The use of technology in
investigating cognitive
processes
What we’ll be doing
 3 studies
 Mosconi et al (2005)
 Clinton Kilts (2003)
 Read Montague
 You can also include Clive Wearing and HM in this topic
ALZHEIMERS DISEASE
 SO, WHAT EXACTLY IS ALZHEIMERS?
 Who does it affect?
 Can it be cured?
PET scans
 Cast your mind back to the Biological Level of Analysis
 What is a PET scan?
 What is it used for ?
 How does it work?
 (Remember Beatrice and Mann Chyi’s presentation?)
 Visit this website for an overview of how brain imaging
is used in dementia research.
 http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_
info.php?categoryID=200299&documentID=311&pageNu
mber=3
ALzheimers
 Dr Lisa Mosconi (read p86)
 PET scans can detect brain tumours or memory disorders
like Alzheimer’s.
 It identifies cellular level metabolic changes in an organ
or tissue.
Alzheimer’s
 New technology has enabled PET scanning to pick up
abnormalities related to Alzheimer’s even before the
patient has realized that there is something wrong.
 New York University School of Medicine
 Developed a brain-scan-based computer programme
that quickly and accurately measures metabolic activity
in the hippocampus.
Alzheimer’s
 In the early stages of Alzheimer’s,
PET scans (in collaboration with the
computer programme) show that
there is a reduction in brain
metabolism in the hippocampus.
Alzheimer’s longitudinal study
 Mosconi and colleagues (2005)
 In a longitudinal study at NYU school of medicine
 53 normal, healthy participants (9-24 years)
 People with reduced metabolism in the hippocampus
were more likely to go on to develop Alzheimer’s
disease.
Could you tell
the difference
between Coca
Cola and Pepsi
in a blind taste
test?
What is neuromarketing?
 Read ‘How the brain reveals why we buy’ and answer
these questions. Make detailed notes.
 1. What is neuromarketing?
 2. What were the findings of Kilt’s study?
 3. What is the Pepsi Paradox?
 4. What did Read Montague conclude after his
experiments?
 5. How was brain imaging important in both of these
studies?
 Now read p86 & 87 of the Course Companion and write
brief summaries of the 3 studies.
 Write a list of the strengths and weaknesses of the 3
studies.
 Do you think Neuromarketing will become a big
industry?
 Why or why not?
Stop Neuromarketing
 Some people aren’t too keen on the idea of
neuromarketing.