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Ways of investigating the brain (Postmortem (Dissecting the brain of a…
Ways of investigating the brain
FMRI
3D scan which shows changes in the brain activity as it actually happens. More oxygenated blood flows towards active areas of the brain as neurons need to be supplied with oxygen to function. Oxygenated blood responds differently to magnetic waves than deoxygenated blood, so the scan picks up areas of the brain which are active.
Applications - FMRI can be used to identify which locations of the brain are responsible for different functions.
FMRI can also be used to study abnormal behaviour and diagnose medical problems.
Strengths - its a non-invasive way of studying the brain
Limitations - machines are expensive to buy and run. people are also required to lie very still for a long period of time, this can be very claustrophobic. There is poor temporal resolution - they dont show changes over time accurately.
Postmortem
Dissecting the brain of a person who has died allows us to physically look at the internal structure of the brain.
Applications - if a person had a medical condition when they were alive. a postmortem can show up any brain abnormalities that could explain their condition.
Applications - used to provide evidence for localisation of function e.g. Broca performed postmortems of patients who had suffered problems with speech production and found they had damage to the area now named Brocas area.
Strengths - improved medical knowledge before the technology of brains scans.
Limitations - The person is dead so will not benefit from any of the findings.
EEG
shows the activity of the whole brain. Multiple electrodes are placed on the scalp which record the electrical electricity in the brain for a period of time. This produces a pattern of waves for example, each stage of sleep produces a different type of wave.
Applications - used in sleep studies to diagnose sleep disorders.
Strengths - its a non-invasive way of studying the brain. cheaper than FMRI and there is good temporal resolution so they show changes over time accurately.
Limitations - poor spatial resolution because it picks up the signal of many neurons firing together, its hard to work out which area of the brain the waves originate from.
ERP
ERP is like an EEG. it measure the brain wave activity but is much more specific. it measures how brain wave patterns change in response to a specific stimulus.
Applications - it is used a lot in memory research as they give information about information processing in the brain.
Strengths - its a non-invasive way of studying the brain. cheaper than FMRI and there is good temporal resolution so they show changes over time accurately.
Limitations - poor spatial resolution because it picks up the signal of many neurons firing together, its hard to work out which area of the brain the waves originate from.