Methods of studying cortical specialisation Flashcards
What happens in electrical stimulation?
Certain areas of the brain are stimulated to show activity.
What is the WADA test?
A chemical test used to establish which functions are related to which hemisphere.
Name an experiment for electrical stimulation and briefly outline it.
Olds and Milner discovered rats would press a lever for pleasure when this area was stimulated.
Name a strength of stimulation.
More ethical as less harmful than surgery.
Name a limitation of stimulation.
Animals used to explain human behaviour- hard to generalise and unethical.
Name 3 types of scan.
PET, MRI and CAT.
Outline what happens in a PET scan.
Radioactive glucose is injected because the brain uses this for energy. The amount of radioactive glucose used in tasks is measured.
Outline what happens in an MRI scan.
Strong magnetic fields and radio waves used to produce brain image. Activity is measured by the brain reacting to radioactivity.
Outline what happens in a CAT scan.
X-ray beam shone on patient’s head and a cross section is shown. The amount of radiation absorbed is measured.
Name a strength of scans.
Detailed knowledge can be gathered of an active brain.
Name 2 limitations of scans.
Time consuming. Ethical issues with radioactive sugars.
Outline what happens in neurosurgery.
Manipulate brain structure through ablations and lesions.-invasive.
Who discovered by neurosurgery that the brain builds up a simple image and then a complex one?
Hubel and Wiesel.
Name a strength of neurosurgery.
Can manipulate one single neuron, gathering very precise and specific results.
Name a limitation of neurosurgery.
Can damage other parts of the brain.
