Brain Imaging Technologies in Research of Biological Factors and Behavior
Brain Imaging Technologies in Research of Biological Factors and Behavior
Within the biological level of analysis there are many different technologies used when investigating the relationship between biological factors and behavior. There are five main technologies, however, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are the most common ones. These are based on the fact that when the body is exposed to a magnetic field, the protons in the body fluids change their alignment. From the scan scientists get a 3-D picture of the brain, showing which part of the brain that is active at that very moment and this can be incredibly helpful in researches investigating the connection of localization and function. The fMRI is more flexible than the MRI because it can produce dynamic images rather than static ones. Brain imaging techniques have been incredibly important when it has come to our understanding of brain injuries related to behavior. Without them basics like providing the right treatment to patients wouldn’t be possible. Research on illnesses like Alzheimer's and schizophrenia wouldn’t have come this far as they have today. Or just the simplest method of locating a tumor and saving someone's life couldn’t be done without the modern techniques we are using today. In a recent study investigating the effects of meditation on the brain (Brefczynski-Lewis 2007) they used fMRI scans and without them the study wouldn’t have been published as precise as they were. The study included a number of individuals where half of them were Asian monks and the other half was Caucasian participants that had an interest in meditation. Both groups were asked to concentrate on a dot on a screen while different distractions were presented to them. Results, based on the fMRI scans, showed that the attention-related networks in the brain and the visual cortex were more active during meditation than rest periods. Also the monks showed less
Within the biological level of analysis there are many different technologies used when investigating the relationship between biological factors and behavior. There are five main technologies, however, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are the most common ones. These are based on the fact that when the body is exposed to a magnetic field, the protons in the body fluids change their alignment. From the scan scientists get a 3-D picture of the brain, showing which part of the brain that is active at that very moment and this can be incredibly helpful in researches investigating the connection of localization and function. The fMRI is more flexible than the MRI because it can produce dynamic images rather than static ones. Brain imaging techniques have been incredibly important when it has come to our understanding of brain injuries related to behavior. Without them basics like providing the right treatment to patients wouldn’t be possible. Research on illnesses like Alzheimer's and schizophrenia wouldn’t have come this far as they have today. Or just the simplest method of locating a tumor and saving someone's life couldn’t be done without the modern techniques we are using today. In a recent study investigating the effects of meditation on the brain (Brefczynski-Lewis 2007) they used fMRI scans and without them the study wouldn’t have been published as precise as they were. The study included a number of individuals where half of them were Asian monks and the other half was Caucasian participants that had an interest in meditation. Both groups were asked to concentrate on a dot on a screen while different distractions were presented to them. Results, based on the fMRI scans, showed that the attention-related networks in the brain and the visual cortex were more active during meditation than rest periods. Also the monks showed less