Teaching With the Brain in Mind

FIGURE 1.1
Brain Imaging Technology
(Includes PET, fMRI, and CAT scans)
Copyright © 1989–97 by Techpool Studios, Inc., USA.
Animals
Lab experiments with rats, dogs, cats, slugs, apes,
and other animals provide a rich source of information
about how similar brains work. For example,
we have learned much about the role of
enriched environments from studying rat brains.
Computerized Electrodes
The electroencephalogram (EEG) gives us readings
about the electrical output of the brain. Magnetoencephalography
(MEG) uses high-tech sensors
that are super-cooled, liquid-helium, and superconductive
to locate faint magnetic fields that are
generated by the brain’s neural networks. They’ve
been used to detect brainwave patterns and abnormal
cerebral functions such as seizures or dementia.
These tools also can help us track, for example,
3
how much brain activity occurs during problem
solving (see fig. 1.2).
Clinical Studies
We can learn much using human volunteers, often
from university psychology classes. For example,
flashing slides at high speeds can tell us about
reaction times of the visual system. We’ve learned a
great deal about what is “nature” and what is “nurture”
from studies of twins.
PET
The New Winds of Change
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is an imaging
device. The process of PET begins when a sub-
FIGURE 1.2
Common Electrode Placements for EEG
(Electroencephalogram)
These readings give information about where in the
brain electrical activity is taking place.
Copyright © 1989–97 by Techpool Studios, Inc., USA.