Studying the brain

• Techniques without invasive neurosurgery:

  • functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
  • computerised tomography (CT)
  • positron emission tomography (PET)
  • electroencephalography (EEG)
• Electroencephalography:

  • involves placing electrodes on the scalp which record general changes in the electrical activity of regions of the brain over time

  Adv.:

  • cheap and fast
  • patient does not get claustrophobic or have to remain still
  • non-invasive

  Disadv.:

  • not very exact as it is hard to figure out where in the brain the electrical activity is coming from