5. Techniques in Neuroscience Flashcards Preview

PS1060 - Intro to Biological Psychology > 5. Techniques in Neuroscience > Flashcards

Flashcards in 5. Techniques in Neuroscience Deck (49)
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1
Q

Define electrophysiology

A

Branch of physiology that deals with electrical phenomena associated with nervous and other bodily activity

2
Q

Define single unit recording

A

Studies the electrical activity of individual neurons (one single neurone) - in animals

3
Q

Define multi-unit recording

A

Studies the composite electrical activity of groups of neurons (e.g. fiber pathway) - neurons acting at the same time - in animals

4
Q

Define EEG recording

A

Studies the low frequency, composite electrical activity of unspecified origin at select brain regions

5
Q

What does single unit recording use and electrode for?

A

To record the electrophysiological activity from a single neuron

6
Q

What does the electrode detect (single unit recording)?

A

Electrical activity generated by the neurons adjacent to the electrode tip

7
Q

What does single unit recoding allow researchers to understand?

A

How individual neurons code information

8
Q

Are Electroencephalograms (EEG) invasive?

A

No

9
Q

What do EEGs measure?

A

Voltage differences at the scalp in the microvolt range

10
Q

Describe EEGs in terms of spatial resolution

A

Spatial resolution is poor as multiple neurons are under one electrode so they aren’t very specific

11
Q

Describe EEGs in terms of temporal resolution

A

Terrific - 1ms delay

12
Q

Why are EEGs used?

A

Detecting changes in brain patterns
Can average several readings to obtain evoked potential
Often used for detecting epilepsy

13
Q

EEG signals reflect what?

A

Global brain states

14
Q

Large background oscillations of the EEG trace make it impossible to do what?

A

Detect evoked response from a single trial

15
Q

By averaging from hundreds of trials, the background EEG is removed, which leaves what?

A

Event-related potentials

16
Q

What is an event-related potential (ERP)?

A

The measured brain response that is the direct result of a specific sensory, cognitive or motor event

17
Q

EEGs measure the population responses of how many neurons?

A

Millions

18
Q

EEG signal is directed related to what type of activity?

A

Neural activity

19
Q

Neural activity consumes what as well as generating electrical signals?

A

Oxygen

20
Q

What does PET measure?

A

The blood flow in a region

21
Q

What does fMRI measure?

A

Blood oxygenation

22
Q

The time taken for changes in blood flow is slow (several seconds) so therefore imagine has poor….

A

Temporal resolution

23
Q

Cerebral blood flow (CBF) is the basis of what type of technique?

A

fMRI

24
Q

The cortex is densely packed with…

A

Blood vessels

25
Q

What does the distribution of blood vessels mirror?

A

Neuronal organisation

26
Q

At what level does PET measure blood flow?

A

Locally

27
Q

PET is a form of what type of functional brain imagine?

A

Hemodynamically-based

28
Q

Before PET, a subject is given a radioactively….

A

Tagged substance

29
Q

PET will compute the locations of…

A

Decaying radioisotopes that emit game rays

30
Q

From PET we can infer higher regional cerebral blood flow in areas that emit what?

A

Many positrons

31
Q

How long does the tracer take to peak for PET?

A

up to 30 seconds

32
Q

Give 4 limitations of PET

A
  1. Limited spatial resolution
  2. No temporal resolution
  3. Exposure to radiation
  4. Access to a cyclotron
33
Q

What does fMRI stand for?

A

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imagine

34
Q

What does fMRI measure?

A

Local blood flow

35
Q

fMRI measures the concentration of what in the blood?

A

Deoxyhemoglobin

36
Q

What is the BOLD response?

A

the Blood Oxygen Level Dependent contrast

37
Q

The change in BOLD response over time is called the…

A

Haemodynamic response function

38
Q

How many seconds does it take the haemodynamic response function to peak and what does this mean for temporal solution?

A

6-8 seconds and therefore a low temporal solution

39
Q

Magnetic field strength is measured in what?

A

Tesla (T) Gauss (G)

40
Q

1 Tesla = n G

A

n = 10,000

41
Q

The brain has a constant supply of blood flow and therefore to determine if an area is active, one must compare…

A

Relative differences in brain activity between two or more conditions

42
Q

fMRI determines that a region is ‘active’ if it shows what?

A

A greater response in one condition relative to another

43
Q

List 4 limitations of fMRI

A
  1. Lacks spatial and temporal resolution
  2. Is not a direct measure of neural activity
  3. The precise link between CBF and neural activity is not yet known
  4. Caution must be taken in the interpretation of fMRI measurements
44
Q

What does TMS stand for and what does it do?

A

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation & it uses electro-magnetic induction via coils to temporarily disrupt cortical function

45
Q

What does TMS impair and how is this useful to infer?

A

It impairs local processing and we can therefore infer what this area is used for

46
Q

The TMS coil contains a wire carrying…

A

Electrical current

47
Q

A rapid change in current creates what?

A

A magnetic field

48
Q

The magnetic field induces what?

A

A current in the nearby neurons

49
Q

Which areas can TMS stimulate?

A

Those near the cortical surface