Ways of studying the brain
fMRI – highlights active areas of the brain.
functional magnetic resonance imaging
scan absorbed by deoxygenated blood in the brain.
areas with high activity will require more oxygenated blood so in turn have more
deoxygenated blood.
this is called a haemodynamic response.
Strengths:
- No radiation and is safe, non-invasive
- Produces images with high spatial resolution (shows clear pictures of how brain activity
is localised)
- Can be used whilst a patient is carrying out a task.
- Capture dynamic brain activity
Weaknesses:
- Expensive leading to reduced sample size in research
- Poor temporal resolution, with gaps in-between images (5 second time lag)
- only works if the person stays perfectly still.
- Time consuming
EEG – shows overall electrical activity.
Electroencephalogram
measures electrical activity within the brain via electrodes using a skull cap.
often used to diagnose unusual arrhythmic patterns of brain activity.
Strengths:
- Contributed to the understanding of sleep.
- It has temporal resolution (brain activity in 1 second)
- Useful in diagnosis of epilepsy
Weaknesses:
- Difficult to know the exact source of neural activity.
- Can't distinguish the activity of different but adjacent neurons.
ERPS – brainwaves related to events.
event related potentials
EEG but with a stimulus presented to an individual, researcher looks for activity relating to
stimulus.
research revealed how ERPS are linked to cognitive processes.
Strengths:
- More specific to what is being measured.
fMRI – highlights active areas of the brain.
functional magnetic resonance imaging
scan absorbed by deoxygenated blood in the brain.
areas with high activity will require more oxygenated blood so in turn have more
deoxygenated blood.
this is called a haemodynamic response.
Strengths:
- No radiation and is safe, non-invasive
- Produces images with high spatial resolution (shows clear pictures of how brain activity
is localised)
- Can be used whilst a patient is carrying out a task.
- Capture dynamic brain activity
Weaknesses:
- Expensive leading to reduced sample size in research
- Poor temporal resolution, with gaps in-between images (5 second time lag)
- only works if the person stays perfectly still.
- Time consuming
EEG – shows overall electrical activity.
Electroencephalogram
measures electrical activity within the brain via electrodes using a skull cap.
often used to diagnose unusual arrhythmic patterns of brain activity.
Strengths:
- Contributed to the understanding of sleep.
- It has temporal resolution (brain activity in 1 second)
- Useful in diagnosis of epilepsy
Weaknesses:
- Difficult to know the exact source of neural activity.
- Can't distinguish the activity of different but adjacent neurons.
ERPS – brainwaves related to events.
event related potentials
EEG but with a stimulus presented to an individual, researcher looks for activity relating to
stimulus.
research revealed how ERPS are linked to cognitive processes.
Strengths:
- More specific to what is being measured.
