 matching to place task
2. Landmark-learning task

Question 8

What is the skilled reaching task?

Answer 8

Test in rats done by kolb and Whislaw.

• rats trained to reach through slot to obtain food
• movements can be broken down into segments of NEUROLOGICAL PERTUBATION

Question 9

How can we measure and manipulate brain-behaviour interaction?

Answer 9

Lesion - getting rid of tissue

Stimulation - increase activity of brain

Question 10

What are the types of brain lesion?

Answer 10

ABLATION - removal of destruction of tissue

STEROTAXIC APPARATUS - instrument that permits research to target a certain brain area

1. Electrolytic lesion- current passed through electrode, killing tissue in the region. Also kill nerve FIBERS
2. Neurotoxic lesion - lower canulla, injecting toxin

Question 11

What is AKINESIa?

Answer 11

Motor symptom characterized by Slowness or absence of movement, due to Neurotoxic lesion

Question 12

Who first used brain stimulation?

Answer 12

Wilder penfield

Question 13

What are thec main types of stimulation?

Answer 13

Self stimulation: rats with electrodes in the lateral hypothalamus will press the lever to obtain a current (eating and pleasure)

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
- Noninvasive procedure in which magnetic coil is placed over the skull to stimulate the brain
(Induce or disrupt behaviour)

OPTOGENETICS: transgenic technoque that combines genetics and light to control targeted cells on living tissue
- light activates proteins

CHR2 when exposed to blue light, ion channel opens causing depolarization

DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION - neurosurgery in which electrodes implanted in the brain stimulate a targeted area with a low voltage electrical current

Question 14

What is neuropsychology?

Answer 14

The study of the relations between brain function and behaviour

• Paul broca was the father, discovered language difficulties in frontal left hemisphere