Cognitive neuroscience 2

• A01- what is it

  • How brain structures- linked to mental processes
  • Looks at how individual neurons operate and communicate to form complex processes within brain. Also how different structures in brain are linked to cognitive processes.
  • Uses experimental methods and AI to create and test higher level cognition- thoughts, language.
  • E.g. episodic memory- temporal and frontal lobes- right prefrontal cortex
• A01- How is it studied

  • Neural imaging techniques. Helps to study neurobiological basis of mental processes like memory
  • PET scans identify presence of radioactive tracers. Tracer injected into blood. PET scan then detects when a quantity of blood collects in particular area due to increased blood flow. E.g. more blood in temporal lobe- recalling episodic.
  • fMRI scans allow brain's activity to be observed by scanning metabolic function. Patients given prompts- questions, orders, visual stimuli. Different activities and prompts will elicit activity in parts of the brain.
• A01- example

  • Tulving's research into LTM. Aimed to find link between different types of memories and activity in brain.
  • Using radioactive gold isotope. PET scan- showed variation in blood flow, depending on types of memory being used when recalling. Episodic- right prefrontal cortex. Semantic- left.
• Strength- real world application

  • P- real world application
  • E- e.g. used for patients with neurobiological damage. Damage to brain and nervous system- impacting cognition
  • E- Strokes- affect specific areas of brain. Role of parahippocampal gyrus in OCD- resulted in development of new therapeutics and removing stigma and blame.
  • L- Therefore cognitive neuroscience has been useful in revolution of psychology.
• Limitation- ethical issues

  • P- ethical issues with research
  • E- Mind mapping for lie detections in court- controversial
  • E- research- humans good at lying and poor at lie detection. Implications for legal system. fMRI tech being used.
  • L- Not ethical to use info and does data produced have the reliability required for court of law.