Chapter 1: History and Research Methods

Question 1

Neuroscience

Answer 1

“The scientific study of the brain and nervous system, in health and in disease”
- UCLA, 2000

Question 2

Behavioural Neuroscience/Psychology

Answer 2

The study of the biological foundations of behaviour, emotions and mental process

Question 3

Mind-Body Dualism

Answer 3

A philosophical perspective put forward by Rene Descartes in which the body is mechanistic, whereas the mind is separate and nonphysical

Question 4

Monism

Answer 4

A philosophical perspective characteristic of the neurosciences in which the mind is viewed as the product of activity in the brain.

Question 5

Phrenology

Answer 5

The misguided effort to correlate character traits with bumps in the skull. The idea that certain parts of the brain correlate w certain traits.

Gall and Spurzheim

Question 6

Microtome

Answer 6

A device used to make very thin slices of tissue for histology.

Question 7

Golgi Stain

Answer 7

A stain developed by Camillo Golgi used to observe single neurons

Question 8

Nissl Stain

Answer 8

A stain used to view populations of cell bodies.

Question 9

Myelin Stain

Answer 9

A stain used to trace neural pathways.

Question 10

Horseradish Peroxidase

Answer 10

A stain used to trace axon pathways from their terminals to points of origin.

Question 11

Optical Imaging

Answer 11

A method for preparing a brain for examination that literally makes it transparent.

Question 12

Computerised Tomography (CT)

Answer 12

An imaging technique in which computers are used to enhance X-ray images

Question 13

Positron Emission Tomography, or PET

Answer 13

An imaging technique that provides information regarding the localisation of brain activity.
Uses radioactive tracers.

Question 14

Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or MRI

Answer 14

An imaging technique that uses magnetic field and radiofrequency waves to excite hydrogen atoms to provide very high resolution structural images

Question 15

Voxel

Answer 15

Short for “volume pixel”. A pixel is the smallest distinguishable square part of a two-dimensional image. A voxel is the smallest distinguishable box-shaped part of a three-dimensional image.

Question 16

functional MRI (fMRI)

Answer 16

A technology using a series of MRI images taken one to four seconds apart in order to assess the activity of the brain.

Question 17

Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI)

Answer 17

Use of MRI technology to trace fibre pathways in the brain by tracking the flow of water

Question 18

Event-Related Potential (ERPs)

Answer 18

An alteration in the EEG recording produced in response to the application of a particular stimulus.
Use when it is not clear if stimuli are being perceived.

Question 19

Magnetoencephalography (MEG)

Answer 19

A technology for recording the magnetic output of the brain.
Active brains put out tiny magnetic fields.
Uses sensors known as superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUID), which convert magnetic energy to impulses that can be recorded and analysed.

Question 20

Single-Cell Recording

Answer 20

The recording of the activity of single neurons through microelectrodes surgically implanted in the area of interest.
Done on animals.

Question 21

Repeated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS)

Answer 21

• NOT a measure of neural activity
• Provides an experimental probe to alter neural activity
  -TMS applies a brief, strong magnetic field that alters neural activity
  Can either activate or “deactivate” brain structures
  Observe changes in behaviour
• Permits causal inferences to be made
• The technique is used for research purposes and potentially could be used for treating hallucination, depression and migraine headaches

Question 22

Optogenetics

Answer 22

The genetic insertion of molecules into specific neurons that allows the activity of the neurons to be controlled by light.

Question 23

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

Answer 23

TMS applies a brief, strong magnetic field that alters neural activity

Question 24

Lesion

Answer 24

Pathological or Traumatic damage to tissue

• Injury to neural tissue either naturally occurring or deliberating produced.

Question 25

Ablation

Answer 25

The surgical removal of tissue

Question 26

Microdialysis

Answer 26

A technique for assessing the chemical composition of a very small area of the brain

Question 27

Concordance Rate

Answer 27

The statistical probability that two cases will agree; usually used to predict the risk of an identical twin for developing a condition already diagnosed in his or her twin.

Question 28

Heritability

Answer 28

The amount that a trait varies in a population due to genetics.

Question 29

Genetic Screen

Answer 29

Methods for correlating genotypes with phenotypes.

Question 30

Knockout Genes

Answer 30

A gene used to replace a normal gene that does not produce the protein product of said gene
- By not having that protein, it tells us the generic role of that protein/gene

Question 31

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

Answer 31

The recording of brain’s electrical activity through electrodes placed on the scalp.
- Tells us about localisation of the brain.
- Alongside MEG can be used to elicit behaviour and changes in beliefs.

Question 32

Histology

Answer 32

The study of cells and tissues at the microscopic level

Question 33

Neuron doctrine

Answer 33

Pertains to idea that the nervous system is a collection of separate cells

Made possible by the light microscope and the use of stains in histology

Question 34

Reversible lesions

Answer 34

Deliberate
Produced by cooling

Question 35

Speed of MEG

Answer 35

Faster than PET and MRI
Moment by Moment