22.1.17

Research methods of cognitive science: Brain imaging



Brain imaging involves analyzing activity at intervals the brain whereas playacting varied tasks. this enables United States to link behavior and brain perform to assist perceive however data is processed. differing kinds of imaging techniques vary in their temporal (time-based) and spacial (location-based) resolution. Brain imaging is usually utilized in neuroscience.
  • Single photon emission computed tomography and Positron emission tomography: SPECT and PET use hot isotopes, that area unit injected into the subject's blood and brought up by the brain. By observant that areas of the brain take up the hot atom, {we can|we will|we area unit able to} see that areas of the brain are additional active than alternative areas. PET has similar spacial resolution to MRI, however it's extraordinarily poor temporal resolution.
  • Electroencephalography: encephalogram measures the electrical fields generated by giant populations of neurons within the cortex by inserting a series of electrodes on the scalp of the topic. this method has a particularly high temporal resolution, however a comparatively poor spacial resolution.
  • purposeful resonance imaging: MRI measures the relative quantity of aerated blood flowing to totally different components of the brain. additional aerated blood in an exceedingly explicit region is assumed to correlate with a rise in neural activity therein a part of the brain. this enables United States to localize explicit functions at intervals totally different brain regions. MRI has moderate spacial and temporal resolution.
  • Optical imaging: this method uses infrared transmitters and receivers to live the quantity of sunshine coefficient by blood close to totally different areas of the brain. Since aerated and deoxygenated blood reflects lightweight by totally different amounts, {we can|we will|we area unit able to} study that areas are additional active (i.e., people who have additional aerated blood). Optical imaging has moderate temporal resolution, however poor spacial resolution. It conjointly has the advantage that it's extraordinarily safe and might be accustomed study infants' brains.
  • Magnetoencephalography: one thousand thousand measures magnetic fields ensuing from plant tissue activity. it's kind of like encephalogram, except that it's improved spacial resolution since the magnetic fields it measures aren't as blurred or attenuated by the scalp, meninx so forth because the electrical activity measured in encephalogram is. one thousand thousand uses SQUID sensors to discover small magnetic fields.

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