Brain Booboos and How We Find Them

Ryan’s Psychology 2010

Methods of Studying the Brain

• Accidents• Electrical Stimulation of the Brain• Electroencephalogram• Brain Scans (neuroimaging)

Accidents• Brain damage from head injuries can

result in loss of vision and hearing, confusion, or loss of memory.

• In some cases, loss of large portions of the brain may result in relatively little loss of function.

• Where the damage is can have more of an effect than the amount of damage.

Electrical Stimulation of the Brain

• …has shown that specific areas are associated with specific types of sensations

• Electrodes are sometimes implanted.• Stimulation is not always reliable.

• Stimulation in the same place can produce different effects at different times.

Electroencephalogram• …device that records the electrical activity

of the brain.• Electrodes are attached to the scalp detect

small amounts of electrical activity called brain waves.

• Certain brain wave patterns are associated with feelings of relaxation and with sleep.

Brain Scans (neuroimaging)

• …computers generate images from various sources of information• Provides info about brain damage• Early diagnoses of cancer• Aids surgeons during difficult and

intricate surgery

CAT scan

MRI scan

PET scan