AO3 - PME

• Vital in providing a foundation for early understanding of key processes in the brain.


  Strength - PME
• Broca and Wernicke (founded areas of the brain to do with speech and understanding) relied on PME in establishing links between language, brain and behaviour before neuro-imaging existed.


  Strength - PME
• Used on HM’s brain to identify the areas of damage which could then be associated with his memory deficits.


  Strength - PME
• Continue to provide useful information.


  Strength - PME
• Causation is an issue with this technique.


  Limitation - PME
• Observed damage to the brain may not be linked to to the deficits under review but to some other unrelated trauma or decay.


  Limitation - PME
• Raise ethical issues of consent from the individual before death. Participants may not be able to give informed consent e.g. HM whose memory loss made him inable to give consent, but PME was conducted on his brain anyway. (challenges usefulness of the technique)


  Limitation - PME
• Allows researchers to examine deeper regions of the brain.


  Strength - PME
• Retrospective.

  • Researcher cannot follow up on findings.
  • Limits usefulness.


  Limitation - PME