Strengths and Weaknesses

• How does fMRI differ from CT scans or EEG?

  It tracks changes in blood flow
• In what way can fMRI distinguish brain functions?

  By identifying regions for language vs. memory
• What is a weakness of fMRI related to temporal resolution?

  Low temporal resolution
• How does fMRI indirectly reflect neural activity?

  By measuring blood flow instead of nerve firing
• What is a strength of fMRI related to spatial resolution?

  High spatial resolution
• What is a financial drawback of fMRI technology?

  Expensive equipment and analysis
• What does fMRI stand for?

  Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• How does fMRI allow for the observation of brain activity?

  It enables us to observe brain activity live
• What are the temporal and spatial resolutions of fMRI and EEG?

  • fMRI: Low temporal, high spatial
  • EEG: High temporal, low spatial
• What are the weaknesses of fMRI compared to its strengths?

  Weaknesses:

  • Low temporal resolution
  • Indirect measure of brain activity
  • Susceptible to motion artifacts
  • Expensive equipment and analysis
• Why is low temporal resolution a weakness of fMRI?

  It cannot detect rapid changes in brain activity
• What can distort fMRI data due to participant movement?

  Motion artifacts
• How does fMRI's ability to locate active brain areas compare to its temporal resolution?

  It can precisely locate active areas but lacks real-time capture
• What is a key characteristic of fMRI regarding invasiveness?

  It is non-invasive
• How does fMRI's high spatial resolution benefit brain studies?

  It can pinpoint specific brain regions activated
• What do MRI and CT/PET scans primarily show?

  Brain structure
• What type of data does fMRI provide?

  Real-time data
• In what scenario would fMRI be particularly useful?

  During tasks requiring brain activity measurement
• What is a potential issue with fMRI's non-invasive nature?

  It can still be affected by motion artifacts
• How does EEG measure brain activity?

  By directly measuring electrical signals
• What is the measurement type used in MRI?

  Structure measurement
• What additional measurement does PET provide compared to MRI and CT?

  Metabolic activity
• What is a key difference between fMRI and EEG?

  fMRI has high spatial detail, EEG has fast measurements
• What type of measurement does fMRI use?

  BOLD measurement
• What is the BOLD response in fMRI?

  It indicates brain activity through blood flow changes
• What does fMRI measure in the brain?

  Changes in blood flow
• What techniques does fMRI use to measure brain activity?

  Strong magnetic fields and radio waves
• What makes fMRI less accessible compared to other techniques?

  It requires specialized machines and expert analysis
• Why is it crucial for participants to remain still during fMRI scans?

  To avoid distortion of the data
• What is the spatial resolution of fMRI?

  High
• What are the strengths of fMRI in brain research?

  • High spatial resolution: pinpoint specific brain regions
  • Non-invasive: no surgery or harmful radiation
  • Real-time data: observe brain activity live
• What does fMRI allow researchers to pinpoint?

  Which parts of the brain are working
• What does fMRI measure to assess brain activity?

  Blood flow
• What is the temporal resolution of EEG?

  High
• Why is fMRI considered non-invasive?

  It does not require surgery or radiation exposure
• Compare the purposes of fMRI, EEG, MRI, and CT/PET scans.

  • fMRI: Measures brain activity
  • EEG: Measures electrical activity
  • MRI: Shows brain structure
  • CT/PET: Shows structure and metabolism
• What is the spatial resolution of EEG?

  Low
• Why does fMRI measure blood flow in the brain?

  Active brain areas receive more blood
• What is the primary purpose of fMRI?

  To measure brain activity
• What is the temporal resolution of fMRI?

  Low