Brain Bee Comp Flashcards
What are the 3 ways we learn about neuroscience and what do they mean?
- Experimental Design (scientists develop a research question and hypothesis and answer them by experimenting)
- Observational Study (no separation of patients into groups or any other form of intervention, which can have several confounding variables)
- Case Study (a highly detailed description of a certain, abnormal case)
What are some common myths about the brain?
- We only use 10% of our brain
Truth: We use all of our brains, and most of our brains are active, the majority of the time, just not at the same time
Think: Traffic light
- Forming new memories causes new neurons to be formed
Truth: most likely, memories are stored in the synapses. Also, most cell reproduction is halted for adult neurons (not impossible, but not likely or common) - The brain does not repair itself
Truth: the brain is plastic, and can, therefore, find ways to rewire itself (not the case for all issues) - If you are analytical, you are left-brain dominant, if you are creative, you are right-brain dominant
Truth: Almost every function that the left side can do, the right side can also do and vice versa
The only process that can typically be assigned to the left hemisphere is the processing and production of language → reason unknown
What are the fields involved in neuroscience? (5)
Chemistry
Psychology
Biology
Physics
Computational Neuroscience
What does rostral/anterior mean?
Front
What does Caudal/Posterior mean?
Back
What does Dorsal or Superior mean?
Top
What does Ventral/Inferior mean?
Bottom
What is the difference between white and gray matter?
White:
- White matter generally represents pathways for communication
- For neurons to send signals rapidly, the cells can be modified in a way that adds several layers of fatty lipids called myelin
Gray:
- Gray areas are usually dense with cell bodies
What is it called when a white matter pathway moves from one hemisphere to another?
Decussation
What is the Corpus Callosum?
The main white matter tract that allows for information to pass between the 2 hemispheres
What are the 3 compartments of the neural tube?
- Rhombencephalon or hindbrain
- oldest part of the brain
- It breaks into 2 parts:
A. Myelencephalon
- Develops into the medulla oblongata
- the medulla oblongata contains many clumps of neurons that are responsible for functions that an organism carries out unconsciously (breathing, heartbeat, etc)
- It also contains areas that detect toxins in the blood that come from dietary sources, triggering vomiting
B. Metencaphalon
- Develops into the pons and cerebrum
Pons
- helps perform involuntary actions (like breathing)
- Contains several areas that help us hear and taste
The cerebrum
- Also known as the little brain
- Enables motor control functions (balance, coordination, posture, etc)
- Mesencephalon/Midbrain
- performs several functions - Prosencephalon/ Forebrain
- Develops into the “higher order” brain regions, including the cerebral cortex (the outer layer)
- Contains a few major structures like the hypothalamus and basal ganglia
- the hypothalamus, also known as the “relay station” because almost every sensory mortality passes through the thalamus
- the hypothalamus serves as a communication route to the body’s endocrine system (the complex network of hormonal glands)
- the basal ganglia are made up of a series of brain structures that are used for behaviours such as motor and habit learning, emotional processing, and action selection
What is the difference between a sulcus, gyrus, and fissure?
Sulcus: groove
Gyrus: Smooth
Fissure: Deeper groove
What is the main function of the occipital lobe?
Processing visual stimuli
What is the main function of the temporal lobe?
- holds the hippocampus, which holds structures important for language
What is the main function of the parietal lobe?
- able to detect things we can touch
(touch, temperature, vibration) - also able to detect where various parts of the body are located
What is the main function of the frontal lobe?
- contains neurons that control the movement of the body
The spinal cord is housed within a series of bones called WHAT?
The vertebral column
There are afferent and efferent nerves, branching out from the spinal cord. When they merge, they are called WHAT?
Spinal nerves
How many spinal nerves do humans have?
31
What are the 4 regions of the spinal cord and their function/responsability?
From the superior to the inferior:
CTLS
- Cervical
- efferent nerves from the cervical section innervate/supply muscles in the neck, shoulders, arms, and hands
- afferent nerves bring in sensory information from this same region
- C3 and C5 innervate the diaphragm
- its sweeling corresponds with the many inputs and outputs of the arms - Thoratic
- these nerves innervate the middle trunk area, including the heart, lungs and abdominal muscles
- certain branches off the spinal cord in the thoratic area are responsible for changing various internal organs during flight-or-flight response
- Lumbar
- has pathways that carry motor to the hips, thighs, and knees
- afferent nerves carry information from the anteiror (front) of the legs to this part of the spinal cord
- second widest area of the spinal cord
- Sacral
- controls the flexing of the toes
- nerves that detect sensory information around the genital organs and dorsal (back) aspects of the legs
- some parasympathetic nerves also supply the colon, bladder and genital organs
What are the similarities between each cross section of the spinal cord
- Each cross section has a butterfly-shaped section of gray matter, surrounded by white matter
- The points of exit and entrance for efferent and afferent nerves
DIFFERENCE: The ratio of white to gray matter
The PNS can be divided into 3 main systems. What are they
Somatic: Voluntary movements
Autonomic: Involuntary movements and functions. Also includes the sympathetic (fightor flight) and parasympathetic (read and digest)
Enteric: Digestive functions
Test yourself on the cranial nerves!
What are the 2 types of stroke and what are they?
Ischemic and Hemorrhagic
Ischemic: Happens when normal blood flow is disrupted, causing the deathof cells through oxygen deprivation
Hemorrhagic: results from a burst blood vessel, which causes bleeding into the brain, and therefore, increased intracranial pressure.
Also, as blood has dramatically different properties compared to the solution the brain cells like in, the neurosn could trigger a self destruction program
