how to study the brain

Question 1

Why do we need multiple methods to study the brain?

Answer 1

Because understanding brain-behavior relationships is complex and no single method gives a complete picture.

Question 2

What did the case of Patient H.M. reveal about memory?

Answer 2

That the hippocampus is essential for forming new declarative and spatial memories. (Corkin, 2002; Milner et al., 1998)

Question 3

What is a lesion study?

Answer 3

A method where specific brain areas are damaged (in animals) to study behavioral effects. E.g., Morris water maze used by R.G.M. Morris et al. (1982).

Question 4

What is the Morris Water Maze used for?

Answer 4

To assess spatial memory in rats; hippocampal lesions impair their ability to find the platform. (Morris et al., 1982)

Question 5

What is structural MRI used for?

Answer 5

To image the physical structure and anatomy of the brain using differences in hydrogen nuclei. (Scholarpedia)

Question 6

What does functional MRI (fMRI) measure?

Answer 6

Brain activity based on changes in blood oxygen levels (BOLD signal). (Bohbot et al., 2004)

Question 7

What is PET scanning used for in neuroscience?

Answer 7

To track radioactive tracers showing metabolism or neurotransmitter activity in the brain. (Volkow et al., 1996)

Question 8

How does EEG work?

Answer 8

It records electrical activity from the brain’s surface, often used for event-related potentials. (Engel et al., 2005)

Question 9

What is MEG, and how is it different from EEG?

Answer 9

MEG measures magnetic fields from brain activity and offers better spatial resolution than EEG. (Boto et al., 2018)

Question 10

What is optogenetics?

Answer 10

A technique that uses light to control neurons that have been genetically modified to be light-sensitive. Named Method of the Year 2010 by Nature Methods.

Question 11

What is the difference between “necessary” and “sufficient” in brain function?

Answer 11

“Necessary” means a brain area is required for a function; “sufficient” means it’s enough to produce the function alone.

Question 12

What does a lack of brain activation in imaging imply?

Answer 12

Not necessarily that the region is uninvolved—it could be due to limits in method sensitivity or ‘negative’ findings.

Question 13

What are some ethical concerns in brain research?

Answer 13

The invasiveness of procedures, use of animals, and informed consent in human studies.

Question 14

What is the purpose of computational brain models like Darwin X?

Answer 14

To simulate brain processes (e.g., spatial learning) in artificial devices. (Krichmar et al., 2005)