Discussing the Use of Brain Imaging Technologies In Investigating the Relationships Between Biological Factors and Behavior
This essay will attempt to offer a balanced review of the use of brain imaging technologies in investigating the relationships between biological factors and behavior. The different types of brain imaging technologies are PET: Positron Emission Topography, MRI: Magnetic Resonance Imaging, fMRI: functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, EEG: Electroencephalogram, and lastly CAT: Computerized Axial Tomography (Demitri, 2007). Brain imaging technologies are methods used in psychology to examine and further understand the human brain. While each of the differing methods has qualities that are beneficial in general it is important
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MRIs are used to allows researchers to see structures in the brain (2007) A great advantage to using MRI is it is non-invasive. The less researchers harm their patients the more ethical it is which can help with the validity. The downside is however, researchers can only use MRIs to look at activation in the brain making its use limited. A study that can show how MRI scans care used to investigate the relationships between biological factors and behavior is Maguire et al. (2000). The aim of this study was to determine if well experienced taxi drivers in London would have differing hippocampus structures compared to London bus drivers. MRI scans were used to scan the structure of their hippocampus, and measured the amount of gray matter in their brain. Maguire noticed there was a larger amount of gray matter found in taxi drivers. Maguire found the data could suggest that the increase amount of gray matter in the hippocampus of taxi drivers is due to the active and repetitive use of the spatial memory skills required to remember roads; the neurons are stronger in areas of the brain which are used most. Maguire because of the MRI technology was able to observe the structures of the subject's brains and find a correlation between environment and neuroplasticity which has been known to affects behavior in terms of memory. Maguire effectively used MRI scans to investigate the structure of the hippocampus, he could not have done this using other technologies such as an EEG or a PET scan. With this study Maguire was able to see the biological factor of brains areas and the hippocampus as well as the behavior of memory and spacial
Magnetic resonance imaging has the potential of totally replacing computed tomography. If history was rewritten, and CT invented after MRI, nobody would bother to pursue CT. --Philip Drew (Mattson and Simon, 1996)
There are many neurological diseases and the way the “regular checkup” goes will be determined by the type of disease they have. For instance a patient with a nonfatal diagnosis of Multiple sclerosis can have a neurological checkup; the physician should recap the patients’ health history and determine what brought them in. Ask if anything has changed since the last checkup. Assess mental status, obtain vital signs and ask if patient is in pain or if they have a feeling of numbness or tingling anywhere.
In this essay I will be discussing how the reporter used fMRI imaging techniques to measure the brain activity while playing violent M- rated video games. Their theory was that violent video games can produce violent tendencies in people that play M-rated games. In contrast, I feel as if the reporters didn’t go into detail about the control groups and how they were detected whether they were desensitized to emotions. I personally believe that violent video games cause violent tendencies because you are what you do repeatedly. These men spend at least two hours daily playing these violent games like Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty and other extreme games. What is that really teaching them?
The fMRI scan has played a major role in this type of research and it is on such that this essay will be based.
This essay will outline and compare both biological and behavioural perspectives on human behaviour. The history, major discoveries and theories will be discussed along with some of the most influential theorists in each of these two areas of psychology. This essay will also compare the two areas strengths and weaknesses in the field of psychology.
Brain imaging techniques allow researchers to view activity or problems within the human brain, without invasive neurosurgery. There are a number of safe imaging techniques in use today such as: CT scan, MRI, FMRI, EEG, MEG, and PET.
The most interesting thing I learned from this documentary is that our brains have a map of our body surface. According to Dr. Ramachandran, the body map has a corresponding point to every point on the body surface. The right side of our body is mapped on the left side of our brain and the left side of our body is mapped on the right side of the brain.
To quantify the electric field spread and penetration, Table I shows the percentage of volume of each brain tissue where the amplitude of E is greater than 50% of the peak of E in the cortex for each coil configuration. Due to the fact that different field distributions occur in the right and the left hemisphere of the brain tissues, percentage of volume of each brain tissue was calculated for both sides of the brain for HFA and HDA coils (double-cone and Halo coils are symmetric coils). HFA_R and HDA_R refer to the percentage of volume of each brain tissue in the right side using the HFA and HDA coils, respectively. HFA_L and HDA_L refer to the percentage of volume of each brain tissue in the left side using the HFA and HDA coils, respectively.
To answer the question of myself be willing to volunteer for testing through a brain examination method, it mostly depends on what type of methods would be performed. For example, if the brain examination method is approved by a certified medical practice(s) and/or by the Food Drug Administration (FDA), I am more likely to participate. However, if a certified medical practice and/or FDA do not approve the brain examination method, I am not willing to participate. Moreover, if the implementers of brain examination method offer a satisfying amount of money for me to volunteer, I still would be somewhat skeptical and concerning questions- Due to preferring life over financial gifts.
Having already been underclassmen boys, we degree-lacking, self-accredited veterinarians chose to dissect a misunderstood, typical teenage boy of the year 2016. To begin our dissection, we had to locate the cranium which was located between the buttocks. Upon removal, the crown of the cranium was located so far up the anus, we scratched the rectum. As the face appeared out of the anus, we realized that we would have to clear the face of the feces covering it. Once the feces were removed, we could make observations of the hair. We noticed excessive amounts of grease in the hair reflecting the slyness of the individual and indicating the lack of proper shower.
Neuroscientists believe that free will is an illusion; that our actions are determined by brain movement beyond our control. Neuroscientist such as Libet and Hayne believe that the activity in the brain comes before we consciously act. They did several experiments, which included people pressing buttons with either their left or right hand. The aim of the experiment was to find out what happens in the brain just before the person felt the decision was made. The experiment consisted of wires connected to a person’s brain, to find out how long a person took to press a button. There was a clock and a button, and the people were told to press the button when they felt like it. The experimenters detected some activity in the motor part of the brain;
In the dichotic digits task, Group 1 and Group 2 performed significantly better than Group 3 and Group 3 performed significantly better than Group 4. Groups 1, 2, and 3 did better than 4 for the right ear and Groups 1 and 2 did better than 3 with a significant decrease between Groups 3 and 4. It appears that the decrease in binaural digit processing occurs earlier for men than women.
The topic of brains scans, drug use and teenagers has been of much interest to many experimenters. Drug use can be defined as continues use of alcohol, illegal drugs or the misuse of over-the-counter drugs or prescription drugs leading to negative consequences. This is done by the use of brain scans, including MRI scans; also know as magnetic resonance imaging. This type of brain scan allows scientist to see detailed images of the organs and tissues within your body by a technique that uses a magnetic field and radio waves. The magnetic field temporarily realigns hydrogen atoms in the body and is able to show brain activity. The main point of this type of study is to help predict what a teenagers drug use problem will be, if any, before it
I also found it interested that the different views were very different. They all connected in a way, but they all took a different approach at neuroimaging. There will always be different views on things such as this because everyone has their own opinion. In this course, I will use this article in several ways. The article states that “neuroscience will be the primary vehicle for discovering how to prevent and cure mental illness.” Learning about the different beliefs and the reason behind neuroimaging is important to learn and grow. fMRI was a huge step for mental health research. It helped to bring new ideas in and it was overall very helpful in gathering a good image of the brain. Because of the detailed images, it helped scientist to notice what areas of the brain were having problems. Understand each view on neuroimaging mentioned in this article will help us to draw our own conclusions about the positive information retained from such science and also what parts of neuroimaging still need
Brain mapping is the study of the brain using various techniques, such as cellular biology and imaging. It is a very difficult process and can take a long time to accomplish. Brain mapping maps areas of the brain to functions, such as vision and creativity. It also looks to see how the environment can change a brain’s structure, like how learning and aging can physically change the brain. We are using brain mapping to see if we can cure bipolar and other brain problems. Brain mapping is difficult because the brain has a ton of pathways. If we find out how to map the brain correctly, we will know much more about what affects the brain and what parts of the brain control different functions.