Cognitive Neuropsychology and Neuroimaging Techniques

1
Cognitive Neuropsychology and Neuroimaging
Techniques

• Danielle Osborne and Anthony Ryals
• Western Oregon University

2
Cognitive Neuropsychology
3
What is Neuropsychology?

• Traditionally defined, neuropsychology is the
  study of brain-behavior relationships.
• Pathology

4
What is Neuropsychology?

• Study of both healthy and damaged brain systems.
• Biological causes of behaviors
• From creative genius to mental illness
• Personality

Right-Hemisphere Stroke
5
Examples of Neurological diagnosis

• Dementias
• Alcohol and Drug Psychoses
• Mental Retardation
• Stroke
• Diseases of the CNS (Alzheimers, Huntingtons,
  Parkinsons, Multiple Sclerosis, Epilepsy)

Alzheimers Disease
6
Functional Brain Imaging
7
EEG (Electroencephalogram)

• EEG-Electroencephalogram
• electrodes placed on the scalp detect and measure
  patterns of electrical activity emanating from
  the brain.
• often combined with other imaging techniques

8
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

• Enhances or depresses activity in a specific
  area of the brain.
• The magnetic field produces electrical currents
  in tissue. Allows the stimulation of neurons
  during their refractory period.
• Studies in the treatment of depression

9
CAT (Computerized Axial Tomography

• Computer analysis of brain structure
• detection of tumors, brain aneurysms, or strokes
• An X-Ray!
• Cross sections, possibly of multiple angles

10
CAT Scan of Stroke
11
PET (Positron Emission Tomography)

• Labels specific drugs or natural body compounds
  like glucose with small amounts of radioactivity
• can show blood flow, oxygen and glucose
  metabolism, and drug concentrations in the
  tissues of the working brain

12
SPECT-Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography

• Similar to PET, uses radioactive tracers to
  construct two- or three-dimensional images of
  active brain regions.
• More limited than PET in the kinds of brain
  activity they can monitor.
• Much less expensive than PET
• Used in drug abuse research

13
SPECT

• Normal Brain Meth
  Brain

14
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

• It uses incredibly powerful magnets that can be
  tens of thousands of times more powerful than the
  Earths gravitational field.
• Computer Enhancement to give three dimensional
  images with exposure to radiation

15
MRI-Brain Cancer
16
fMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

• Demonstrates physical changes (as in blood flow)
  in the brain and mental functioning (performing
  cognitive tasks) over time.
• Can produce images of brain activity as fast as
  every second.
• Cutting-edge research.

17
(No Transcript)
18

MRI
fMRI