Chapter 1 Flashcards
What is Neuroscience?
The study of the nervous system
How do we learn about neuroscience?
There are 3 ways:
1. Experimental design - Performing tests
2. Observational study - Observing differences in those who have a TBI compared to those who don’t
3. Case study - Highly detailed description of a single patient and their condition
What is not neuroscience? (What myths should we debunk based on what we know about the brain?)
- We only use 10% of our brain - Most of the brain is active most of the time.
- Forming memories causes new neurons to be born - Neurogenesis exists and it is currently believed that memories are stored in synapses
- The brain cannot repair itself - People recover from strokes, this is due to neurons being replaced (Neurogenesis)
- Left brain = analytical, right brain = creative - All of the brain can do these functions just as well as the side that is “responsible”
What are some examples illustrating the changing landscape of neuroscience? What are some changes over time in how we think of or know about the brain?
It used to be believed that blood was hot and that was associated with having a temper, and the brain would cool the blood, making the individual less angry as the blood flows through the brain. Since then, the localization theory has taken off and we now believe that different areas of the brain are responsible for different things.
Why do we say neuroscience is an integrative field of study?
Neuroscience is a combination of several academic disciplines which all use their strengths to understand some aspect of the nervous system.
(Bio, psyc, chem, phys, healthcare providers, and computational neuroscience)
Action potentials
Electrical impulses that travel down the axon of a neuron, allowing communication between neurons. They are all-or-none events (when a neuron reaches a certain threshold of excitation)
Case study
Detailed investigation of a single individual, group, or event, used to explore complex phenomena or rare conditions.
Causality
The relationship between cause and effect. Where one events directly brings about another event.
CLARITY
Tissue-clearing technique used to make brain tissues transparent while preserving their structure.
Allows for detailed imaging of neurons and their connections.
Cognition
Mental process involved in acquiring knowledge and understanding.
Communication
Process of transferring information from one thing to another. Dendrite -> axon
Confounding variable
An outside influence that can affect the relationship between the independent and the dependent variables in an experiment.
Contralateral
The opposite side of the body (right side of the brain controls movements on the left side not the body)
Control group
A group in an experiment that does not receive the treatment of intervention being tested (serve as a baseline)
Correlation
A statistical relationship between two variables, where changes in one variable are associated with changes in the other.
Correlation is NOT causation.
Dependent variable
The variable being measured, changes in response to the independent variable.
Dependent variable
The variable being measured, changes in response to the independent variable.
Distributive processing theory
The idea that cognitive functions are not localized to a single brain area but instead involve multiple regions working together to process information.
Electron microscope
A powerful microscope that uses beams of electrons instead of light to produce highly magnified images of very small objects (neurons or synapses)
Experimental design
The plan or structure of an experiment that specifies how variables are manipulated and controlled to test the hypothesis
Independent variable
The variable that is manipulated by the researcher in an experiment to observe its effect on the dependent variable.
Localization theory
The theory that specific cognitive functions or behaviours are controlled by specific regions of the brain, such as the Broca’s area for speech.
Neurodegenerative conditions
Disorders where a progressive loss of neuron function or structure occurs. This leads to symptoms like memory loss, motor dysfunction, and cognitive decline. (Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s)
Neurogenesis
The process of generating new neurons, primarily in certain regions such as the hippocampus, and areas associated with learning and memory.
Neurons
Nerve cells that transmit electrical and chemical signals throughout the nervous system. They have a cell body, dendrites, and an axon.
Neurotransmitters
Chemical messengers released by neurons that transmit across synapses to other neurons, muscles, or glands. (Dopamine and serotonin).
Phineas Gage
A famous case study in neuroscience involving a railroad worker who survived a severe brain injury that altered his personality, providing early evidence of the role of the frontal lobes in personality and decision-making.
Plasticity
The brains ability to change and adapt in response to experience, learning, or injury. This includes synaptic plasticity and the ability to form new neural connections.
Quasi-experimental design
A research design that resembles an experimental design but lacks random assignment to groups. It is used when randomization is not feasible or ethical.
Representative sample
A subset of a population that accurately reflects the demographics, characteristics, or variables of interest of the larger population.
Synapses
The junctions between neurons where neurotransmitters are released to communicate signals to the next neuron, muscle, or gland.
