ways of studying the brain

what are the 4 ways of studying the brain?

1. functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

2. electroencephalogram (EEG)

3. event-related potentials (ERPs)

4. post-mortems (PMs)

what does fMRI measure?

• measures changes in oxygen levels and blood flow in the brain

• when a brain area is active, it uses more oxygen and so increased blood flow is directed to the area

• fMRI produces activation maps showing which parts of the brain are involved in different functions, supporting our understanding of LOF

what does EEG measure?

• measures electrical activity in the brain via electrodes fixed to the scalp

• the scan recording shows brainwave patterns

• unusual patterns can indicate neurological abnormalities related to certain conditions, such as epilepsy/sleep disorders

what is ERP?

• a statistical analysis of EEG data that allows neuroscientists to see the electrical activity in areas of the brain specifically relating to sensory, cognitive, or motor events

• EEG scans are very general, and ERPs filter out all extraneous brain activity leaving only those responses relating to a particular event/task, hence event-related potentials

what is a PM?

• examine a persons brain after death

• likely to be for those who had a rare disorder affecting their cognitive processes/beh during their lifetime

• PMs can identify areas of damage in the brain indicating likely causes of the cog problems the person experienced

• this may also involve comparison with a neurotypical brain