Relationship between the brain and behavior Essay Example
There are several methods by which relationship between the brain and behavior could be studied. These are especially usually in individuals who have suffered brain damage due to trauma or are affected with a particular disease. There are two main categories by which the brain/behavior relationship can be studied, which include: - manipulation and measurement techniques (Bozart, 2001 & Godefroy et al, 1998). In manipulation, two methods exist, namely stimulation and inhibition.
In stimulation, certain areas of the brain are stimulated, and the behavior is studied for any changes. Stimulation can either be performed by electrical methods (in which current is supplied through electrodes) or by chemical methods (in which tiny quantities of neurotransmitters are injected into specific areas in the brain). In inhibition, certain areas of the brain are disrupted and the behavior is studied for any alterations. This can be conducted using
...reversible techniques or irreversible techniques (Bozart, 2001).
In measurement, three methods exist, namely electrophysiological, neurochemical and neuroimaging techniques. In electrophysiological, the electrical activity related to behavior is determined by studying changes in a single neuron or a group of neurons. Another technique is the electroencephalogram (EEG) in which the low frequency electrical activity that occurs in various parts of the brain is studied. Neurochemical studies involve studying the neurotransmitters in various parts of the brain (it and can be performed following death or when the subject is alive).
Neuroimaging involves studying the functional activity of various parts of the brain using various imaging techniques such as radio-labeled isotopes, CT scans, MRI scans, PET scans, functional MRI scans, etc (Bozart, 2001). I do feel that the neuroimaging techniques are the most effective and reliable methods
of studying the relationship between brain and behavior. Radio-labeled isotope studies can be utilized to study the presence and distribution of almost any substance in the brain.
CT scans can be utilized to study almost any structural lesion and relate it to the behavior. MRI scans provide a detailed description of the brain, much clearer than CT scans. Functional MRI scans helps to study the metabolism in various parts of the brain and relate to the behavior. However, it should be noted that neuroimaging techniques do not provide all the details, and hence the findings of these tests have to be often be coupled with the findings of other tests such as EEG, neurochemical studies, etc (Bozart, 2001 & Godefroy et al, 1998).
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