1.1 Introduction to Neuroscience Flashcards
Matches Med Sci II Lecture 1
Biological systems operate under what conditions?
Closed loop conditions
Usually but not always negative feedback systems
First part of the process
Environment is sensed by the biological system
Second part of the process
Transduced in to the NS
- Sensory processing happens and informations from multiple sensors is integrated
Third part of the process
After sensory processing etc it is transformed into signals to drive effectors
What activates effectors (motor activity)?
Activated by biological system
What happens when effectors are activated
causes the state of the environment to change and this change is feedback in to the system and the cycle repeats
What does coordination require
integration of many systems and continuous adjustment (parallel information processing occurs for even simple tasks)
What protects the brain
skull
what protects the spinal cord
backbone
What is CSF
cerebrospinal fluid that the brain and spinal cord are bathed in
Separated from general vascular system by blood-CSF barrier
rostral
towards the nose
caudal
towards the tail
dorsal
towards the back
ventral
towards the belly
superior
upper
inferior
lower
horizontal plane
x-y
coronal plane
y-z
sagittal plane
x-z
Sulci
grooves which define the borders between the brain lobes
Gyri
elevated areas which define the borders between the brain lobes
Why high degree of folding in the brain?
increases the SA so increases the computing power which results in ventricles full of CSF
How is the cerebral cortex organised
it is organised in distinct layers
what does each layer in the cerebral cortex consist of
each contains a characteristic distribution of neuronal cell types and connections with other cortical and subcortical regions
Golgi stain
marks only a few cells completely
Nissel
marks mostly only cell bodies
Weigert
Mark processes but not cell bodies
What reflects the different functions of the brain
the specific distribution of the 6 layers (cytoarchitecture) which vary in different areas of the cortex
What did Brodmann do
Used biochemical staining methods to distinguish different functional areas
Projection neurons
excitatory (glutamate)
Local interneurons
inhibitory (GABA)
How to keep balance between excitation
employing a huge no of local interneurons and mediated by projection neurons such as the pyramidal cells and inhibition.
what causes epileptic seizures
if inhibitory interneurons were overpowered by the excitatory neurons in certain areas foci of local over-excitation
Problem that can pccur during hypoxia which is similar to seizures
if insufficient oxygen is supplied, smaller neurons die first
