Question 1

A key benefit of the advent of brain imaging techniques is that they allow us to&#10;A) Investigate causational relationships between cognitive processes and brain activity&#10;B) Investigate aspects of cognition that were previously impossible to observe directly, such as brain areas that are active for seen versus imagined stimuli&#10;C) Record direct signals of neural activity for differing kinds of stimuli&#10;D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

Brain imaging techniques, such as fMRI and PET, allow researchers to observe which areas of the brain are active during specific cognitive tasks, including those that were previously unobservable, like distinguishing between seen and imagined stimuli.

Question 2

What is a concern when using an experimental design that compares an &#34;active&#34; stage to one at &#34;rest&#34;?&#10;A) If a person is unable to sleep, it is impossible to achieve a resting state&#10;B) Individuals that exercise regularly will have less difficulty in the &#34;active&#34; requirements&#10;C) The brain is not truly &#34;at rest&#34; in the absence of an experimental task, since people are likely to be thinking of other things&#10;D) What one person considers to be active, another may regard as restful

Accepted Answer

The brain is never truly at rest as it is always processing information, thoughts, or stimuli, even in the absence of a specific task, which can affect comparisons in studies between "active" and "rest" conditions.

Question 3

Which of the following methods has the best spatial resolution?&#10;A) Electroencephalography EEG)&#10;B) Magnetoencephalography MEG)&#10;C) Magnetic resonance imaging MRI)&#10;D) Lesion studies

Accepted Answer

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has the best spatial resolution among the options listed. MRI provides detailed images of the brain's structure, allowing for high-resolution visualization of brain anatomy.

Question 4

What is the key principle of BOLD fMRI?&#10;A) Active brain areas consume oxygen&#10;B) Communication between distinct hemispheres occurs&#10;C) Cortical regions interact in a feedforward manner&#10;D) Some cortical neurons have myelinated axons

Accepted Answer

The key principle of BOLD (Blood Oxygen Level Dependent) fMRI is that active brain areas consume more oxygen, leading to changes in the local magnetic properties of the blood, which can be detected by the MRI scanner.

Question 5

Which of the following is correct about fMRI and PET?&#10;A) fMRI and PET are both direct measures of brain activity&#10;B) fMRI is a direct measure of brain activity while PET is an indirect measure&#10;C) fMRI is an indirect measure of brain activity while PET is an indirect measure&#10;D) fMRI and PET are both indirect measures of brain activity

Accepted Answer

Both fMRI and PET are indirect measures of brain activity. fMRI measures changes in blood flow related to neural activity, while PET detects changes in metabolism by tracking a radioactive tracer.

Question 6

How do fMRI and MRI differ?&#10;A) fMRI images the full brain while MRI images a specified portion&#10;B) fMRI images functional brain activity while MRI images anatomical images&#10;C) fMRI images the frontal lobe while MRI images the entire brain&#10;D) fMRI images the final development of the brain, while MRI images developing brain

Accepted Answer

fMRI (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) is used to measure and map brain activity by detecting changes associated with blood flow, whereas MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) provides detailed images of the brain's anatomical structure.

Question 7

Which of the following is an advantage of single cell recordings?&#10;A) The whole brain can be represented by a few spikes&#10;B) It is a noninvasive procedure&#10;C) Cells can be determined as excitatory or inhibitory based on single spikes&#10;D) It is the most precisely localized recording method

Accepted Answer

Single cell recordings provide the most precise localization of neural activity by measuring the electrical activity of individual neurons, allowing researchers to understand the specific roles of different neurons in brain function.

Question 8

Neuroimaging techniques such as MRI, fMRI, and MEG have changed our approach to the brain in what way?&#10;A) Neuroimaging provides a completely direct measurement of brain activities&#10;B) Neuroimaging provides a way to study the activity of individual neurons&#10;C) Neuroimaging permits functional studies of brain areas, as well as the connections between them.&#10;D) Neuroimaging has not basically changed the study of the brain

Accepted Answer

Neuroimaging techniques like MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), fMRI (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging), and MEG (Magnetoencephalography) have revolutionized our understanding of the brain by allowing us to visualize both the structure and function of different brain areas and the connections between them. This has enabled a more detailed and dynamic understanding of how the brain works, both in health and disease.

Question 9

What is a disadvantage of studying individuals with brain injuries?&#10;A) Brain injuries are typically not limited to a specific brain function&#10;B) It is difficult to find an individual who has a brain injury&#10;C) Brain injuries are often easily healed&#10;D) Brain functions are too complex to be studied in individuals with brain injuries

Accepted Answer

Brain injuries often affect multiple areas or functions of the brain, making it challenging to isolate the effects of the injury to a specific cognitive or functional domain. This complexity can complicate the interpretation of how specific brain regions contribute to behavior or cognitive processes.

Question 10

Methods such as _____ tell researchers precisely where activity is happening while the methods of _____reflect more precisely when it is happening.&#10;A) EEG and MEG, MRI and PET&#10;B) EEG and MRI, MEG and PET&#10;C) MRI and PET, EEG and MEG&#10;D) MEG and PET, EEG and MRI

Accepted Answer

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scans provide detailed images of the brain, showing where activity occurs. EEG (Electroencephalography) and MEG (Magnetoencephalography), on the other hand, track brain activity in real time, thus indicating when the activity happens.

Deck 3: Observing the Brain