What are the four techniques to study the brain?
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What are the four techniques to study the brain?
The four techniques to study the brain are:
Post-mortem analysis
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans
Positron emission tomography (PET) scans
What is a post-mortem analysis as a technique to study the brain?
Post-mortem analysis is examining the brain (usually in slices) to determine the cause of behaviour(s) or dysfunction experienced when the patient was alive.
When studying the brain, which technique uses a large magnet and radio waves, producing images of brain structures?
When studying the brain, an magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a technique to study the brain that uses a large magnet and radio waves, producing images of brain structures.
What is a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan to study the brain?
A functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan is measuring oxygenated blood flow in the brain i.e. brain activity.
Which brain scanning technique measures glucose metabolism of specific regions in the brain?
A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is using a radioactive tracer to measure glucose metabolism of specific regions in the brain.
True or false?
A limitation of post-mortem analysis is that researchers can study a brain without harm to the living person.
False.
A strength of post-mortem analysis is that researchers can study a brain without harm to the living person.
Why is it a strength that functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans measure oxygenated blood?
A strength of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) measuring oxygenated blood is that it identifies specific brain regions. This is useful to link brain activity to cognitive processes e.g. emotion.
True or False?
A limitation of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scan is that they are prone to disturbance caused by noise, temperature and human error in calibration.
True.
A limitation of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scan is that they are prone to disturbance caused by noise, temperature and human error in calibration.
Which type of brain scan has the limitation of using a radioactive tracer to study the brain, posing a risk to patients?
A limitation of positron emission tomography (PET) scans is that using a radioactive tracer involves some risk to the patient.
True or False?
Both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) are techniques to study the brain that measure the brain's structure.
False.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures brain structure while functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) measures brain function.