ways of studying the brain Flashcards
Name the 4 ways of studying the brain.
fMRI
EEG
ERPs
post-mortem examinations
what does fMRI stand for?
functional magnetic resonance imaging.
what does EEG stand for?
electroencephalogram.
what does ERPs stand for?
event related potentials.
describe the function of an fMRI as a way of studying the brain.
a method used to measure brain activity while a person is performing a task that uses MRI technology (detecting radio waves from changing magnetic fields).
enables researchers to detect which areas of the brain are rich in oxygen and thus are active.
Give three strengths of fMRI as a way of studying the brain.
unlike PET scans, they do not rely on the use of radiation.
virtually risk free, non-invasive and straight forward to use.
produces images that have a very high spatial resolution, giving high detail.
give three weaknesses of fMRI as a way of studying the brain.
expensive compared to other neuroimaging techniques and can only capture a clear image if the person lays perfectly still.
poor temporal resolution, as there is around a 5 second time-lag behind the image on the screen and the firing of the neurons.
can only measure blood flow to the brain. cannot hone in on activity of individual neurons and so it can be difficult to tell exactly what kind of brain activity is being represented on the screen.
Describe the function of an EEG as a way of studying the brain.
a record of the brainwave patterns that are generated from the action of neurons, providing an overall account of brain activity. measured via electrodes that are fixed on the scalp.
by measuring characteristic wave patterns, the EEG can help diagnose certain conditions in the brain because unusual arrhythmic patterns of activity may indicate neurological abnormalities e.g. epilepsy.
give 3 strengths of the EEG as a way of studying the brain.
important in the diagnosis of conditions such as epilepsy, a disorder characterised by random bursts of activity in the brain.
has contributed to much of out understanding about sleep.
unlike fMRI, EEG technology has extremely high temporal resolution.
give 2 weaknesses of EEG as a way of studying the brain.
tend to produce very generalised info, so is not useful in pinpointing the exact source of neural activity.
do not allow researchers to distinguish between activity originating in different but adjacent locations of the brain.
describe the function of ERPs as a way of studying the brain.
the brains electrophysical response to a specific sensory sensory, cognitive or motor event can be isolated through statistical analysis of EEG data.
they work by using a statistical averaging techniques, leaving only responses that relate to a specific stimulus or performance of a specific task.
give 3 strengths of ERPs as a a way of studying the brain.
partly address the weaknesses of the EEG - not useful in pinpointing the exact source of neural activity. bring more specificity to the measurement of neural data.
excellent temporal resolution as they are derived from EEG data, especially when compared to fMRIs. led to widespread use of them in measurement of cognitive functions and deficits.
researchers have been able to identify many different types of ERP and describe the precise role of these in cognitive functioning including parts of the working memory.
give 2 weaknesses of ERPs as a way of studying the brain.
critics have pointed out a lack of standardisation in ERP methodology between different research studies - difficult to confirm findings.
in order to establish pure data in ERP studies. background noise and extraneous material must be eliminated, which is not always easy to do.
describe the function of post mortem examinations as a way of studying the brain.
involves the analysis of a persons brain following their death to determine whether certain observed behaviours during the patients lifetime can be linked to abnormalities in the brain.
likely to be those who have a rare disorder or have experienced unusual deficits.
may also involve comparison with a neurotypical brain in order to examine the difference.
give 2 strengths of post mortem examinations as a way of studying the brain.
was vital in providing a foundation for early understanding of key processes in the brain. vboth Broca and Wernicke relied on PM studies in establishing links between language, brain and behaviour decades before neuroimaging began.
PM studies improve medical knowledge and help generate hypotheses for further study.
