Question

List and describe three brain imaging techniques. Review the potential utility of each for the diagnosis of physical and or psychological disorders

Answer 1

List and describe three brain imaging techniques. Review the potential utility of each for the diagnosis of physical and or psychological disorders

Brain imaging techniques are described as follows:

• Positron emission tomography (PET): this scan is used for measuring of the sugar levels of the brain so as to identify the areas where neural firing would be taking place. This technique is helpful since the drive neurons would be using glucose in the form of a fuel. Tracer substance is injected in the blood so that parts of the brain would become active. As a result of this, there would be visualisation of visible spots. These could be used for providing medical diagnosis in case of Alzheimer’s.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): this is a type of scan which could be used most directly in psychology. This scan would be using string magnetic fields for aligning the spinning nuclei of atom in the body tissues, disturbing the arotarional axis of these nuclei and the radio frequency signal generated would be observed. By this process, MRI would be cresting a brain image. These have been used for studying various psychological phenomena such as identifying a person telling lie or identification of dream psychology.
• Electroencephalography (EEG): this is used for identifying psychological states in the brain such as drowsiness or alertness. It helps in diagnosis of seizures or different problems such as inactivity in some parts of the brain. EEG electrodes would be placed on face as well as scalp. The electric potential would be measured at each point. Depending on the state of the person, waking or sleeping, the signals would be obtained and interpreted.