Practice exam 1 Cognitive
Neuropsychology
Maximum of 22 points.
1. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is used to stimulate nerve cells in the brain through
non-invasive technology.
a) What principle is this technique based on? Explain this principle and name an imaging
method in which this principle is also used. (2)
b) In TMS the coil has a figure-8 design. Name the reason for choosing such a design. (1)
2. Why is fNIRS often used to study neurodevelopment? (2)
3. When combining PET with TMS, what type of TMS should you use? Explain this variation of
TMS and why this variation is better suited for PET. (2)
4. Smoothing is applied to almost all fMRI data, except during one data analyzing technique.
Which technique is this and why? Explain in your answer the definition of smoothing. (2)
5. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a technique that uses diffusion of molecules to construct an
image of the white matter tracts within the brain.
a) What type of diffusion is DTI based on? Explain your answer. (1)
b) Explain the difference between constrained spherical deconvolution (CSD) and DTI, and
why CSD would be used. (2)
6. An MRI scan can be either T2-weighted or T2* weighted. A T2*-weighted scan will however
result in a functional image and include dephasing due to field inhomogeneities. What causes
these field inhomogeneities? (2)
7. The blood-oxygenation-level dependent (BOLD) response forms the basis of fMRI. When there
is an increase in oxygenation, there is a decrease in the fMRI signal. Explain this. (2)
8. How does MRI relate to MRS? What are the differences between the techniques? (2)
9. What experimental design issue does one run into when including PET in a multi-modal
experiment? (2)
10. If one would be interested in the glutamate concentration in the visual cortex, when looking at
different types of stimuli (e.g. shapes that change in colour), what techniques would be
combined? Motivate your answer. (2)
Neuropsychology
Maximum of 22 points.
1. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is used to stimulate nerve cells in the brain through
non-invasive technology.
a) What principle is this technique based on? Explain this principle and name an imaging
method in which this principle is also used. (2)
b) In TMS the coil has a figure-8 design. Name the reason for choosing such a design. (1)
2. Why is fNIRS often used to study neurodevelopment? (2)
3. When combining PET with TMS, what type of TMS should you use? Explain this variation of
TMS and why this variation is better suited for PET. (2)
4. Smoothing is applied to almost all fMRI data, except during one data analyzing technique.
Which technique is this and why? Explain in your answer the definition of smoothing. (2)
5. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a technique that uses diffusion of molecules to construct an
image of the white matter tracts within the brain.
a) What type of diffusion is DTI based on? Explain your answer. (1)
b) Explain the difference between constrained spherical deconvolution (CSD) and DTI, and
why CSD would be used. (2)
6. An MRI scan can be either T2-weighted or T2* weighted. A T2*-weighted scan will however
result in a functional image and include dephasing due to field inhomogeneities. What causes
these field inhomogeneities? (2)
7. The blood-oxygenation-level dependent (BOLD) response forms the basis of fMRI. When there
is an increase in oxygenation, there is a decrease in the fMRI signal. Explain this. (2)
8. How does MRI relate to MRS? What are the differences between the techniques? (2)
9. What experimental design issue does one run into when including PET in a multi-modal
experiment? (2)
10. If one would be interested in the glutamate concentration in the visual cortex, when looking at
different types of stimuli (e.g. shapes that change in colour), what techniques would be
combined? Motivate your answer. (2)
