ways of studying the brain

Question 1

functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

Answer 1

• detects changes in blood flow as a result of neural activity in the brain
• more active areas consume more oxygen
• produces 3D images (activation maps)

Question 2

strengths of fMRI

Answer 2

• doesn’t rely on the radiation such as PET
• risk- free, non-evasive, and straightforward to use
• high spatial resolution by mm so a clear image of how brain activity is localised

Question 3

limitations of fMRI

Answer 3

• expensive compared to other neuroimaging techniques
• can only capture a clear image if the person stays perfectly still
• poor temporal resolution (5-second lag)
• can only measure blood flow in the brain not activity of individual neurons - hard to know what kind of brain activity

Question 4

scans

electroencephalogram (EEG)

Answer 4

• measure electrical activity via electrodes attached to skull cap
• scan recording represents brain patterns generated from neuron action
• may indicate neurological abnormalities such as epilepsy

Question 5

strengths of EEGs

Answer 5

• invaluable in the diagnosis of conditions
• contributed to our understanding of stages of sleep
• extremely high temporal resolution (a single millisecond)

Question 6

limitations of EEGs

Answer 6

• generalised nature of info received
• signal not useful in pinpointing the exact source of neural activity
• doesn’t allow researchers to distinguish between activities originating in diff but adjacent locations

Question 7

Event-related potentials (ERPs)

Answer 7

• type of brain waves triggered by particular events
• filters original EEG recordings to leave only responses to the presentation of a specific stimulus or performance of a specific tasks

Question 8

strengths of ERPs

Answer 8

• more specific than raw EEG data
• excellent temporal resolution compared to fmri
• widespread use in measurement of cognitive functions and deficits

Question 9

limitations of ERPs

Answer 9

• lack of standardisation in ERP methodology between diff studies so hard to confirm findings
• to get pure data in ERPs, background noise and extraneous variables must be completely eliminated, not always easy to achieve

Question 10

Post-mortem examinations

Answer 10

• analysis of a brain after death
• likely done on individuals with rare disorders or mental processes
• areas of damage examine to establish the likely cause of the affliction suffered
• may involve comparison with a neurotypical brain

Question 11

strengths of post-mortem examinations

Answer 11

• vital in providing a foundation for early understanding of key processes in the brain
• e.g. Broca’s and Wernicke’s
• improve medical knowledge and help generate hypotheses

Question 12

weaknesses of post-mortem exams

Answer 12

• damage may not be linked to deficits under review, but other trauma or decay
• ethical issues of consent, may not be able to provide informed consent e.g. HM couldn’t form new memories