C2. P1 Flashcards
Define neuroscience
Neuroscience refers to a multi-discipline field which deals with understanding the structures of the brain and the functional role of these structures in mental activity
Which region of the brain is at the bottom?
Hindbrain
What 2 structures are in the hindbrain?
Brainstem and cerebellum
Where’s the oldest part of the brain?
Hindbrain
What does the hindbrain generally do?
Regulate survival functions, movement, and sensation (implicit)
What is wrapped around the brainstem and hindbrain?
Subcortical and limbic structures
What is the cerebrum wrapped around?
Subcortical structures
What is the order of brain development?
Hindbrain, subcortical structures, cerebrum, cerebral cortex
What are ventricles?
Cavities within the brain that contain cerebrospinal fluid.
How many ventricles do we have?
Four
Where is the cerebrospinal fluid? (minus ventricles)
Surrounds the brain and spinal cord
How does cerebrospinal fluid travel?
It flows through ventricles and the spinal cord, which is then absorbed by brain vessel and the spinal cord
A boy is playing football and gets tackled. The doctors say he is fine and does not have a concussion. How could that be if he experienced force to his head?
The cerebrospinal fluid acts as an impact absorber, cushioning the brain
How are brains able to stay healthy and waste-free?
Cerebrospinal fluid washes away the fluid (usually during sleep), transferring it the the blood and then filtered through kidneys
How do hormones get to the brain?
They are secreted into cerebrospinal fluid which takes it to the brain
A mom notices that her daughter is acting acting differently and takes her to the doctors. After running some tests, the doctors find that her brain isn’t getting enough hormones. What causes this to happen?
The ventricle system does not allow hormones in, even though they are supposed to.
Your cousin’s doctor says her ventricles are larger than normal. What might this cause?
Psychotic conditions like schizophrenia
What are the grooves in the brain called?
Fissures or sulci
What is the function of fissures?
They increase the brain’s surface area, allowing for more neurons to fit
What fissure splits the brain into two regions?
The Medial Longitudinal Fissure
What is lateralization?
The brain’s hemispheres are responsible for different functions
What is Contralateral Control?
The right side of the brain controlling a process or function on the left side of body, while the left side of the brain controls a process or function on the right side of the body
What is the corpus callosum?
A flat, dense bundle of nerve fibers that crosses the medial longitudinal fissure connecting the two hemispheres of the brain.
What is the single largest structure in the brain?
Corpus callosum
What are split-brain patients?
People with no corpus callosum, resulting in their right and left hemispheres being no longer able to communicate with one another.
What is used to reduce chronic epilepsy?
Severing the Corpus callosum
Do the left and right brain always agree with each other?
No
How many neural networks are in the brain?
85 billion
What are neural networks?
Interconnected chains of neurons working together typically for some specific purpose
True or false: The brain has specific structures that only do their job and don’t do anything else
False; the brain works together
What is neurogenesis?
The process through which new neurons develop
How can you increase neurogenesis?
Learning and running have been shown to produce neurons deep in the brain
What is neuroplastiicity?
The brain’s capacity to reorganize connections within the brain and build new pathways that allow the individual to perform common functions with parts of the brain that are typically not involved in these functions
What is the connectome?
All your neurons and neural connections within the nervous system
What does Sebastian Seung believe?
You are not just your neurons, but you are the process that emerges from your neural connections
Is the majority of brain processing implicit or explicit?
Implicit
