Techniques used to Study the Brain: Post-Mortem Analysis
What is post-mortem analysis of the brain?
- Post Mortem Analysis of the brain involves examining the brain (usually in slices) to determine the cause of behaviour(s) or dysfunction experienced when the patient was alive
- This technique was used in the early days of biological psychology as there was no sophisticated technology available to look at a living brain
- This technique is used to investigate the structure of the brain, and from that to infer a correlation with behaviour e.g. why can patient X not recall any new information? Why is patient Y unable to speak in full sentences?
- Post-mortem analysis may still be used today if there are no alternatives available e.g. Alzheimer’s disease can only really be determined by conducting a post-mortem analysis
Which studies use post-mortem analysis?
- Post-mortem analysis of the brain was used alongside other techniques to investigate the damage done to HM’s brain (Corkin, 1997) and helped to determine the link between the hippocampus and the formation of new memories
- A year after HM died his preserved brain was sent to the University of California where it was sliced into 2,401 sections, which were placed on slides and scanned, as a permanent neurological research resource
- Paul Broca’s (1861) post-mortem analysis of his patient ‘Tan’ was a breakthrough in terms of locating the language area of the brain in the left hemisphere
Both of these studies are available as separate Key Studies – just navigate the Brain and Behaviour section of this topic to find them.
Having more than one brain just seems greedy…
Examiner Tip
If you use post-mortem analysis as a technique used to study the brain in an exam answer, remember that this is not a brain-imaging or brain-scanning technique as there is no way of producing scans or images from this type of technique. Post-mortem analysis provides slices of brain or brain matter which can then be further analysed using a range of techniques which may involve technology but the technique itself is definitely old-school.
What are the strengths and limitations of post-mortem analysis of the brain?
Strengths:
- It enables researchers to study a brain without inflicting any harm on the living person
- It can help clinicians to confirm a diagnosis e.g. the patient was suspected of having Alzheimer’s but this can only be decided conclusively using post-mortem methods
Limitations:
- It is not possible to compare what is measured post-mortem to a living brain
- It is not possible to study brain function using post-mortem analysis
Examiner Tip
Remember that techniques used to study the brain are not research methods. Research methods include lab experiments, questionnaires, observations etc. Techniques used to study the brain are used as part of a research method e.g. the study of HM was a case study which involved a range of methods and techniques.
