1. Tools for Brain Research zHow do we study the brain? Invasive and non-invasive studies…

2. The Brain  Lesion  tissue destruction  a brain lesion is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue  Can be used to study animal behaviors after such destruction.

3. Clinical Observation Clinical observations have shed light on a number of brain disorders. Alterations in brain morphology due to neurological and psychiatric diseases are now being catalogued. Tom Landers/ Boston Globe

4. Electroencephalogram (EEG)  an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain’s surface  these waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp

5. What an EEG tells us… zReveals the patterns of electrical activity in the brain…SO yAreas of the brain that are most active during a particular task are revealed. ySo are changes in mental states. yCan trace abnormal brain waves caused by brain malfunctions such as epilepsy.

6. The Brain  CT (computed tomography) Scan  a series of x-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice through the body; also called CAT scan  PET (positron emission tomography) Scan  a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task  MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)  a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images that distinguish among different types of soft tissue; allows us to see structures within the brain

7. The CT Scan zUses X-rays to create a static picture of the brain. zWidely used in research because its is the least expensive type of imaging. zReveals the effects of strokes, tumors, and other brain disorders.

8. PET Scan

9. The PET Scan zResearchers inject a harmless, radioactive form of glucose into a person’s bloodstream. zThe PET scan produces computer- generated, color coded images of the brain that provide information about glucose metabolism. zUsed to identify abnormalities, as well as brain areas active during regular activities.

10. MRI Scan

11. zUses a high-frequency magnetic field to produce detailed, high resolution pictures of the brain. zMRI images are used to map brain structures and identify abnormalities.