Brain and Neuroscience Flashcards
Stucture and function of the nervous system: Name the four sub divisions
Explanations of non-verbal behavior: Nervous system sub divisions:
- Central nervous system
- Peripheral nervous system
- Autonomic nervous system
- Somatic nervous system
What is CNS
Central Nervous system
What is PNS
Peripheral nervous system
What is ANS
Autonomic nervous system
What is SNS
Somatic nervous system
What is the structure of the nervous system
Central Nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and Peripheral nervous system
Peripheral nervous system = Autonomic and Somatic
Autonomic = sympathetic and parasympathetic
What is the function of the CNS
CNS funtion:
Brain, right hemisphere controls left and and left the right.
Brain = conscious awareness and decision making
Brain stem = autonomic function, some reflex responses and consciousness.
What is the function of the PNS
The peripheral nervous system:
Information from outside world to CNS
Information from CNS to muscles
What is the function of the ANS, overview 4 points.
The Autonomic nervious system controls:
- Homeostasis
- Autonomic system
- Sympathetic nervous system
- Parasympathetic nervous system
ANS what does Homeostasis do
Homoeostasis a balanced internal state, eg temp 37deg, by monitoring the activity of the organs.
ANS what is the autonomic system
The autonomic system controls all non conscious life systems like breathing and heart rate.
ANS what is the Sympathetic nervous system
The sympathetic nervous system; physiological arousal when stressed and leads to fight or flight response
ANS what is the parasympathetic nervous system
Opposite to sympathetic, produces the rest and digest response to return the body to resting state.
What is the function of the SNS
The Somatic nervous system controls voluntary movement of muscles and reflex responses. Sends messages to the muscles and takes information from sensory organs.
The four elements of the Fight or flight response
The four elements of the fight or flight response are:
- Hypothalamus indentifies a threat, sympathethic system triggered.
- Release of adrenaline:
ANS changes from from parasympathetic to sympathetic state.
Stress hormone adrenaline released into the bloodstream. - Figh or flight status
Immediate and automatic
Physiological changes: increased heart rate and breathing, decreased digestion, pupils dilate, saliva production inhibited. Creats the energy to fight or run. - Once threat has passed parasympathetic system takes over to return body to resting state “rest and digest”
Who wrote a theory of emotion
The James-Lange theory of emotion.
What theory did James-Lange product
The Jame-Lange theory of emotion
What is the Jame-Lange Theory of emotion
The James-Lange theory of emotion says:
Physiological arousal first: Hypothalamus arouses sympathetic division, adrenaline, fight or flight response activated.
Emotions come afterwards: Brain interprets physiological activity and then activates the emotion.
No physical changes = no emotion.
The James Lange Theory of emotion, evaluation
The James-Lange theory of emotion, evaluation:
+ emotions do come after arousal in the case of phobias.
- Challenged by Cannon-Bard theory which says that some emotions, eg embarrassment occur at the same time as physiological arousal.
- Jame-Lange theory may be too simple, challenged by two factor theory, we need social cues to label emotion (Schachter and Singer).
Neuron structure and function:
Name the three types of Neuron and what they do.
Neuron structure and function:
- Sensory, from PNS to CNS
- Relay: connect sensory to motor
- Motor: from CNS to muscles/glands
What do sensory neurons look like
Sensory neurons have long dendrites and short axon.
What do Relay neurons look like
Relay neurons have short dendrites and short axon
What do Motor neurons look like
Motor neurons have short dentrite and long axon.
Structure of Neuron, 4 main elements
Structure of Neuron
- Cell body (soma): Nucleus containing DNA
- Axon: carries signals, covered in myelin sheath which helps and protects.
- Myelin sheath: fatty cover of axon with gaps called Nodes of Ranvier, insulation and speeds up signal.
- Terminal button: end of axon, part of synapse
How do neurons fire
Using electric transmission.
Resting state = negative charge.
When firing the charge inside the cell changes which creates an action potential.
What is a synapse
Where neurons communicate with each other:
Terminal button at presynaptic neuron + synaptic cleft + receptor sites on postsynaptic neuron.
How are neurotransmitters released
Electrical signal causes the vesicle in the presynaptic terminal button to release neurotransmitters into synaptic cleft.
What happens to the neurotransitter in the synaptic cleft
Neurotransmitters in the synaptic cleft attach to the postsynaptic receptor sites.
Chemical message turns into electrical impulse
Remaining neurotransmitter in the synaptic cleft is broken down by enzymes and reabsorbed by the presynaptic neuron so that it can be used again.
What is excitation, inhibition and summation
Excitation: neurotransmitter, such as adrenaline, increases, , postsynaptic neurons charge so that it is more likely to fire.
Inhibition: neurotransmitter such as serotonin, increases negative charge so less likely to fire.
Summation: more excitatory signals means that neuron fires, creating an electrical impulse.
Who wrote a theory about learning and the brain
Donald Hebb
What the four main elements of Hebbs Theory
Hebbs theory =
- The brain is plastic; Synaptic connections become stronger the more they are used. The brain can change and adapt.
- The brain changes and adapts in response to new experiences at any age.
- Learning produces an engram (trace) which if rehearsed becomes permanent.
- Cell assemblies and neuronal growth; Groups of neurons that fire together.
Neuronal growth occurs as cell assemblies rewire.
Hebb’s famous quote about neural prasticity:
“Cells that fire together, wire together”
Hebb’s theory: evaluation
Hebb’s theory, evaluation:
+ It is scientific; objective basis gives theory validity and credibility.
+ Real world application to education; Stimulating school environment can increase neuronal growth.
- Reductionist theory as it reduces learning to neuronal level. Ignores “higher” levels eg Piaget’s idea that accommodation is a key part of learning.
How many hemispheres and lobes does the brain have.
The brain has 2 hemispheres and 4 lobes.
Name the six main parts of the brain:
the six main parts of the brain are:
- Cerebral Cortex (top layer)
- Frontal lobe
- Parietal lobe
- Occipital lobe
- Temporal lobe
- Cerebellum
What is the location and functions of the Frontal lobe
Frontal lobe,in the front of the brain =
Controls thinking, planning and motor area controls movement.
What is the location and functions of the Parietal lobe
Parietal lobe, behind frontal lobe =
Somatosensory area where sensations are processed.
What is the location and function of the Occipital lobe
Occipital lobe, at back of brain =
controls vision
What is the location and function of the Temporal lobe
Temporal lobe, behind front lobe and below Parietal lobe = Auditory area, related to speech and learning.
What is the location and function of the Cerebellum
Cerebellum (little brain), located near the top of the spinal cord.
Receives information from the spinal cord and brain.
Coordinates movement and balance, attention and language.
Where is the motor area and what does it do
The motor area is at the back of the Fronal lobe. Left controls right and right left.
Where is the somatosensory area and what does it do
The somatosensory area is in the Parietal lobe and is where sensations are processed.
Where is the visual area and what does it do
The visual area is in Occipal area and controls vision. Right hemisphere left eye and left hemisphere right eye.
Where is the auditory area and what does it do.
The auditory area is in the Temperal lobe and control hearing. Damage leads to deafness.
What are the names of the two types of language area
The two areas which process language are Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area.
Where is the language area;
Believed to be left hemisphere only.
Broca’s area in Frontal lobe
Wernicke’s area in Temporal lobe
What is Broca’s area, where is it and what does it do.
Broca’s area processes language and is in the Frontal lobe. It controls speech production so damage to this area leads to Broca’s aphasia, people with damage to this area can understand speech but have problems forming words.
What is Wernicke’s area, where is it and what does it do.
Wernicke’s are is in the Temperal lobe. It controls understanding language and speaking. Damage is called Wernicke’s aphasia and results in a person having difficulty understanding language and creating meaningful speech.
Who developed the Montreal Procedure
Neurosurgeon Wilder Penfield
What procedure did Wilder Penfield develop
The Montreal Procedure
Penfields Montreal Procedure, aim, method, results and conclusion
Penfields Montreal Procedure:
Aim; To investigate the function of the temporal lobe.
Method;
Operated on patients with sever epilepsy
Could stimulate areas of the brain in a conscious patient who reported their experiences.
Result: Patients described experiences and feelings as if they were currently experiencing them, de ja vu. Each time the same area was stimulated the same memory was experience.
Conclusion: Area of the brain called interpretive cortex stores the personal meaning of previous events.
Penfield Montreal Procedure evaluation
Penfield Montreal Procedure evaluation.
+ precise method, exact area of the brain stimulated and verbal reports from patients.
- Unusual sample as all patients had severe epilepsy so may lack general validity.
- Mixed results found in later research, so the interpretative cortex may no always respond as Penfield reported.
What is Neuropsychology
Neuropsychology is the scientic study of the influence of brain structures on mental processes.
What is Cognitive Neuroscience
Cognitive Neuroscience aims to create a detailed map of localised functions in the brain.
Where is the Amygdala and what does it do
The amygdala is deep in the temporal lobe and processes emotion and agression.
Name three scanning techniques
Three scanning techniques are:
- CT Scan (Compurised tomography)
- PET scan (positron emission tomography)
- fMRI scan (functional magnetic resonance imaging)
How does a CT scan work
A CT scan works by taking cross section x-rays of the body and brain.
How does a PET scan work
A PET scan works by using radio waves to measure the amount of blood oxygen levels in the brain. The more active the area the more blood oxygen.
3 D images produced on a computer screen.
How does an fMRI scan work
An fMRI scan works by injecting a radioactive substance, such as glucose into the patient. The active areas of the brain absorb the most radiactive substance and are usually represented in red on a computer monitor.
CT Scan evaluation
CT scan evaluation:
+ Quality is higher than a normal X-ray. Good for identifiying tumours or structural damage.
- High levels of radiation and only produces static images.
PET scan evaluation
PET Scan evaluation:
+ Shows brain in action and localisation of function.
- Expensive and maybe unethical because of radiation.
(Radioactive glucose needed)
fMRI Scan evaluation
fMRI scan evaluation:
+ superior as produces clean images without use of radiation.
- expensive and patient has to lay very still so not suitable for all.
5 second time lag before images are received so may cause probs with interpretation.
Who undertook a study to see if episodic memories were stored in a different area of the brain to semantic ones.
Endel Tulving’s ‘gold’ memory study.
Endel Tulving’s ‘gold’ study, aim, method, result, conclusion
Tulving’s ‘gold’ memory study:
aim: to investigate if episodic memories produced different blood flow patterns to semantic ones.
method:
Six participants injected with radioactive gold.
Repeated measures used with 4 semantic and 4 episodic trains.
PET scan was used to analyse.
Results:
Different blood flow in 3 out of six participants.
Semantic memories in posterior cortex
Episodic in frontal lobe.
Conclusion:
Episodic and semantic memories are localised.
Memory has a biological basis.
Tulving’s ‘gold’ memory study, evaluation
Tulving’s ‘gold’ memory study, evaluation:
+ objective evidence using PET scan
- problem with sample, only six participants, including Tulving and conclusion based on the results of three.
- Are there different types of memory, episodic and semantic are hard to separate which may explain the inconclusive evidence.
