8.1 Cortical function Flashcards

1
Q

Where are most inputs to the cortex from?

A

Thalamus and other cortical areas

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2
Q

Where are most outputs from the cortex to?

A

Pyramidal cells

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3
Q

What are some characteristics of pyramidal cells?

A

Have dense dendritic trees with many synapses

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4
Q

What happens between the input and output

A

Information is processed in the complex synaptic network between input and outputs

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5
Q

What are the frontal lobe functions?

A
Motor 
Expression of speech
Behavioural regulation/judgement
Cognition 
Eye movements
Continence
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6
Q

What is the main function of the frontal lobe?

A

Motor

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7
Q

Where is the expression of speech mainly found?

A

Left hemisphere

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8
Q

What can happen in a lesion of frontal lobe?

A

Can lose impulse control

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9
Q

What is an everyday example of frontal lobe syndrome, and what other lobe does it affect?

A

Drunk- disinhibition

Cerebellum- balance and movement

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10
Q

What are the functions of the parietal lobe?

A
Sensory
Comprehension of speech
Body image
Awareness of external environment
Calculation and writing
Visual pathways projecting through the white matter
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11
Q

What is the main function go the parietal lobe?

A

Sensory

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12
Q

Where is the control of comprehension of speech usually found?

A

Left hemisphere

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13
Q

Where is the control of body image usually found?

A

Right

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14
Q

What is the name of one of the pathologies of parietal lobe damage?

A

Neglect

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15
Q

What is neglect?

A

When one is able to see the left side but unable to acknowledge it

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16
Q

Which visual pathway projects through the parietal lobe?

A

Superior optic radiation

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17
Q

What are the functions of the temporal lobes?

A
Hearing
Olfaction
Memory
Emotion
Visual pathways projecting through white matter
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18
Q

Which part of the temporal lobe is associated with hearing

A

Primary auditory cortex at superior temporal lobe

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19
Q

Which part of the temporal lobe is associated with olfaction?

A

Primary olfactory cortex at medial temporal lobe

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20
Q

Which functions of the temporal lobe are closely related?

A

Olfaction, memory and emotion

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21
Q

What else does the temporal lobe contain in terms of spatial recognition?

A

Contains map of the world according to us, including boundary cells to stop us from walking into walls etc

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22
Q

What is a symptom of temporal lobe epilepsy?

A

De Ja Vu

23
Q

Which visual pathway runs through the temporal lobe?

A

Inferiori optic radiation

24
Q

What is the concept of cerebral ‘dominance’? What can it be known as instead?

A

The different hemispheres have different main functions

Could be known as cerebral lateralisation

25
Q

What is the left hemisphere focused on?

A

Language

Mathematics/logic

26
Q

What is the right hemisphere focused on?

A

Body image
Visuospatial awareness
Emotion
Music

27
Q

Why can the left spatial side be more affected with relation to cerebral dominance?

A

Left hemisphere deals with right sequential processing
Right side deals with left and right side
So loss of one of the hemispheres, the right is being processed by both sides

28
Q

What is the blood supply to the corpus callosum?

A

Anterior cerebral artery

29
Q

What is the result of damage to the corpus callosum?

A

Alien hand syndrome
Right hemisphere doesn’t know what left hemisphere is doing
Vice versa

30
Q

Where are the language pathways found primarily?

A

In dominant left hemisphere

31
Q

Name two of the language centres of the left hemisphere

A

Broca’s area

Wernicke’s area

32
Q

What connects the two language centres?

A

Arcuate fasciculus

33
Q

Where is Broca’s area found? What does it sit close to?

A

Inferior lateral frontal lobe, sitting v close to pre central gyrus (movement)

34
Q

What is the function go Broca’s area?

A

Production of speech

35
Q

Where is Wernicke’s area found? What does it sit close to?

A

Superior temporal lobe, sitting close to the primary auditory cortex

36
Q

What is the function of Wernicke’s area?

A

Interpretation of language

37
Q

Describe the pathway for repeating a heard word. And what happens at Wernicke’s and Broca’s area?

A

Heard word –> Primary auditory cortex –> Wernicke’s area converts vibrations from cochlea to language–> arcuate fasciculus–>Broca’s are–> Precentral gyrus that makes larynx, pharynx and tongue move

38
Q

Describe the pathway for repeating a written word. And what happens at Wernicke’s and Broca’s area?

A

Reading = visual cortex (occipital)–> Wernickes area that converts patterns of lines to language –> arcuate fasciculus–>Broca’s area–> Precentral gyrus that moves the mouth

39
Q

Describe the pathway for speaking a thought.

A

Input from all over the cortex–> Wernickes–? arcuate fasciculus–> Broca’s–> Precentral

40
Q

What are the symptoms of Wernicke’s aphasia?

A

Fluent gibberish
Not able to comprehend
Cheerful

41
Q

What are the symptoms of Broca’s aphasia?

A

Trouble speaking
Unable to make words easily
Able to comprehend what is being said
Distressing as they are unable to speak

42
Q

What are the types of memory?

A

Declaritive/Explicit

Non-declaritive/Implicit

43
Q

What is included in declarative/explicit memory?

A

Facts

44
Q

What is included in non-declarative/implicit memory?

A

Motor skills and emotions

45
Q

Where are memories stored?

A

All over the brain, in a global pattern

46
Q

Where are explicit memories stored?

A

Cerebral hemispheres

47
Q

Where are implicit memories stored?

A

Cerebellum and basal ganglia

48
Q

Describe learning to do a habit e.g. cycling in terms of brain parts involved

A

Using primary motor cortex and sensory cortex when learning and once learnt transferred to cerebellum doe thoughtless action

49
Q

What are the 2 types of memory stores?

A

Short term and long term

50
Q

How is short term memory converted to long term memory?

A

Consolidation

51
Q

What does consolidation depend on?

A

Emotional content
Rehearsal
Association

52
Q

Which part of the brain is crucial for consolidation? Which memories in particular?

A
Hippocampus 
Particularly declarative (explicit)
53
Q

What does the hippocampus do with all the inputs, and where do these inputs come from?

A

From all over the brain: visual. auditory, somatosensory, limbic etc
Takes these inputs and makes associations

54
Q

What is neuroplasticity and what does it involve?

A

The molecular and cellular mechanism of memory

Involves the strengthening go synaptic connections