Brain Function (Lec 2) Flashcards
True or False?
The cerebral cortex contains approximately 100 trillion neurons
False, 100 billion
Describe Granular neurons
short axons, interneurons, both excitatory (Glutamate) and inhibitory (GABA)
Describe Fusiform neurons
smaller output neurons
Describe Pyramidal neurons
large output neurons
What occurs at the IV layer of cerebral cortex?
termination of most incoming specific sensory signals
What occurs at V and VI layers of cerebral cortex?
origin of most output signals, fibers to thalamus from VI
What do I, II, and III layers of the cerebral cortex do?
intracortical association functions
What are primary motor and sensory areas?
primary motor area: direct connections with specific muscles
primary sensory area: direct specific sensations
What are secondary motor and sensory areas?
secondary motor area: provide patterns of motor activity
secondary sensory area: analyze meanings of specific sensory signals
What are association areas?
areas that receive and analyze signals simultaneously from multiple motor and sensory cortices
Describe the prefrontal association area
receives reanalyzed sensory information necessary for planning effective movements and carries out “thought” processes in the mind
This association area provides circuitry for word formation, works closely with Wernicke’s area, and is almost always dominant on the left side of the brain
Broca’s area
This association area is concerned with behavior, emotions, and motivation
limbic association area
This association is responsible for language comprehension
Wernicke’s area
Extensive damage to this area results in prosopagnosia (inability to recognize faces)
Facial recognition area. Has an occipital portion and temporal portion
Where do somatic, visual, and auditory association areas all meet one another?
in the posterior part of the superior temporal love
What is the dominant side of the brain for left-handed people? For right-handed people?
Right side for left-handed people.
Left side for right-handed people.
This area plays the greatest single role of any part of the cerebral cortex for intelligence
Werknicke’s area.
Note: activation of Wernicke’s area may be able to call forth complicated memory patterns involving more than one sensory modality
Loss of ability to solve complex problems, inability to string together sequential tasks, inability to multitask, decrease in aggressiveness or ambition, inappropriate social responses, and loss of purpose while performing usual motor pattern functions are consistent with?
prefrontal lobotomy
What are some of the abilities provided by the brain’s working memory?
prognostication, planning for future, delay in response to incoming sensory signals, ability to consider consequences of motor actions, ability to solve complicated mathematical problems, control of actives in accord with moral law
What is the corpus callosum?
the major commissure between the two hemispheres
What would be the result of cutting the corpus callosum?
blocking of transfer of information from Wernicke’s area to non-dominant motor cortex, prevention of the transfer of somatic and visual information from right hemisphere into Wernicke’s area, results in two entirely separate conscious portions of the brain
What is declarative memory?
memory of various details of an integrated thought
ex: memory of meaning of experience
This type of memory is associated with motor activities
refelxive (skill) memory
How long does short-term memory last?
lasts as long as person thinks of number of facts (seconds)
Intermediate long-term memory can last for how long?
minutes or weeks, may become long-term memory if memory traces are activated enough
What is the mechanism for facilitation?
serotonin release - cAMP - K+ channel inhibited - prolonged AP - prolonged activation of Ca2+ channels - prolongs NT release
What are the structural changes involved with long-term memory?
Increase in vesicle release sites, increase in number of transmitter vesicles , increase in number of presynaptic terminals, changes in structures of the dendritic spines
