Which data collection method is noninvasive and records electrical activity from the scalp?

Which data collection method is noninvasive and records electrical activity from the scalp?

• A. fMRI
• B. EEG
• C. PET
• D. Transcranial magnetic stimulation

Answer: (B)

Recording the brain's electrical activity noninvasively with electrodes on the scalp is what EEG does. The method detects voltage fluctuations produced by synchronized activity of large groups of neurons, especially in the cortex, by placing electrodes on the scalp and no surgery is involved. Compared to other techniques, functional MRI tracks blood flow changes rather than direct electrical signals, PET measures metabolic activity with radioactive tracers, and transcranial magnetic stimulation is used to stimulate neurons rather than record electrical activity. EEG provides excellent temporal resolution, capturing fast neural dynamics, though its spatial precision is more limited due to how electrical signals diffuse through the skull and scalp.

Recording the brain's electrical activity noninvasively with electrodes on the scalp is what EEG does. The method detects voltage fluctuations produced by synchronized activity of large groups of neurons, especially in the cortex, by placing electrodes on the scalp and no surgery is involved. Compared to other techniques, functional MRI tracks blood flow changes rather than direct electrical signals, PET measures metabolic activity with radioactive tracers, and transcranial magnetic stimulation is used to stimulate neurons rather than record electrical activity. EEG provides excellent temporal resolution, capturing fast neural dynamics, though its spatial precision is more limited due to how electrical signals diffuse through the skull and scalp.