UC Berkeley CogSci 1 Midterm 1 Test
Exam Questions With Well Elaborated
Solutions
What is Phrenology? - ANSWER -Attributing character traits to an individual based on relative
prominence of regions on the surface of his or her skull, has to do with localization of function
Phineas Gage (Case Study) - ANSWER -Phineas Gage: railroad worker who survived a brain
injury that changed his personality and behavior;
case study examined the localization of brain function: frontal lobe controls personality and
behavior
What is cognitive neuroscience? - ANSWER -the study of the structure and processes
underlying cognitive function
Synapse - ANSWER -space between neurons through which they communicate, through either
electrical or chemical signals
Action potential - ANSWER -flow and exchange of ions and potassium in response to a
stimulus
what are the two types of brain damage techniques? - ANSWER -lesion studies and case study
method
what is brain mapping? - ANSWER -similar to regular mapping, goal is to create a 3D image of
the brain that represents both structure and function
Mapping by electrophysiological means/single cell recording - ANSWER -gives info about
connections that link one part of the brain to other parts of the brained principles according to
which these links are ordered.
Angiography - ANSWER -useful in detecting certain disorders associated with abnormalities in
the arteries of the brain.
hemorrhage - ANSWER -heavy bleeding from malformation of brain arteries
CT scan - ANSWER -a series of x-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined
by computer into a composite representation of a slice through the body, highly invasive, average
temporal resolution, low spatial resolution
, CAT scan - ANSWER -a method of creating static images of the brain through computerized
axial tomography. we can deblur the original axial tomographic image and reconstruct a
complete image from multiple views provided by a rotating beam. It is used to image bone liver
and brain.
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) - ANSWER -a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio
waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue. MRI scans show brain anatomy.
Cannot be performed if one has metal present in the body. Clearer than a CAT scan. Allows
researcher to see white matter, gray matter, and cerebrospinal fluid as well.
EEG/ERP - ANSWER -good temporal resolution, average spatial resolution; uses
electroencephalography to record electrical activity of the brain during cognitive processing.
Attaches electrodes to the outside of ones skull and can detect rapid change in neural activity.
Non-invasive and can be used on people who are fully conscious
TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) - ANSWER -the use of strong magnets to briefly
interrupt normal brain activity as a way to study brain regions, can help determine function of a
specific region. It is non invasive, has high temporal resolution, but only average spatial
resolution
PET (positron emission tomography) scan - ANSWER -a method of examining cerebral blood
flow while a subject is carrying out a certain cognitive task. It makes uses of radioactive isotopes
walled positrons which are injected into the blood stream and carried to the brain. Image is
slightly blurry. Average invasiveness , low temporal resolution, and high spatial resolution.
SPECT scan (single-photon emission computerized tomography) - ANSWER -same as PET but
a photon is injected into the bloodstream instead of a positron. allows investigation to lock in
brain activity state at the time the labeled substance is introduced into the body. Possible to
discover the location of activity in the brain when a certain subject is engaged in a particular
mental exercise
fMRI (functional MRI) - ANSWER -Similar to an MRI but provides mapping of both function
and structure. It detects changes in the magnetic state of blood and depends on the amount of
oxygen in the blood. Low invasiveness, low temporal resolution, and medium spatial resolution
temporal resolution - ANSWER -A term that refers to how small a unit of time can be
measured; high temporal resolution means capable of resolving very small units of time; in
neuroscience it describes how precisely in time a process can be measured in the brain. The
accuracy with which one can measure when an event is occurring
spatial resolution - ANSWER -A term that refers to how small the elements of an image are;
high spatial resolution means the device or technique can resolve very small elements; in
neuroscience it describes how small of a structure in the brain can be imaged.
invasiveness - ANSWER -whether or not the equipment is located internally or externally
Exam Questions With Well Elaborated
Solutions
What is Phrenology? - ANSWER -Attributing character traits to an individual based on relative
prominence of regions on the surface of his or her skull, has to do with localization of function
Phineas Gage (Case Study) - ANSWER -Phineas Gage: railroad worker who survived a brain
injury that changed his personality and behavior;
case study examined the localization of brain function: frontal lobe controls personality and
behavior
What is cognitive neuroscience? - ANSWER -the study of the structure and processes
underlying cognitive function
Synapse - ANSWER -space between neurons through which they communicate, through either
electrical or chemical signals
Action potential - ANSWER -flow and exchange of ions and potassium in response to a
stimulus
what are the two types of brain damage techniques? - ANSWER -lesion studies and case study
method
what is brain mapping? - ANSWER -similar to regular mapping, goal is to create a 3D image of
the brain that represents both structure and function
Mapping by electrophysiological means/single cell recording - ANSWER -gives info about
connections that link one part of the brain to other parts of the brained principles according to
which these links are ordered.
Angiography - ANSWER -useful in detecting certain disorders associated with abnormalities in
the arteries of the brain.
hemorrhage - ANSWER -heavy bleeding from malformation of brain arteries
CT scan - ANSWER -a series of x-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined
by computer into a composite representation of a slice through the body, highly invasive, average
temporal resolution, low spatial resolution
, CAT scan - ANSWER -a method of creating static images of the brain through computerized
axial tomography. we can deblur the original axial tomographic image and reconstruct a
complete image from multiple views provided by a rotating beam. It is used to image bone liver
and brain.
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) - ANSWER -a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio
waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue. MRI scans show brain anatomy.
Cannot be performed if one has metal present in the body. Clearer than a CAT scan. Allows
researcher to see white matter, gray matter, and cerebrospinal fluid as well.
EEG/ERP - ANSWER -good temporal resolution, average spatial resolution; uses
electroencephalography to record electrical activity of the brain during cognitive processing.
Attaches electrodes to the outside of ones skull and can detect rapid change in neural activity.
Non-invasive and can be used on people who are fully conscious
TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) - ANSWER -the use of strong magnets to briefly
interrupt normal brain activity as a way to study brain regions, can help determine function of a
specific region. It is non invasive, has high temporal resolution, but only average spatial
resolution
PET (positron emission tomography) scan - ANSWER -a method of examining cerebral blood
flow while a subject is carrying out a certain cognitive task. It makes uses of radioactive isotopes
walled positrons which are injected into the blood stream and carried to the brain. Image is
slightly blurry. Average invasiveness , low temporal resolution, and high spatial resolution.
SPECT scan (single-photon emission computerized tomography) - ANSWER -same as PET but
a photon is injected into the bloodstream instead of a positron. allows investigation to lock in
brain activity state at the time the labeled substance is introduced into the body. Possible to
discover the location of activity in the brain when a certain subject is engaged in a particular
mental exercise
fMRI (functional MRI) - ANSWER -Similar to an MRI but provides mapping of both function
and structure. It detects changes in the magnetic state of blood and depends on the amount of
oxygen in the blood. Low invasiveness, low temporal resolution, and medium spatial resolution
temporal resolution - ANSWER -A term that refers to how small a unit of time can be
measured; high temporal resolution means capable of resolving very small units of time; in
neuroscience it describes how precisely in time a process can be measured in the brain. The
accuracy with which one can measure when an event is occurring
spatial resolution - ANSWER -A term that refers to how small the elements of an image are;
high spatial resolution means the device or technique can resolve very small elements; in
neuroscience it describes how small of a structure in the brain can be imaged.
invasiveness - ANSWER -whether or not the equipment is located internally or externally
