biology Flashcards
Postmortem Brain Specimen
brain of a deceased person, can see 4 lobes of the brain
EEG
recording device measuring electrical activity at the level of the cerebral cortex.
wave patterns correspond to certain states of consciousness
NOT images
PET scan
patient is injected with radioactivity tagged glucose, the glucose is metabolized in the brain (fuel!)
shows brain FUNCTION, not structure
MRI
view of the brain split down the middle
uses magnetic fields and radio waves. provides a picture of STRUCTURE, not function
Functional MRI
shows BOTH structure and function, combining PET and MRI
CAT scan
cross-sectional images of the brain
using x-ray, shows STRUCTURE not function
HINDBRAIN: Medulla
-life support system
-body functions like Heart rate, blood pressure, blood circulation
HINDBRAIN: Pons
-“bridge” between higher and lower levels of the nervous system
-sends messages!
HINDBRAIN: Cerebellum
-controls muscle movement, coordination, and balance
-affected by alcohol !!
HINDBRAIN: Thalamus
-the relay center for sensory information
-related to sensory processing, everything other than smell
LIMBIC SYSTEM: Hypothalamus
-internal regulator for hunger, thirst, body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate.
-in charge of the pituitary gland! hormones
LIMBIC SYSTEM: Amygdala
-controls emotion, aggression, and fear
LIMBIC SYSTEM: Hippocampus
-learning and memory (the SAVE button for remembering things)
Cerebral Cortex
control and information-processing center
Cerebral Cortex: Frontal Lobe
thinking, planning, and characteristics
Cerebral Cortex: Parietal Lobe
sense of TOUCH
Cerebral Cortex: Occipital Lobe
sense of sight, VISION
Cerebral Cortex: Temporal Lobe
hearing and language comprehension, SOUND
Corpus Callosum
Think band of nerve fibers that connects left and right hemispheres of the brain
Split Brain patients
no corpus callosum, things that enter in left visual field cannot be processes in right side of brain. Example: sees an apple on the right side, cannot say out loud that it is an apple
Left side of the brain
Language, speech, verbal memory
Right side of the brain
visual memory, spacial abilities, music
Wernicke’s Area
language comprehension
Broca’s Area
speech production
Central Nervous System
brain and spinal chord
Peripheral Nervous System
somatic and autonomic nervous systems
Autonomic Nervous System
Sympathetic and Parasympathetic
Sympathetic N.S.
FIGHT OR FLIGHT
-increased heart rate, blood flow to muscles, slows digestion
Parasympathetic N.S.
REST AND DIGEST
-decreases respiration, activates digestive process, lowers heart rate
Neurons- Action Potential
ELECTRICAL communication WITHIN neurons
Neurons- Neurotransmitters
CHEMICAL communication BETWEEN neurons
Dendrites
“fingers”
receive messages
Axon
long rod, sends messages away from cell body
Myelin Sheaths
green covers over rod, helps speed communication
Axon terminals
“fingers” at the end of the neuron, transmits messages to other neurons
Glial cells
GLUE, holds neurons together and helps maintain the structure of the N.S.
Presynaptic neuron
electrical impulses travel town the neurons Axon until reaching a junction called a Synapse
Post-Synaptic neuron
receives neurons from pre
Synapse
the gap between neurons sending messages
Neurotransmitters
chemical substances that carry signals across the synapse
-bind to the receptor site on post-synaptic neuron
Action Potential
The ELECTRICAL charge that occurs WITHIN the neuron
Sodium Ion
outside the cell, Na+
Potassium ion
inside the cell, K+
(weird extra protein molecule is A-)
- Resting Potential
when the charge in the cell is at -70 millivolts
- Depolarization
charge in cell leaps from -70 to +40 mV, due to Na+, K+ channels open.
- Repolarization
the return to the resting potential. K+ moves out
- Hyperpolarization
call is temporarily below -70mV, cell is in refractory period (meaning it is taking a break, cannot be restimulated yet)
All-or-None law
If any neuron reaches about -55mV, AP will fire. If it is not reached, AP will not fire (even if at -50Mv)
