Ways Of Studying The Brain

• How many methods of investigating the brain are mentioned for A level psychology?

  Four methods
• What are the four methods of investigating the brain?

  fMRI, EEG, ERPs, post-mortems
• What does an fMRI measure?

  Changes in blood flow in the brain
• How does an fMRI detect brain activity?

  By measuring blood flow and oxygen demand
• What type of image does an fMRI produce?

  Images showing brain activity with colors
• What does an EEG measure?

  General electrical activity in the brain
• How are electrodes used in an EEG?

  They detect small electrical charges on the scalp
• What can EEG data help diagnose?

  Disorders affecting brain activity
• What are the five basic EEG patterns?

  Alpha, beta, delta, theta, gamma waves
• What is a limitation of EEGs?

  They provide overly general brain activity data
• What are event-related potentials (ERPs)?

  Small voltage changes triggered by specific events
• How are ERPs established?

  By averaging responses to repeated stimuli
• What is a challenge in measuring ERPs?

  Identifying specific voltage changes among noise
• What is the purpose of post-mortem examinations?

  To analyze the brain after death
• Who are typically subjected to post-mortem examinations?

  Individuals with rare disorders or unusual behavior
• What was discovered about Tan after his post-mortem?

  He had damage in his left frontal lobe
• What is Broca's area associated with?

  Speech production
• What is a strength of fMRIs?

  They are non-invasive and safe
• What is a limitation of fMRIs?

  They only measure blood flow, not neuron activity
• How do EEGs help in diagnosing epilepsy?

  They detect random bursts of brain activity
• What is a limitation of EEGs regarding spatial resolution?

  They provide generalized information about activity
• What advantage do ERPs have over raw EEG data?

  They provide more specificity in measurements
• What is a downside of ERPs?

  They require many trials for meaningful data
• What do post-mortems allow researchers to examine?

  Detailed anatomical and neurochemical elements
• What is a limitation of post-mortem examinations?

  Confounding variables can affect results
• What is the role of post-mortems in understanding disorders?

  They provide evidence for structural anomalies
• Why might the observed damage in post-mortems be misleading?

  Due to varying circumstances of death
• What factors can affect the post-mortem brain analysis?

  Drug treatments, age, and time of death
• What specific application does fMRI have in brain research?

  Measuring brain activity during tasks
• Why is blood flow significant in fMRI studies?

  It indicates areas of increased brain activity
• How does EEG help in diagnosing epilepsy?

  By detecting bursts of electrical activity
• What does each EEG pattern indicate?

  A different level of brain activity
• What is a challenge in isolating ERP signals?

  Background noise complicates the measurement
• What historical significance do post-mortem examinations have?

  They contributed to understanding brain disorders
• How can confounding variables affect post-mortem findings?

  They may misrepresent the brain's condition