Chapter 3 - Neuroscience and Behavior

Question 1

What structure connects the 2 hemispheres of the brain?

Answer 1

The corpus callosum

Question 2

White vs Grey matter

Answer 2

White matter:
- 60% of brain
- made up of bundles which connects various grey matter areas
- interprets sensory information from various parts of the body

Grey matter:
- 40% of brain
- conducts, processes, and sends information to various parts of the body

Question 3

Neuron structure

Answer 3

Dendrites receive signals, and axons transmit them

Question 4

Brain structure

Answer 4

Question 5

Paul Broca

Answer 5

Patient with specific damage in the left frontal lobe lost ability to produce spoken language, but understanding speech was intact

Question 6

Carl Wernicke

Answer 6

Patient with specific damage to the upper-left temporal lobe had impaired understanding of language, but could produce speech

Question 7

What is the frontal lobe responsible for?

Answer 7

Involved in executive functioning (planning, memory, inhibition, attention)

E.g. Stroop Task

Question 8

What is a patient with their corpus callosum severed called?

Answer 8

Split-brain patient

Question 9

Computerized Axial Tomography (CT Scan)

Answer 9

Mulitple X-ray scans combined into 1 image

Question 10

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI Scan)

Answer 10

Powerful magnet causes charged molecules to re-align to produce field distortions that can be measured

Question 11

Single-cell recordings

Answer 11

Activity (acition potential, or ‘firing’) of a neuron measured by an electrode

High temporal resolution, precise localization

Question 12

Electroencephalography (EEG)

Answer 12

Electrodes on the scalp detect electrical activity (voltage fluctuations resulting from ionic [sodium] currents in the neurons, mostly in pyramidal cells located in the outer layers of the cerebral cortex)

High temporal resolution, relatively poor localization

Question 13

Magnetoencephalography (MEG)

Answer 13

Measures magnetic fields produced by electrical brain activity (i.e., the flow of electrically charged ions through neurons [ionic current flow] produces electromagnetic fields)

High temporal resolution, good localization

Question 14

functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

Answer 14

Activated brain regions need energy which is supplied by blood, fMRI detects changes in blood flow)

Relatively poor temporal resolution, good localization

Question 15

Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

Answer 15

Measure blood flow in the brain via radioactive markers

Relatively poor temporal resolution, good spatial resolution

Question 16

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

Answer 16

Uses magnetic fields to stimulate or inhibit nerve cells (often a therapeutic implementation [TMS can reduce depression])

Question 17

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

Answer 17

Stimulate parts of the brain by applying (low intensity) electrical currents (often a therapeutic implementation)