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Psych 100 > Chapter 3 > Flashcards

Chapter 3 Flashcards

Neuroscience

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1
Q

Neuroscience

A

The study of the brain and the nervous system

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2
Q

Key Methods in Studying the Nervous System

A
  1. Examining autopsy tissue
  2. Testing the behaviour of patients with an assumed damage to certain parts of the brain
  3. Recording electrical brain activity through multiple electrodes attached to the surface of the skull
  4. Animal studies
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3
Q

Types of Neuroimaging

A
  1. MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
  2. fMRI (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
  3. CAT/CT (Computerized Axial Tomography
  4. PET (Positron Emission Tomography)
  5. TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation)
  6. DTI (Diffusion Tensor Imaging)
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4
Q

CT/CAT Scan

A
  • Computerized Axial Tomography
  • Structured Imaging
  • Produce clear, detailed, 2D images of the brain or other organs (using which are then compiled to make one 3D image made up of various 2D images taken from different angles
  • They provide better images than traditional X-rays and can be ‘sliced’ in a way and examined
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5
Q

MRI

A
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Structured Imaging
  • Uses as strong magnetic field in order to produce 3D images of the brain
    -Uses less radiation than a CT and produces cleaner images
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6
Q

Why are CTs sometimes used instead of MRIs?

A

-CTs are better at detecting problems such as strokes, blood vessel abnormalities, cancer/tumours,etc.
-MRIs are more useful for soft tissue injury
-In the case of an emergency, CTs are faster
-A CT will also be used for patients who cannot enter a strong magnetic field

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7
Q

DTI

A
  • Diffusion Tensor Imaging
  • Structure Imaging
  • One of the newest neuroimaging methods, DTI maps the orientation and integrity of white matter to assess damage within the brain, then producing a DTI map
  • This has an advantage over MRIs and CTs in that neither of them show white matter
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8
Q

What is the difference between structural and functional imaging?

A

Functional imaging is used in order to observe brain function and to learn about activity in specific brain areas during specific behaviours; structural imaging is used to map out and quantify the structure and of the brain

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9
Q

EEG

A

Recording brain activity through multiple electrodes attached to the surface of the skull using electroencephalogram to measure electrical brain activity under the scalp. This method can only provide general ideas and cannot explore anything deeper within the brain

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10
Q

TMS

A
  • Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
  • Functional imaging
  • Targets specific parts of the brain with an electromagnetic pulse to specific areas, temporarily disabling it. The change in activity is then noted and scientists can use that to infer what this part of the brain is responsible for
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11
Q

PET

A
  • Positron Emission Tomology
  • Functional imaging
  • A non-harmful, radioactive chemical is injected into the blood stream and then taken up into the brain. The patient then does various activities and the highest concentration of radioactivity in the brain can be measured to infer which part of the brain is most active during said activities
  • This can also be used to observe the use of different neurochemicals
  • Provides a deeper look into brain activity than the EEG can
  • Can show activity over hours/days
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12
Q

fMRI

A
  • Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Functional Imaging
  • Measures oxygen levels in the brain to see which parts of the brain are most active during certain activities. This is coupled with an increased blood flow
  • This is preferred over the PET because no radiation is required
  • This only shows activity over minutes/hours, so it is not as long-term
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13
Q

Two major components of the nervous system

A
  1. Central Nervous System
  2. Peripheral Nervous System
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14
Q

PNS

A

All the nerves in our bodies, delivering info between the periphery and CNS; everything outside the brain and the spinal chord

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15
Q

CNS (3)

A
  • Brain and spinal chord
  • Spinal chord starts at the base of the brain and down the back inside the bony spina column
  • Acts as a highway for sensory information
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16
Q

Neurons

A

Cells which carry information between parts of our bodies and nervous systems

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17
Q

Afferent Neurons

A

Neurons carrying information from the PNS to the CNS. This is often sensory neurons taking a feeling to be processed.

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18
Q

Efferent Neurons

A

Neurons carrying information from the CNS to the PNS. This is often motor skills as the brain tells the the hand to move

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19
Q

Interneurons

A

These act as sort of relays between different classes of neurons (for example located between sensory and motor neurons)

20
Q

Two Main Parts of Peripheral Nervous System (2)

A

Somatic Nervous System and Autonomic Nervous System

21
Q

Somatic Nervous System (1)

A

All the nerves that gather sensory information from the body, neck and head and deliver it to the spinal chord/brain

22
Q

Autonomic Nervous System (1)

A

Operates without control/thought from the CNS, regulating involuntary physiologic processes such as heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, etc.

23
Q

Two parts of the Autonomic Nervous System (3)

A
  1. Sympathic Nervous System
  2. Parasympathetic Nervous System

Both are a collection of nerve cells throughout the body

24
Q

Sympathetic Nervous System (6)

A

This is the part of you which is active during stress,
-activating things like:
an increase heart rate
directing blood to areas which need more oxygen
stopping non-essential bodily functions
pupils dialating
glucose release

25
Q

Parasympathetic Nervous System

A

The parasympathic nervious system then works to ‘undo’ what the sympathetic nervous system has done
- slowing heart rate
- coming down

26
Q

Spinal Chord Injury (4)

A
  • This occurs when the nerves which make the spinal chord are damaged in some way
  • The higher up the spine, the more that is damaged in the body
  • Quadriplegic: Paralyzed everywhere other than the head and neck
  • Paraplegic: Paralyzed in the lower limbs but not the upper
27
Q

The Hindbrain (5 points, 4 parts)

A
  • Part of the brain closest to the spinal chord
  • Medulla
    Regulates basic functions, breathing, heartbeat, sneezing, linking cardiovascular and respiratory systems
  • The Pons
    acts as a bridge between the medulla and the other brain areas and is responsible for sleep, dreaming, breathing, swallowing, eye movements, facial sensation and expression (unconscious processes)

In the pons is the locus coeruleus, in which there is a collection of neurons with long axons that project through the brain and spinal chord, influencing the CNS. Also has neuropinephrine, a neurotransmitter used for arousal and attention
-Cerebellum
This is important in motor coordination, storing information to be recalled automatically once it is learned. This includes muscle and balance and general complex motor movement things
-The reticular formation
This is a network of nuclei extending from the hind brain to the midbrain, plays a role in the sleep wake cycle and wakefulness and a level of arousal

28
Q

The Midbrain (4)

A
  • Located above the pons
  • Only really concerned with the substantia nigra
  • Production of dopamine neurons
  • Communicate with the forebrain to regulate fluidity of motion
29
Q

Forebrain 1 (1) 2 (5) 3 (4) (4) 4 (3) 5 (8) 6 (6)

A
  • Two cerebral hemispheres, connected by a band of white matter called the corpus callosum
    -The Thalamus
    Thalamic nuclei serve as relay stations for incoming sensory information
    -The hypothalamus
    Important for motivation, things like eating, drinking, sex, sleep, maternity general urges
    Also controls the endocrine or hormone system
    -The Pituitary Gland
    Controls chemical messengers involved with growth, reproduction, metabolism, stress reactions
    Also produces releasing factors which impact endocrine glands in ovaries, testes, thyroid and adrenal glands
    -The Limbic System
    Series of interconnected brain structures controlling motivation, emotion and learning/memory
    -Basal Ganglia
    Made up of the following nuclei working as a functional unit: Caudate nucleus, putamen, global pallides, substantial nigra, nucleus accumbens (reward learning)
    Responsible for cognitive flexibility and regulating/coordinating voluntary movement control
    -Cerebral Cortex
    language, thought, consciousness, localization of function
    primary sensory/motor areas: processing voluntary movement
    association cortex: thinking, planning, higher order info processing
30
Q

The Limbic System 1 (3) 2 (4)

A
  1. Amygdala
    -Located in the temporal lobe
    -Recognizing, learning about and responding to stimuli connected to fear
  2. Hippocampus
    - Learning/memory
    - Influence episodic memories or memories having to do with individual events
    - Has to do with navigating space
    -Also is a region of neuroplasticity, meaning in adulthood new neurons are produced here

Limbic system also includes the hypothamalus and the thamalus

31
Q

4 Divisions of the Cerebral cortex

A
  1. Occipital lobe
    - processing visual stimuli
    - info about colour, complex patterns and motion
  2. Temporal lobe
    - auditory stimuli and language information processing
    -other areas in temporal lobe give meaning to sound
    -Wernicke’s area (understanding) Brocas area (speaking)
  3. Parietal Lobe
    - Processes tactile information (touch, pressure vibration, pain)
    - depth perception, where objects are in relation to one another
  4. Frontal lobe
    - understanding social relationships
    - movement
    - temporal planning
    - motor skills, voluntary
    Pre fontal lobe: Short term, working memory, planning study schedules and bus routes, ‘holding’ info
32
Q

Dendrites

A

The parts of a neuron which receives info from other neurons

33
Q

Axons

A

move signals out of the cell

34
Q

Axon terminal

A

Part of the axon where neurotransmitters are released

35
Q

Glia

A

Non-neuronal cells which act as a barrier for virus’ and bacteria between the CNS and circulatory system. These fells do a lot of things
Categories:
Astroglia (creates blood barrier)
Oligodendroglia (Insulates axons from neuronal activity from surroundings)
Ependymal cells/Microglia

36
Q

Explain the process of how a neuron sends a signal

A
  1. Resting potential-action potential through ion channels bringing in charged ions (sodium-potassium pumps)
  2. Action potential is created in neuron which travels through until triggering voltage sensitive ion channels on the axon terminal
  3. This brings in Calcium ions which bind the synaptic vesicles to the axon terminal
  4. neurotransmitters stored inside are then released and move across the synapses
  5. chemical reaches receptors on the dendrites of another neuron which then processes the chemical signal
  6. Electric signal is then sent through again
37
Q

Acetylcholine (2)

A

stimulating muscles
communicating between motor/sensory neurons

38
Q

Dopamine (3)

A

mood
control of voluntary movement
reward mechanisms

39
Q

Norepinephrine (5)

A

sympathetic nervous system
arousal
vigilance
mood
constricts blood vessels

40
Q

Serotonin (4)

A

mood
appetite
sleep
learning/memory

41
Q

GABA (2)

A

reduces activity in neurons it binds to
associated with sleep

42
Q

Glutamate

A

everything?
learning and memory

43
Q

Neuroplasticity

A

Brains ability to make new neural connections or to reorganize in response to injury or experience

44
Q

Traumatic Brain Injury

A

Injury to the brain from a blow to the head

45
Q

Acquired Brain Injury

A

Injury to the brain resulting from infections, exposure to toxins, strokes.

Psych 100 (2 decks)

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