All too often people ask Why Files staffers if we have anything between our ears. (We
usually answer yes, by the way. What else can explain the rattling sound?) Most folks know
that CT scans or MRIs can be used to
generate impressive images of brain structures, but they do little to show what is actually
taking place in the brain. Position Emission Tomography (PET) fills this gap.
PET scans are accomplished by administering a small quantity of radioactive material to a patient. This material emits photons that can be detected by the PET scan machine. By tracing where the radioactive material travels in the brain (notice how parts of the brain are brighter than others), it is possible for scientists to learn which areas of the brain are active at any given time.
By using PET scan technology, scientists have been able to show that many simple motor functions are controlled in localized portions of the brain's cortical areas called "domains." Meanwhile, complex processes like memory and language take place in overlapping areas of the brain.
Beyond offering The Why Files staff an opportunity to prove to people that we're actually using our brains, PET scans are proving to be very useful in helping scientists learn more about debilitating neurological diseases like Parkinson's and schizophrenia.
Courtesy The Whole Brain Atlas.
