Cognitive neuroscience is the scientific study of the influence of brain structures on neural processes. Mapping brain areas to specific cognitive functions has a long history in psychology. In the 1860s, Paul Broca identified how damage to an area of the frontal lobe could permanently impair speech production
In the last twenty years, there have been advances in brain imaging techniques like fMRI and PET scans. These allow scientists to systematically observe and describe the neurological basis of mental processes. E.G. as we can see the link between the parahippocampulgyrus and OCD. This plays a role in processing unpleasant emotions/
Recent advancements has expanded to include the use of computer-generated models designed to read the brain. This has led to the technique ‘brain fingerprinting‘, a future application could be to analyse brain wave patterns to determine whether somebody is lying in court
