Untitled Flashcards Set


  1. Describe one technique to investigate the brain with reference to one relevant study


Techniques such as MRIs, FMRIs, CT and PET scans allow psychologists to map the structure, size and activity of the brain and its parts.  

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive neuroimaging technique/technology used to study brain structure. To obtain an MRI image, a participant is placed inside a large cylindrical machine with external magnetic field and radio waves to create detailed images of the brain, requiring the patient to remain very still. The MRI machine uses powerful magnets to align protons, such as hydrogen atoms, in the body with the magnetic field. When a radiofrequency pulse is applied, the protons are stimulated and temporarily displaced from this alignment. As the radiofrequency field is turned off, the protons release energy while realigning back with the magnetic field. The time taken for protons to realign with the magnetic field and the energy released, which varies by tissue due to differing hydrogen concentrations, is detected by MRI sensors and converted into detailed 2D and 3D images of the brain and its parts. These images help study abnormalities like gray matter increases and decreases or brain damage.

One study that utilised MRIs to investigate the brain is by Maguire et al (2000).  They aimed to use MRIs to see differences in the size and structure of the hippocampus of taxi drivers and non-taxi drivers.  MRIs were done on 16 right handed, healthy, male taxi drivers and MRIs previously conducted of 50 similar non-taxi drivers were used as the control group. The MRIs produced 24 2D sliced images of the hippocampi.  The pixels in each slice were counted by hand and voxel-based morphometry was carried out.  The results showed that the overall size of the hippocampi was not different in the two groups but the posterior was significantly bigger in mass and the anterior significantly smaller in taxi drivers compared to non-taxi drivers.  


This study demonstrates the use of the technique of an MRI to investigate the brain as it shows how they can be used to measure the size and mass of a part of the brain.  These results can then be compared to control groups to show how the brains are different and have neuroplasticity, increasing the usefulness of these techniques to study the brain.