Biology I - Nervous System -Studying the Brain - Lesion studies, old and modern ways of studying the brain

Q: Why can’t autopsy studies tell us about brain function?

A: They show anatomy, but the brain is no longer active.

Q: What did “Patient Tan” help scientists discover?

A: Broca’s area controls speech production (cerebral localization).

Q: What does radiofrequency lesioning destroy?

A: Both cell bodies and axons (less precise.)

Q: How do excitotoxins create lesions?

A: They overactivate glutamate receptors, killing neurons by calcium overload.

Q: What makes oxidopamine a selective lesion tool?

A: It’s taken up by dopaminergic and noradrenergic neurons, killing only those cells.

Q: What is cortical cooling, and why is it useful?

A: Temporarily inactivates neurons without killing them (reversible method.)

Q: What brain imaging technique uses X-rays to detect structural damage?

A: CT (or CAT) scan.

Q: How does fMRI show brain activity?

A: Measures oxygenated vs deoxygenated blood flow during tasks.

Q: What does PET imaging detect in active brain areas?

A: Radioactively labeled glucose uptake.

Q: Why is MEG better than EEG for spatial resolution?

A: MEG detects magnetic fields from neurons with higher precision.

Q: What does MRI measure, and what is it best used for?

A: Uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed images of brain structure.