Chapter 2: Cognitive Neuroscience Flashcards
Cognitive Neuroscience
The study of the physiological bases of cognition
Levels of Analysis
Topic can be understood by studying it at a number of different levels of systems
Neurons
Cells in nervous system
- each neuron has a cell body, an axon, and dendrites
The Neuron Doctrine
Individual neurons transmit signals in nervous system, and these cells aren’t continuous
- Ramon y Cajal: used Golgi stain
Nerve Nets
Network of continuously interconnected nerve fibers
Resting Potential
Difference in charge between inside and outside nerve fiber when fiber is at rest
Action Potential
Propogated electrical potential responsible for transmitting neural information and for communication between neurons
Microelectrodes
Small wires that are used to record electrical signals from single neurons
Recording Electrode
Thin glass/ metal probe that can pick up electrical signals fron single neurons
Reference Electrode
Measure difference of charge against recording electrode
Measuring Action Potentials
- Size is not measured
- Rate of firing is measured
Synapse
Space between axon and one neuron and dendrite or cell body of another
Neurotransmitter
Chemical that is released at synapse in response to incoming action potential
- affect electrical signal of receiving neuron, cross synapse and bind with receiving dendrites
Mind
System that creates representations of world, so we can act on it to achieve goals
Principle of Neural Representation
Everything a person experiences is based on representations in the person’s nervous system
Feature Detectors
Neurons that respond best to a specific stimulus (like orientation, size, or more complex features that make up environmental stimuli)
Ex. Hubel and Wiesel cats
Hierarchical Processing
When we perceive different objects we do so in a specific order that moves from lower to higher areas of the brain
Sensory Code
How neural firing represents various characteristics of environment