Ch 14 Functions Flashcards
How can brain function be studied?
PET scan, EEG, fMRI
How does a positron emission tomography (PET) work
radioactively labeled glucose by a tissue is measured
How does functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) work
measures increased blood flow to an area of brain due to increased astrocyte activity
How does electroencephalography (EEG) work
measures brain waves
4 types of EEG waves
alpha waves, beta waves, theta waves, delta waves
What state gives rise to the 4 EEG waves
alpha: awake but resting
beta: engaged in concentrated mental activity
theta: drowsy or sleepy
delta: deep sleep
Difference between fact and skill memory
skill - unconscious, automatic recall
fact - conscious, intentional recall
Brain regions involved with memory
amygdala, hippocampus, basal nuclei, cerebral cortex
Neuroplasticity definition
brains ability to reorganize itself by forming neural connections throughout life
Stages of sleep and their brain activity
stage 1 - drowsy, alpha waves
stage 2 - light sleep, theta waves
stage 3 - moderate to deep sleep, theta waves
stage 4 - deepest sleep, theta waves
Suprachiasmatic nucleus function
regulates circadian rhythm
Special senses
vision, hearing, equilibrium, taste, smell
2 general senses
visceral and somatic
Visceral senses
information from internal organs are processed at reflex centers in brainstem and diencephalon
Somatic senses
information from skin, skeletal muscles, and joints are processed at the thalamus and the sent to the somatosensory cortex
First order neuron
detects a stimulus and transmits it to the spinal cord or brain
Second order neuron
carries sensory information from the spinal cord or brainstem to the thalamus
Third order neuron
carries sensory information from the thalamus to the cerebral cortex
Somatic motor
- skeletal muscle
- voluntary
- pathway of two neurons
- originates at primary motor cortex
Autonomic nervous system
- cardiac muscle, smooth muscle
- involuntary
- originates at hypothalamus or brainstem
- pathway of three neurons
Aphasia definition
language deficit
Nonfluent (broca) aphasia
- lesion in broca area
- slow speech, difficulty in choosing words, using words
Fluent (wernicke) aphasia
- lesion in wernicke area
- speech n9ormal and excessive but uses senseless jargon
Anomic aphasia
can speak and understand speech but cannot identify written words or pictures
