Module 5

Hypothalamus

a neural structure lying below the thalamus; directs eating, drinking, body temperature; helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion

EEG

electroencephalogram, measures electrical activity of the brain, as recorded from electrodes on the scalp; most useful for tracking moment-to-moment changes in the activity of different areas of the brain

PET scan

(Positron emission tomography) low resolution scan of brain activity produced by tracking the glucose; most useful for comparing the broad pattern of brain activity during different cognitive tasks RADIOACTIVE

CT scan

(computed tomography scan) low resolution scan of the brain structure, produced by combining multiple x-rays from different directions; most useful for detecting brain tumors and strokes

fMRI scan

(functional magnetic resonance imaging) high resolution scan of brain activity produced by tracking the flow of oxygen; most useful for identifying the specific brain regions that are most active during different cognitive tasks

MRI scan

(magnetic resonance imaging) high resolution scan of brain structure produced by using radio waves to disrupt magnetically aligned atoms in the brain; most useful for detecting small abnormalities in brain tissue

MEG scan

(magnetoencephalography) high resolution scan of brain activity produced by measuring magnetic fields generated by electrical activity of the brain; useful for tracking moment-to-moment activity changes in small areas of the brain