Ways Of Studying The Brain AO3

• FMRI


  • Captures dynamic brain activity (as opposed to post-mortem which purely shows physiology)
  • Has good spatial resolution (1-2mm)
  • Interpretation is complex and affected by temporal resolution (1-45s)
  • Hard to interpret sometimes and the type of baseline task might have effect
  • Expensive and this could lead to small sample sizes affecting the validity of research
• EEG and ERP


  • Cheaper so can be used more widely in research
  • Have good temporal resolution (-10ms) but poor spatial resolution (general regions)
  • Possible patient uncomfortable with electrodes (as opposed to fMRI) and this discomfort might affect their cognitive responses
  • ERP more scientifically robust - as it eliminates other neural activity
• FMRI is indirect


  ERP is direct
• Post-mortems


  • Might lack validity due to small sample sizes (special permission is needed)
  • Could be neuronal changes during or after death
  • Useful in early research eg. BROLA
• All methods have the benefit of human research (in terms of ethics + validity) which is better than generalising from animals
• EEG/ERP/FMRI are non-invasive compared to PET scan where radioactive drugs are injected