Psychology Homework

Brain imaging techniques

different methods that produce images of the brain

structural (structure of the brain)
functional (activity of different brain parts)
spatial (resolution of the picture) or temporal (accuracy of the changes in the brain) resolution

MRI

structural scan
strong magnetic field passed over the body
picks up radio waves from hydrogen atoms
very detailed (high spatial resolution)
low temporal resolution

fMRI

same technique as MRI

the amount of oxygen in the blood in different parts of the brain
BOLD

PET scanning

position emission tomography

its measures activity
injecting a radioactive tracer into the bloodstream with chemical (to see the blood flowing)
different colours - activity in different parts of brain