Brain & Neuropsychology Flashcards

Question

What is synaptic transmission?

Answer 1

The way neurons communicate with each other. It involves a message being passed chemically.

Answer 2

1 - An electrical signal reaches the end of the presynaptic neuron and arrives at the terminal button to be passed onto the postsynaptic neuron 2 - The electrical signal causes the vesicles to release the neurotransmitters they are carrying into the synaptic cleft 3 - Neurotransmitter crosses synaptic cleft to go towards postsynaptic neuron. Can only enter the postsynaptic neuron if it fits into the receptor site 4 - Neurotransmitter enters receptor site and sends an electrical message down the postsynaptic neuron ready to pass onto the next one. Any neurotransmitters left are broken down or reabsorbed by presynaptic neuron (reuptake channels) to be used again

Answer 3

The brain never stops growing. As we learn new information, the brain physically changes.

Answer 4

-Learning new information creates new connections between neurons in the brain -When we use our synaptic connections more frequently they become stronger -The brain can adapt, change and form new connections as we learn at any age -Learning leaves a temporary trace in the brain (engram) which can be made permanent if we continually practice the learning -During learning, groups of neurons (cell assemblies) fie together and make strong synaptic connections between them leaving a more efficient and effective brain

Answer 5

Strength - supporting research - Hebb's theory is scientific and uses brain scans and factual research to support it. This is a strength because it is hard to disprove his work as his research is objective Strength - Real life application - We can use the fact that our brains adapt over time to develop our skills and knowledge, practicing to ensure we improve. Strength because it is useful and can be applied to everyday life

Answer 6

Controls thinking and planning Contains motor area and Broca's area (speech production)

Answer 7

Contains somatosensory area

Answer 8

Contains auditory area and Wernicke's area (speech comprehension)

Answer 9

Involved in attention and language. Supports movement, coordination and balance.

Answer 10

Thinking and planning, contains Broca's area (speech production) and Motor area

Answer 11

It contains the somatosensory area (temperature, pain etc)

Answer 12

Contains the auditory area and Wernicke's area (speech comprehension)

Answer 13

Involved in attention and language, as well as supporting movement, coordination and balance

Answer 14

A - to describe the responses patients gave when parts of their brain were electrically stimulate M - epileptic patients lay on operating table while conscious. Penfield stimulated different areas of the brain using the Montreal procedure and recorded their responses, while also treating their epilepsy. He did this over 1000 times over 30 years R - When visual area was stimulated, patients could see colours shadows and objects. When somatosensory area was stimulated, it produced a tingling sensation. When temporal lobe was stimulated, patients saw past memories and experiences C - Interpretive cortex is responsible for memories. Supports localisation of function

Answer 15

Strength - usefulness - has benefited neuroscience greatly as Penfield was able to pinpoint exact locations in the brain for certain processes, causing neuroscience to develop due to his work. Weakness - sample - patients were epileptic, meaning we cannot be sure that the brains of non-epileptic people would work in the same manner. Weakness because we cannot generalise the findings.

Answer 16

Using X rays to allow us to see inside the body, as a person lies still and a scanner takes numerous x rays to piece together Strength - higher quality image than usual x rays Weakness - Only provide a still image of the brain, not live activity

Answer 17

Measuring brain activity after injecting a small amount of radioactive glucose to see different coloured areas of the brain indicating activity Strength - Shows localisation of function Weakness - Extremely expensive and cannot be used often due to radiation

Answer 18

Similar to PET scans but work by measuring oxygen levels as areas of the brain require more oxygen so more blood is directed which is seen on the scan Strength - Doesn't use radiation so is safe Weakness - Expensive to use and there is a 5 second delay in the brain activity

Answer 19

A - to see whether thinking about episodic and semantic memories used different parts of the brain M - 6 volunteers who were injected with radioactive gold so that areas of the brain would show up on a scan. There were 8 tasks, for episodic tasks they had to think about personal experiences and for the semantic task they had to think about historical facts R - in 3 of 6 ppts it was clear that different parts of the brain showed activity when thinking of episodic memories (front of brain) and semantic memories (back of brain) C - Episodic and semantic memories are separate in types of long term memory in different parts of the brain

Answer 20

Weakness - sample size - Tulving only had 6 ppts, meaning the study lacks generalisability as we cannot apply it to the wider population. Lacks population validity Strength - objective measurement - he used brain scans which cannot be questioned as they are factual and couldn't have been influenced by Tulving's opinion