lecture recording on 26 February 2025 at 18.16.46 PM

Chapter 1: Introduction

Glacial studies serve as a technique to explore brain function by investigating lost functions resulting from brain lesions. This involves studying patients with specific brain lesions to determine how these affect cognitive or other brain functions. A notable example is Noah Wall, a patient with spinal bifida and hydrocephalus who, despite having severe brain loss — with only 2% of his brain present at 20 weeks gestation — managed to grow back 80% of his brain by age 3. This raises implications about neural network growth during developmental spurts in the brain, while others suggest that recovery may be attributed to the release of compressed brain tissue after the fitting of a shunt for excess fluid.

Chapter 2: Part Of The Brain

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) differs from MRI in that it assesses brain activation and blood flow, whereas MRI focuses on brain structure. The BOLD response, which stands for Blood Oxygen Level Dependent changes, indicates brain activity by measuring blood flow to active regions. However, research using fMRI presents challenges such as high costs and potential participant attrition due to claustrophobia and the necessity for stillness during scans. As a result, attentive training may be required for children to participate adequately.

Chapter 3: Parts Of The Brain

MRI provides greater coverage of the brain compared to EEG, making it valuable for broader assessments. Modifying environments to be more child-friendly could help reduce attrition. Techniques to engage children, like utilizing appealing themes such as spaceships or submarines, can ease anxiety during procedures. On the other hand, Electroencephalography (EEG) involves continuous recording of electrical signals from the scalp, aiming to analyze brainwave patterns. Event-Related Potentials (ERP), as a component of EEG, focuses on brainwaves immediately after a stimulus presentation and is particularly strong in analyzing the timing and response of the brain to stimuli.

Chapter 4: Part Of EEG

Through waveform analysis, EEG enables researchers to observe immediate timing of brain responses to stimuli, which enhances understanding of emotional processing. However, with young children, there are challenges in keeping caps on infants and toddlers, which often requires distraction or cooperation techniques.

Chapter 5: Areas Of The Brain

Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) is a non-invasive imaging method that examines blood flow by differentiating between oxygenated and deoxygenated blood. It is more movement-tolerant than EEG and can be conducted in naturalistic settings, such as while a child is sitting on a parent's lap. Nonetheless, NIRS is limited to detecting changes in blood flow only from the outer two centimeters of the brain, and while it offers less coverage compared to fMRI, it is a cheaper and more comfortable option for children.

Chapter 6: Conclusion

In conclusion, comparative methodologies reveal trade-offs based on a child's age and the chosen methodology. While MRI may require sedation for very young subjects, EEG presents a simpler option for children under 12. Adapting environments is crucial; equipment must be made child-friendly, and experimental paradigms should be shortened to maintain children's attention. Examples include themed scanners to alleviate anxiety and enhance engagement in participation.