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PSYC 207 > (3) brain basics > Flashcards

(3) brain basics Flashcards

1
Q

What is the difference between non-experimental and experimental methods?

A

Non-experimental:

  • positive & negative correlation research
  • no independent variable
  • problem: 3rd variable

Experimental:

  • independent variable affects change in dependent variable
  • causality: covariation of cause & effect
    • temporal precedence
    • no plausible alternative explanation
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2
Q

What are the different types of variables?

A
  • conceptual: resistant to direct measurements
  • measured
  • operational: directly measured
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3
Q

What is single blind?

A

participant doesn’t know

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4
Q

What is double blind?

A

participant & researcher don’t know

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5
Q

What is open label?

A

participant knows, due to ethical reasons

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6
Q

What are some basic features of the human brain?

A
  • 2-3% of body weight
  • uses disproportionately large amount: 15% of cardiac output, 20% of oxygen, 25% of glucose
  • larger in men than women
  • huge individual variation: no correlation w/ intelligence
  • composed of neurons, glia, stem cells & blood vessels
  • <100 billion neurons, more than half in cerebellum
  • consistency of soft tofu
  • convoluted (wrinkled): maximise cortex in skull (surface area)
  • cells not replaced
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7
Q

What are the variety of brains observed in nature?

A

mammals, birds, reptiles

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8
Q

What about our brain’s basic features is most clearly related to our intelligence?

A
  • disproportionately large compared to body weight
  • more neurons/cubic cm
  • intelligence correlates w/ sophistication of cellular connections
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9
Q

What are 2 types of cells in the nervous system?

A
  1. Neurons
    • communicate quickly, targeted
      • many types, but similar design
      • dendrite (input) → soma (cell body) → axon (signal) → terminals (neurotransmitters released)
  2. Glial Cells
    • scaffold for other cells
    • support roles
    • have receptors, transmitters
    • shape conditions at synapse
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10
Q

What are the 2 sub-types of neurons?

A
  1. Projection neurons
    • long axon
    • project from 1 brain area to another
  2. Interneurons
    • short axon
    • project locally
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11
Q

What are the 4 sub-types of glial cells?

A
  1. Astrocytes
    • blood-brain barrier
    • provide nutrients to neurons
    • maintain environment around neurons
  2. Microglia: detect bacterial cells
    • prime state: active searching of brain
  3. Schwann cell: myelinate single axon in PNS
  4. Oligodendrocyte: myelinate several axons in CNS
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12
Q

What is the difference between white matter and grey matter?

A
  • White matter: myelinated axons travelling from one place to another
  • Grey matter: cell bodies/unmyelinated neurons
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13
Q

How can white & grey matter be visualised?

A

fMRI scans & staining:

  • staining: take tissue & expose to dye, some cells absorb dye & some don’t
  • Fibre stained → white matter
  • Nissl-stained (cresyl violet) → grey matter
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14
Q

What are the divisions of the nervous systems?

A

SNS (sympathetic):

  • afferent: carry sensory info from body to brain
  • efferent: carry motor signals from brain to body
  • have conscious access to info

ANS (autonomic):

  • afferent: carry sensory info from organs to brain
  • efferent: carry motor signals from brain to organs
  • limited conscious access to info
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15
Q

What are the divisions of the brain?

A

Convolutions:

  • gyrus/gyri: outward fold
  • sulcus/sulci: inward fold

Nuclei: grey matter clusters under cortex

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16
Q

What are the divisions of the cortex?

A

Medulla

  • if drug is potentially lethal w/ overdose, b/c of effects on medulla
  • not functioning: affects heart & lungs

Hypothalamus

  • controls variety of behaviours
  • interaction area: b/w nervous & endocrine system

Limbic “system”

Nucleus accumbens (ventral striatum)

17
Q

Why is locating a single region for a single behaviour often impossible? Explain using an example.

A

Controlling voluntary movement (e.g. drinking water):

  • Prefrontal cortex: identify need & goals
    • identify thirst & throat is dry, goals to satisfy need
  • Premotor areas: turn intention into action, motor patterns
  • Motor cortex: send signals to muscle groups, to perform movement
  • Basal ganglia: learning habit, learning not to lift glass to fast & force to apply
  • Pons: axons travel thru
  • Cerebellum: sensory info from body, constant course correction, know where arm is, adjusting movement
18
Q

What are the 3 structures that support the brain, their respective functions and how they relate to a course on drugs?

A
  1. Cerebral blood flow
  2. Blood-brain barrier (BBB)
  3. Skull & meninges
19
Q

What is cerebral blood flow?

A
  • limited supply
    • 2 arteries in front: internal carolids
    • 2 arteries in back: vertebrals
    • brain gets blood from 4 arteries only
  • no redundancy: artery damaged/lost - no arteries can replace it
  • no reserves
    • no energy store
    • problem w/ blood flow, respiratory failure → brain tissue start dying in 3/4 mins
20
Q

What is the blood-brain barrier?

A

Capillaries in brain:

  • tightly packed:
    • no space b/w cells
    • astrocytes wrapped around
  • protects brain
  • active transport for large molecules
  • drugs that cross BBB better work better
21
Q

What is the skull & meninges?

A
  • primarily protection for brain

Meninges:

  • dura mater: outermost, thickest tough layer
  • arachnoid mater/membrane: intermediate layer, not visible
  • pia mater: thinnest layer

Ventricles & cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

  • support, protection, nutrition
  • acting as an airbag
22
Q

What is the central dogma of molecular biology?

A

Genes: sequences of DNA that control/partially control variable characteristics
- cell nucleus contains 46 chromosomes (made of DNA)

Polymorphisms: difference in genes, lead to differences in protein & protein’s function

Transcriptions: process of genes transcribing into mRNA then protein

Epigenetics: things that get passed on b/w generations, but not in DNA

  • living w/ chronic stress
  • affects DNA

Neurogenetics: studying genes related to nervous system development & function

23
Q

What is a genetically modified organism? Why would such knowledge be beneficial in a class on drugs, brain, society?

A

Transgenic animals: has content not naturally in species

Knockout animals: removing gene & protein from animal

Conditional knockout mice:
1. raised normally
2. diet w/ special molecule: have thing that can be turned off/on based on chemical in diet

24
Q

How is a pharmacology experiment designed? (1)

A

clinical drug study:

  • independent variable - dose
    • placebo as control, animals
  • treatment arms: different levels/amounts of independent variable
  • blinded procedures: single blind, double blind, open label
25
Q

How is a pharmacology experiment designed? (2)

A

animal models for research:

  • psychopharmacological research:
    • understand basic mechanisms, genetics, etc.
    • no viable alternatives
    • high predictive value
    • have protections in place (CCAC, ACC)
26
Q

How is a pharmacology experiment designed? (3)

A

human research:

  • ethical considerations must be made
    • federally mandated committees review human research proposals
    • informed consent

PSYC 207 (12 decks)

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