2.1 The Brain and the Nervous System Flashcards
Name the various parts of the nervous system and their respective functions
The nervous system is divided into CNS (Central) and Peripheral.
The central contains the brain and spinal cord.
The peripheral Nervous system is broken down into two more systems, Somatic and Autonomic.
Somatic contains the sensory and motor nerves. Controls our voluntary movements.
Autonomic controls breathing, heart breathing (more self regulated and you don’t have to worry about these)
Autonomic is broken into two more systems. It contains sympathetic(arousing) and parasympathetic(calming)
How neurons communicate with each other?
through electrical and chemical signs.
Identify the location and function of the limbic system
Limbic system sets are the top of the brain stem and is a collection of highly specialized neural structures that help regulate our emotions
Articulate how the primary motor cortex is an example of brain region specialization
The motor cortex is an area in the front lobe that is in charge of voluntary movements. Each part of our bodies has an area within the motor cortex completely devoted to it.
Name at least three neuroimaging techniques and describe how they work
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) - records metabolic activity in the brain by detecting he amount of radioactive substance
Function Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FMRI) relies on bloody flow and measures the changes in levels of oxygen in the blood.
Electroencephalography (EEG)
Measures electrical brain activity instead of blood flow.
What is Cerebellum?
The distinctive structure at the back of the brain, Latin for “small brain.”
What is Axon?
Carries impulses away from the body and onto another neuron.
Part of the neuron that extends off the soma, splitting several times to connect with other neurons; main output of the neuron.
What is Contralateral?
Literally “opposite side”; used to refer to the fact that the two hemispheres of the brain process sensory information and motor commands for the opposite side of the body (e.g., the left hemisphere controls the right side of the body).
What is Broca’s area?
Hint: think language
An area in the frontal lobe of the left hemisphere. Implicated in language production.
Dendrites
Part of a neuron that extends away from the cell body and is the main input to the neuron.
What is Cerebellum?
The distinctive structure at the back of the brain, Latin for “small brain.”
What is Cerebrum?
Usually refers to the cerebral cortex and associated white matter, but in some texts includes the subcortical structures.
What is the Frontal Lobe?
The front most (anterior) part of the cerebrum; anterior to the central sulcus and responsible for motor output and planning, language, judgment, and decision-making.
Corpus Callosum
Hint: connects
The thick bundle of nerve cells that connect the two hemispheres of the brain and allow them to communicate.
Dendrites
Receive input from other neurons.
Part of a neuron that extends away from the cell body and is the main input to the neuron.
Myelin Sheath
Fatty tissue, that insulates the axons of the neurons; myelin is necessary for normal conduction of electrical impulses among neurons.
What is the Nervous System?
The body’s network for electrochemical communication. This system includes all the nerves cells in the body.
What are Neurons?
Individual Brain cells
What are Neurotransmitters?
Chemical substance released by the presynaptic terminal button that acts on the postsynaptic cell.
Occipital Lobe
The back most (posterior) part of the cerebrum; involved in vision.
Myelin Sheath
Fatty tissue, that insulates the axons of the neurons; myelin is necessary for normal conduction of electrical impulses among neurons.
Think of this as the plastic coating around your iPhone cord.
Peripheral nervous System
All of the nerve cells that connect the central nervous system to all the other parts of the body.
What does PET standoff and what is it?
Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
A neuroimaging technique that measures brain activity by detecting the presence of a radioactive substance in the brain that is initially injected into the bloodstream and then pulled in by active brain tissue.
Soma
Cell body of a neuron that contains the nucleus and genetic information, and directs protein synthesis.
Spatial Resolution
A term that refers to how small the elements of an image are; high spatial resolution means the device or technique can resolve very small elements; in neuroscience it describes how small of a structure in the brain can be imaged.
Split Brain Patient
A patient who has had most or all of his or her corpus callosum severed.
Synapses
Junction between the presynaptic terminal button of one neuron and the dendrite, axon, or soma of another postsynaptic neuron.
Synaptic Gap
Also known as the synaptic cleft; the small space between the presynaptic terminal button and the postsynaptic dendritic spine, axon, or soma.
Soma
Where decisions are made. Decides if they will pass information to another neuron.
Cell body of a neuron that contains the nucleus and genetic information, and directs protein synthesis.
Temporal Resolution
A term that refers to how small a unit of time can be measured; high temporal resolution means capable of resolving very small units of time; in neuroscience it describes how precisely in time a process can be measured in the brain.
What is afferent mean and how is it different from efferent?
Carries information from our body to our brain. (fingers to the brain)
Efferent goes from the brain to the body (brain to fingers)
Synapses
The space between neurons and where neurotransmitters go from one neuron to another.
Junction between the presynaptic terminal button of one neuron and the dendrite, axon, or soma of another postsynaptic neuron.
