Ways of Studying the Brain

• What does functional magnetic resonance imaging measure?


  Changes in blood flow related to brain activity
• What is a strength of functional magnetic resonance imaging?


  It provides detailed maps of brain activity
• What is a limitation of functional magnetic resonance imaging?


  It cannot measure electrical activity deep in the brain
• What does an electroencephalogram (EEG) record?


  Brain activity in real time
• How does an EEG detect brain activity?


  By placing electrodes on the scalp to measure electrical changes
• What type of brain activity can an EEG reveal?


  Small electrical changes associated with neural activity
• What are event-related potentials (ERPs)?


  Voltage changes in the brain triggered by stimuli
• What is a strength of using ERPs in research?


  They provide a precise timing of brain responses to stimuli
• What is a limitation of ERPs?


  They require a large number of trials to obtain meaningful data
• What is the purpose of post-mortem examinations in brain research?


  To examine the brain for abnormalities after death
• What factors can be examined in post-mortem studies?


  Age, drug treatment, and abnormalities in the brain
• How can post-mortem examinations impact our understanding of behavior?


  They can reveal structural changes that may affect behavior
• What is the hippocampus associated with?


  Memory and learning
• What is the retrospective nature of post-mortem examinations?


  They analyze the brain after death to understand past conditions