Ways of Studying the Brain

• Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FMRI)

  • measures blood flow in the brain when a person performs a task
  • Neurons in the brain that are the most active use the most energy
  • energy requires glucose and oxygen, thus oxygen is released so the haemoglobin becomes deoxygenated
• Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FMRI) - deoxygenated haemoglobin has a different magnetic quality from oxygenated ones. An FMRI can detect this, and create a 3D map of the brain

  • Temporal resolution - image shows activity 1-4s after occurring
  • Spatial Resolution - images are accurate within 1-2mm
• Electroencephalogram (EEG) - measures electrical activity through electrodes placed on the scalp. Information is processed in the brain as electrical activity as action potential or nerve impulses

  • Alpha waves
  • Beta waves
  • Theta waves
  • Delta waves
• Electroencephalogram (EEG):

  • Amplitude - intensity or size of activity
  • Frequency - speed or quantity of activity

  EEG produces 2 distinctive states:

  • Synchronised - recognisable waves (4 listed)
  • Desynchronised - no pattern
• Electroencephalogram (EEG) - can be used to detect illnesses like epilepsy or sleep disorders to diagnose other diseases that affect brain activity eg. Alzheimer's

  • Alpha waves are associated with light sleep
  • Theta/Delta is associated with deep sleep
• Event Related Potentials (ERP) - a stimulus is presented to the ppt multiple times and the researcher looks for activity related to the stimulus (event related) to create an 'averaging' graph
• (ERP) - the time or interval between the presentation of the stimulus and the response is known as latency
• Post Mortem Examination - a study of the physical brain of a person who displayed particular behaviour while they were alive
• Temporal resolution - EEG/ERP show activity every millisecond, recording activity in (nearly) real time
• Spatial Resolution - EEG/ERPs only detect activity in superficial, general areas of the brain