Ways of Studying the Brain
Technique Image Description
Post Mortems Analyse a person’s brain, often to look for abnormalities.
Areas of damage examined to establish the cause of the
affliction the person suffered.
COMPARISON to neurotypical brain to measure differences.
DEAD participants
fMRI Modified MRI
Functional Haemodynamic response - increase demand of blood flow to
Magnetic the area
Resonance Activity = oxygen needed
Imaging Produces 3D images and show specific regions activated during
activities i.e. memory test→hippocampus
EEG Records electrical activity through electrodes attached to the
Electroencep skull via skull cap.
halogram Measure activity of millions of neurons
Detect arrhythmic/abnormal patterns (brain disorder)
Brain waves show what stage of sleep someone’s in.
ERPs Same method of EEG, measures activity through electrodes on
Event-Relate a skull cap.
d Potential ERP = small voltage changes shown
Filters out extraneous activity of EEG is filtered out
Establish a response to specific stimulus
→ Happens and presented multiple time
Evaluation
Techniques Strengths Weaknesses
Post-mortem Provide detailed examination of the Causation → May not be linked.
anatomical structure and neurochemical. Extraneous Variables: Ages
→ Insight into deeper regions Ethical Issues as informed consent
Iverson found higher dopamine in Sz. Invasive
fMRI Non-Invasive → more accessible for ALL No direct measure of neural activity.
Risk-free and safer, more accessible, Only infer on causation.
develop understanding and data Can’t support localisation
Good spatial resolution: 1-2mm Poor temporal resolution: 1-4 seconds
→ Distinguish differ brains w/ accuracy Not as good as others: 1-10 milliseconds
→ More specific than other techniques →Can’t predict high accuracy
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