bbh203 Flashcards
What are postsynaptic potentials (PSPs)?
Types of PSPs include:
* Excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs)
* Inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs)
PSPs are changes in the membrane potential of a postsynaptic neuron due to neurotransmitter binding.
What is spatial summation?
Spatial summation involves several presynaptic sources contributing to the postsynaptic potential
It integrates multiple signals from different neurons.
What is temporal summation?
Temporal summation involves the only presynaptic source contributing to the postsynaptic potential
It integrates signals over time from a single neuron.
What are ionotropic receptors?
Ionotropic receptors mediate an instant (or very fast) response
They directly control the flow of ions across the membrane.
What are metabotropic receptors?
Metabotropic receptors mediate a measured (slower) response
They often activate second messenger systems.
What are the three mechanisms for terminating neurotransmission?
The three mechanisms are:
* Diffusion
* Reuptake
* Enzymatic degradation
These mechanisms prevent disorders that could arise if neurotransmission were unregulated.
Define pharmacology.
Pharmacology is the study of drugs and their effects on the body
It encompasses various branches including neuropharmacology and psychopharmacology.
What is a psychoactive drug?
A psychoactive drug is a substance that affects mood, perception, or consciousness
These drugs can alter brain function and behavior.
What is an agonist?
An agonist is a ligand that mimics neurotransmitters at their receptors
It activates the receptor to produce a biological response.
What is an antagonist?
An antagonist is a ligand that blocks neurotransmitters from binding to their receptors
It inhibits the receptor’s biological response.
What is an allosteric modulator?
An allosteric modulator binds to an alternate receptor site to manipulate receptor function
It can enhance or inhibit the receptor’s response to the primary ligand.
What is pharmacodynamics?
Pharmacodynamics refers to the effects of a drug on the body, including:
* Efficacy
* Binding affinity
It examines how drugs interact with their targets.
What is pharmacokinetics?
Pharmacokinetics is the study of how the body absorbs, distributes, metabolizes, and excretes drugs
It focuses on the time course of drug action.
What is metabolic tolerance?
Metabolic tolerance affects how well drugs move through your body
It can alter the metabolism of drugs, affecting their efficacy.
What is functional tolerance?
Functional tolerance affects the frequency of postsynaptic receptor expression
It may result from prolonged drug use leading to receptor adjustments.
What is cross-tolerance?
Cross-tolerance occurs when tolerance to one drug results in tolerance to another drug
This often happens with drugs that act on the same receptor system.
What is the ectoderm?
The ectoderm is the outermost layer of the gastrula from which the nervous system develops
It gives rise to the brain and spinal cord.
What does the notochord do?
The notochord induces the formation of the neural plate
It is essential for the development of the nervous system.
What are the primary vesicles of the neural tube?
The primary vesicles are:
* Prosencephalon
* Mesencephalon
* Rhombencephalon
These vesicles further develop into brain structures.
What are the secondary vesicles of the neural tube?
The secondary vesicles are:
* Telencephalon
* Diencephalon
* Mesencephalon
* Metencephalon
* Myelencephalon
Each corresponds to specific brain regions.
What is anencephaly?
Anencephaly is a condition characterized by the absence of a major portion of the brain
It results from improper neural tube closure during development.
What are fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs)?
FASDs are a range of effects that can occur in an individual whose mother consumed alcohol during pregnancy
These can include physical, behavioral, and learning problems.
What is autism spectrum disorder (ASD)?
ASD is a developmental disorder characterized by challenges with social interaction and communication
It has various etiologies and comorbidities.
Define neurogenesis.
Neurogenesis is the process by which new neurons are formed in the brain
It involves neural stem cells and plays a crucial role in brain development.
What are cell adhesion molecules (CAMs)?
CAMs guide neuronal and glial migration
They help cells adhere to each other and navigate during development.
What is synaptogenesis?
Synaptogenesis is the formation of synapses between neurons
It involves growth cones, filopodia, and various signaling molecules.
What is apoptosis?
Apoptosis is the process of programmed cell death
It is crucial for eliminating unnecessary or damaged cells during development.
What are neurotrophic factors?
Neurotrophic factors are proteins that promote the growth and survival of neurons
They play a vital role in neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity.
What is the difference between somatic nociceptive pain and visceral nociceptive pain?
Somatic nociceptive pain arises from skin or musculoskeletal tissue, while visceral nociceptive pain originates from internal organs
They differ in source and sensation.
What is mechanosensation?
Mechanosensation is the sensory perception of mechanical stimuli, such as pressure or vibration
It is crucial for touch and proprioception.
What does thermoreception refer to?
Thermoreception refers to the sensory perception of temperature
It allows organisms to detect changes in environmental temperature.
What is nociception?
Nociception is the sensory perception of pain
It involves specific receptors that respond to harmful stimuli.
What are the four types of cutaneous somatosensory receptors?
The four types are:
* Merkel’s discs
* Meissner corpuscles
* Ruffini’s endings
* Pacinian corpuscles
Each type responds to different stimuli.
What does the dorsal column-medial lemniscus (DCML) pathway transmit?
The DCML pathway transmits conscious proprioception, vibration, and fine touch
It decussates in the medulla.
What does the anterolateral system (ALS) transmit?
The ALS transmits nociception, thermoreception, and crude touch
It decussates in the spinal cord.
What is the homunculus?
The homunculus is a representation of the body in the brain, showing the sensory and motor areas
It illustrates the somatotopic organization.
What is presbycusis?
Presbycusis is age-related hearing loss
It affects the ability to hear high frequencies.
What is tonotopy?
Tonotopy is the spatial arrangement of where sounds of different frequency are processed in the cochlea
High-frequency sounds are processed at the base, while low-frequency sounds are processed at the apex.
What is the function of the cochlea?
The cochlea converts sound vibrations into neural signals
It is filled with fluid and bounded by the oval and round windows.
What is the role of the inner hair cells in the cochlea?
Inner hair cells initiate hearing signals by transducing sound
They are crucial for auditory perception.
What is the difference between conductive hearing loss and sensorineural hearing loss?
Conductive hearing loss involves impaired sound propagation through the outer or middle ear, while sensorineural hearing loss involves inner ear dysfunction
Central hearing loss is another category that involves the brain.
What does the retinotopic organization refer to?
Retinotopic organization refers to the spatial mapping of visual information from the retina to the brain
It preserves the spatial arrangement of visual stimuli.
What is the geniculostriate pathway responsible for?
The geniculostriate pathway generates conscious sight
It relays visual information from the retina to the visual cortex.
What is visual agnosia?
Visual agnosia is the inability to recognize objects despite normal vision
It stems from damage to the ventral stream.
What is prosopagnosia?
Prosopagnosia is the inability to recognize faces
It is a specific type of visual agnosia affecting social interactions.
What is Capgras delusion?
Capgras delusion is the belief that a familiar person has been replaced by an imposter
It involves a disconnect between recognition and emotional response.
What is the significance of a sensory receptor’s receptive field?
The receptive field determines the area from which a sensory receptor can receive stimuli
Sensitivity can vary within a receptive field, and fields can overlap.
What is the process of phototransduction?
Phototransduction is the conversion of light into electrical signals in the retina
It is primarily carried out by rods and cones.
What forms the optic nerves in the visual system?
The confluence of the axons from rods and cones
Rods and cones are the photoreceptor cells in the retina responsible for converting light into neural signals.
What is the trajectory of the geniculostriate pathway?
It partially decussates, carrying visual information from the contralateral visual field posterior to the decussation
The geniculostriate pathway is a major visual pathway that transmits visual information from the retina to the primary visual cortex.
How does the right eye’s perception relate to the right visual field?
The right eye sees information from both the right and left visual fields, but the right visual field is defined as the area seen by the right eye
This distinction is analogous to how the right ear hears sounds from both sides, but the right auditory field is defined by sounds coming from the right side.
What is the correspondence between visual field quadrants and the primary visual cortex?
Each quadrant of the visual field corresponds directly to each quadrant of the primary visual cortex
This mapping is crucial for processing visual information efficiently.
Fill in the blank: The principle of Hebbian theory states that ‘cells that fire together _______ together.’
wire
What leads to functional tolerance at a synapse with an antagonist drug?
The repeated presence of the antagonist drug can lead to upregulation of postsynaptic receptors
This means that the number of receptors increases in response to prolonged exposure to the antagonist.
What are two common behavioral attributes of autism spectrum disorder?
- Difficulty with social interactions
- Repetitive behaviors
These attributes can vary widely among individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
Why are certain body parts exaggerated in the somatosensory homunculus?
They are represented with larger areas due to higher sensitivity and greater sensory input
For example, the hands and face have larger representations compared to the back or legs.
What causes the depolarization of hair cells in the auditory system?
The movement of hair cells in response to sound waves causes depolarization
This depolarization leads to the generation of action potentials in peripheral auditory neurons.
How does the illusion featuring celebrity pairs relate to retinal cone distributions?
It demonstrates how the arrangement and distribution of cones affect color perception and visual processing
This can lead to misperceptions or altered perceptions of colors depending on the surrounding context.
