The Research Method

Methods of Studying the Nervous System & Behavaioral Research Methods of Biopsychology

2 kings of Methods

Methods of Visualizing and Stimulating the Living Human Brain, Recording Human Psychophysiological Research Method, and Pharmacological Research

Methods of Studying the Nervous System

Neuropsychological Testing, Behavioral Methods of Cognitive Science, and Biopsychological Paradigms of Animal Behavior

Behavioral Research Methods of Biopsychology

X-Ray-Based Techniques

Effective in characterizing internal structures that differ substantially from their surroundings in the degree to which they absorb.

Contrast X-Rays

This involve injecting into one compartment of the body that absorbs x-rays either less than or more than the surrounding tissue.

Cerebral angiography

It uses the infusion of a radio-opaque dye into a cerebral artery to visualize the cerebral circulatory system during x-ray photography.

Egas Moniz

The inventor of the lobotomy, was also the pioneer of cerebral angiography

Computed Tomography (CT Scab)

A computer-assisted xray procedure that can be used to visualize the brain and other internal structures of living body.

Position Emission Tomography (PET)

It was the first brain-imaging technique to provide images of brain activity (functional brain images) rather than images of brain structures (structural brain images)

Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)

A radioactive substance that is injected into the patient’s carotid artery. This fluid cannot be metabolized; it therefore accumulates in active neurons—- or in associated astrocytes—- until it is gradually broken down.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

A structural brain-imaging procedure in which high-resolution images are constructed from the measurement of radio-frequency waves that hydrogen atoms emit as they align with a powerful magnetic field.

Spatial resolution

The ability to detect and represent differences in spatial location

Functional MRI (fMRI)

The most influential tool of cognitive neuroscience and is now widely used for medical diagnosis. It produces images representing the increase in oxygen flow in the blood to activate areas of the brain.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation

A technique that can be used to turn off an area of the human cortex by creating a magnetic field under a coil positioned next to the skull.

Scalp Electroencephalography

A measure of the gross electrical activity of the brain.

Electroencephalography

A technique that records large electrodes by a device called electroencephalograph (EEG machine)

Magnetoencephalography (MEG)

Used to monitor brain activity from the scalp of human subjects. It measures changes in magnetic fields on the surface of the scalp that are produced by changes in underlying patterns of neural activity.

Electrooculography

The electrophysiological technique for recording eye movement.

Skin conductance level (SCL)

A measure of the background level of skin conductance that is associated with a particular situation, whereas the SCR is a measure of the transient changes in skin conductance that are associated with discrete experiences.

Heart rate

The electrical signal associated with each heartbeat can be recorded through placed on the chest

Blood pressure

Measuring arterial blood pressure involves two independent measurements

Systoles

A measurement of the peak pressure during the periods of heart contraction

Diastoles

A measurement of the minimum pressure during the periods of relaxation

Hypertension

A chronic blood pressure of more than 140/90 mmHg is viewed as a serious health hazard

Stereotaxic Surgery

The means by which experimental devices are precisely positioned in the depths of the brain.

Stereotaxic atlas

Used to locate brain structure in much the same way that a geographic atlas is used to locate geographic landmarks.

Stereotaxic instrument

Ha two parts: a head holder, which firmly holds each subject’s brain in the prescribed position and orientation; and an electrode holder, which holds the device to be inserted

Aspiration, Radio-frequency, knife cuts, and reversible lesions

Types of Lesion Methods

Aspiration Lesions

When a lesion is to be made in an area of cortical tissue that i accessible to the eyes and instruments of the surgeon.

Radio-Frequency Lesions

A small subcortical lesions are commonly made by passing radio-frequency current through the target tissue from the tip of a stereotaxically positioned electrode.

Knife cuts

Used to eliminate conduction in a nerve or tract. A tiny, well-placed cut can unambiguously accomplish this task without producing extensive damage to surrounding tissue.

Reversible Lesions

Methods for temporarily eliminating the activity in a particular area of the brain while tests are being conducted.

Electrical Stimulation

Delivered across the two tups of a bipolar electrode—- two insulated wires wound tightly together and cut at the end.

Routes of Drug Administration

Fed, injected through a tube into the stomach, or injected hypiderminally.

Selective Chemical Lesions

Injecting neurotoxins (neural poisons) that have an affinity for certain components of the nervous system

The 2-Deoxyglucose Technique and Cerebral Dialysis

Measuring Chemical Activity of the Brain

The 2-Deoxyglucose Technique

Entails placing an animal that has been injected with radioactive 2-DG in a test situation in ehivh it engages in the activity of interest.

Cerebral Dialysis

A method of measuring the extracellular concentration of specific neurochemicals in behaving animals (for measuring neurochemicals requires that the subjects be killed so that tissue can be extracted)

Locating Neurotransmitters and Receptors in the Brain

A key step in trying to understand the psychological function of a particular neurotransmitter or receptor is finding out where it is located in the brain.

Immunocytochemistry

A procedure for locating particular neuroproteins in the brain by labeling their antibodies with a dye or radioactive element.

In situ Hybridization

Another technique for locating peptides and other proteins in the brain.

Genetic Method

Allows for adding, removing, and altering specific genes.

Gene Knockout Techniques, Gene Replacement Techniques, and Fantastic Fluorescence and the Brainbow

3 category of Genetic methods

Gene Knockout Techniques

Procedures for creating organisms that lack a particular gene under investigation.

Gene Replacement Techniques

Replacing one gene with another or add a gene that doesn’t exist in an organism

Green Fluorescence Protein

A protein that exhibits bright green fluorescence when exposed to blue light.

Brainbow Technique

The pathways of neural axons could be traced to their destination through the cellular morass given