Unit 4: Methods for Studying Brain Function This unit will focus on the different brain technologies and techniques that have been developed to facilitate the study of brain functioning. You will learn that the development of these technologies (which include MRIs, PETs, and EEGs) has greatly advanced the field of neuropsychology, enabling researchers to collect crucial and groundbreaking information about the brain and its processes.
Unit 4 Time Advisory
This unit will take you approximately 9 hours to complete.
☐ Subunit 4.1: 3 hours
☐ Subunit 4.2: 3 hours
☐ Subunit 4.3: 3 hours
Unit4 Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:
- define the most common techniques for recording electrical signals from the brain;
- describe the most common methods of obtaining images of brain structures;
- describe the most common techniques for obtaining data on brain functions; and
- describe modern uses and techniques for brain stimulation.
4.1 Imaging and Recording Electrical Activity 4.1.1 EEG Recording
- Reading: PBS.org’s The Secret Life of the Brain, “Scanning the
Brain”
Link: PBS.org’s The Secret Life of the Brain, “Scanning the
Brain”
(HTML)
Instructions: Use the link above to navigate to the webpage. Click the links on the right for each of the five (5) brain scanning technologies, in turn. Follow the links on each subsequent page. NOTE: This resource applies to subsections 4.1.1 through 4.1.5.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage.
4.1.2 Computerized Tomography: CT Scans 4.1.3 Positron Emission Tomography: PET Scans 4.1.4 Magnetic Resonance Imagining: MRI Scans 4.1.5 MEG Recording 4.1.6 Diffusion Tensor Imagining
- Reading: Caltech Brain Imaging Center’s Amy Chan, “Brief
Description of DTI (Diffusion Tensor Imaging) Basic Principals and
Applications (Such as the Mapping of Neural Tracts)”
Link: Caltech Brain Imaging Center’s Amy Chan, “Brief Description
of DTI (Diffusion Tensor Imaging) Basic Principals and Applications
(Such as the Mapping of Neural
Tracts)” (HTML)
Instructions: Use the link above to navigate to the webpage and read the entire main text.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage.
4.2 Dynamic Imagining Techniques 4.2.1 Functional Magnetic Resonance Imagining: fMRI Scans
- Reading: Discovery Fit & Health, Stephanie Watson’s “How fMRI
Works”
Link: Discovery Fit& Health, Stephanie Watson’s “How fMRI
Works”
(HTML)
Instructions: Use the link above to navigate to the webpage and read all six (6) pages.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage.
4.2.2 Angiography
- Reading: Nervous System Diseases’ “Cerebral Angiogram”
Link: Nervous System Diseases’ “Cerebral
Angiogram”
(HTML)
Instructions: Use the link above to navigate to the webpage and read the entire main text.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage.
4.3 Brain Stimulation 4.3.1 Intracranial Brain Stimulation
-
Web Media: YouTube: antipin’s “Deep Brain Stimulations” Link: YouTube: antipin’s “Deep Brain Stimulations” (YouTube)
Instructions: Click the link above to navigate to the webpage and start the video.Watching this video should take approximately 1 minute.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage.
4.3.2 Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
-
Web Media: YouTube: Boston University’s “Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation” Link: YouTube: Boston University’s “Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation” (YouTube)
Instructions: Click the link above to navigate to the webpage and start the video.Watching this video should take approximately 2 minutes.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use included on the above webpage.
4.3.3 ECT (Electro-Convulsive Therapy)
-
Web Media: YouTube: Concept Media Nursing’s “Shock: Electroconvulsive Therapy” The Saylor Foundation does not yet have materials for this portion of the course. If you are interested in contributing your content to fill this gap or aware of a resource that could be used here, please submit it here.