Summarize the major recording and imaging techniques used to study the brain. What will be an ...

An electroencephalograph (EEG) records the electrical activity of the brain using electrodes attached to the scalp. This provides a rather general measure of the brain's activity. A computed tomography (CT) scan uses a computer to measure X-rays that are passed through the brain at various angles. This provides a 3-dimensional view of the structures within the brain and can identify any irregularities. A positron emission tomography (PET) scan measures accumulation of radioactively labeled substances in the brain. The pattern of accumulation provides insight into which part of the brain is most active under certain conditions. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide detailed images of brain structures by examining signals emitted by atoms in the brain that have been disturbed by a strong magnetic force. A new type of MRI, functional MRI, provides information about the functions of brain structures.