Fluent Essays

Need two replies 300 words each. Kathleen Vanderpool ThursdayAug 5 at 9:31am Manage Discussion Entry The method I believe to be the most useful for examining the relationship between biology and behavior was a difficult question for me to answer as I was debating between PET or fMRI. After reading the required sources for this week, I have started to lean more towards PET (positron emission tomography). PET produces very detailed images that give a lot of information (Wilson, 2013). How information is gathered when using PET is by placing a device that will send the information it gathers to a computer for the images around the patient’s head (Wilson, 2013). The information gathered is gathered while the patients perform different tasks, and the device picks up on the certain areas of the brain that become more active by sensing the increase of blood flow in those areas (Wilson, 2013). Due to the detailed images produced by the device used in PET, a lot of information is gathered in studies using the technique (Wilson, 2013). While PET seems like the perfect technique to examine the relationship between biology and behavior, parts to PET make other techniques such as fMRI a competitor. First, fMRI and PET images are similar, meaning that you do not need PET for strong images (Wilson, 2013). Second, PET being so effective and what it requires results in the technique being quite expensive, unlike fMRI (Wilson, 2013). Third, PET comes with health risks, and the technique can only be done one time to avoid problems with radiation, unlike fMRI, which can be done multiple times (Wilson, 2013). For this reason, PET is best as an initial diagnosis instead of ongoing patient management. Based on information from the DSM-5 and what I have learned from this weeks material, trauma and stressor-related disorders could be studied with PET. Trauma and stressor-related disorders involve individuals who experienced traumatic or stressful events (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). The ability to see detailed images of the patient’s brain when performing tasks that may trigger stress or trauma can provide many answers and a lot of information. That information can be the answer to better help for the patient.  Knowledge of neuroscience investigational methods would assist in a career that uses a degree in psychology because it would provide another method to gain information from a patient that can result in the best help for them. I plan to work for active duty and veteran soldiers. Often, I see soldiers given a quick fix or something that is “just for now” instead of long-term help. This is usually the result of limited information. With more information, these patients could be given better help for longer. References American Psychiatric Association, (2013). Section ll: Trauma-and Stressor-Related Disorders. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental health disorders: DSM-5 (5th ed.). Retrieved from: https://dsm-psychiatryonline-org.proxy-library.ashford.edu/doi/full/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596.dsm07 Wilson, J. F. (2013). Biological basis of behavior. Bridgepoint Education. Aaron Karson ThursdayAug 5 at 2:06pm Manage Discussion Entry Select one method you think is the most powerful or useful for examining the relationship between biology and behavior The method I think is most powerful for examining the relationship between biology and behavior is the fMRI. The fMRI is known as functional magnetic resonance imaging. The fMRI takes pictures of the brain every two seconds while tracking the blood flow in the brain during increased neural activity (Bookheimer, 2007). During the fMRI, there are rest periods, controlled tasks, or active tasks. Bookheimer (2007) states, “active tasks consist of speaking, moving, or associating names with faces.  Would this method be best used for basic research, initial diagnosis of a clinical condition, ongoing patient management, or a combination of these analytic practices? The methods that would best be used for an fMRI are the combination of the analytical practices. I think this because if basic research was being conducted, the doctor could understand what brain regions are activated when researching how quickly people learn, a mental health disorder, motion, etc. If there were a clinal diagnosis, the fMRI would discover which areas of the brain were affected. If the patient had a stroke, the fMRI could keep track of the blood flow with ongoing patient management. After receiving treatment, imaging would be able to tell if the patient was improving in specific areas. What part of the nervous system (anatomical structure, function, cellular chemistry and function) would most likely be studied using this method? I think the function would be studied using this method. The reason is that the fMRI would show which parts of the brain are activated using a specific task.  What behavioral health or neurological condition could be studied by this method A few disorders can be studied with the fMRI. Torrents, ADHD, stokes, and insomnia, to name a few, can all be reviewed by this method. Kim et al. (2021) state, “during the insomnia experiment, a sentence task was developed to be shown during fMRI assessed to a valence test prior” (p. 7).  Describe how knowledge of neuroscience investigational methods would assist someone in a career that uses a degree in psychology. Neuroscience investigational methods would help someone in a career that uses a degree in psychology by understanding the brain’s emotions, behaviors, and structures. My minor is in marketing, and there are a lot of psychological aspects that account for marketing. The most significant factor in marketing is consumer behavior. The marketer must understand the beliefs, perceptions, motivations, and learning features of the consumers. The better the marketer understands the target market, the better the marketing strategy.  References Bookheimer, S. (Writer), Harrigan, J. (Director), & Crosstown Productions, Davidson Films (Producers). (2007). Discovering the human brain: New pathways to neuroscience, with Susan Bookheimer, Ph.D [Streaming video]. Retrieved from Films on Demand database. Kim, Y.-B., Kim, N., Lee, J. J., Cho, S.-E., Na, K.-S., & Kang, S.-G. (2021). Brain reactivity using fMRI to insomnia stimuli in insomnia patients with discrepancy between subjective and objective sleep. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 1–10. https://doi-org.proxy-library.ashford.edu/10.1038/s41598-021-81219-2