Chugani (1999)

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

to investigate the correspondence between the structural development of teh brain and the development of psychological functions in the first year of life

Question 2

Procedure

Answer 2

• they had participants aged 0-12 months
• they performed them PET scan to investigate glucose metabolism

Question 3

reulst

Answer 3

• 0-1 month: glucose metabolism in the brain is confined to primary sensory and mtor cortex, thalamus and brainstem. The behaviour of newborn babies is also very limited
• 2-4 months: glucose metabolism increases in parietal temporal and primary visual cortex. Also aquire a number of new functions; improve on tasks requiring integration of visual and spatial infromation
• 8-12 months: there is an increase in glucose metabolism in the frontal cortex

Question 4

Conclusion

Answer 4

Results seem to imply that there is a certain correspondence between the structural cahnges in the brain and the development of psychological functions in the first year of lif

Question 5

Strengths

Answer 5

• Study reflects findings from animal research, increasing thei validity
• Use of PET scan allowed the researchers to see how well certain parts of the brain are working
• study paved the way for further study

Question 6

limitations

Answer 6

• not longitudinal study, change over time was not observed in any one individual
• although PET scans demonstared activity in the brain, the actual case of this activity is not established by the study, so no causation can be established
• as it was an indepentdent measures design the particpants variablilty may affect the reliability of the results