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PSYC 1105 > Chapter 4: Neuroscience > Flashcards

Chapter 4: Neuroscience Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 3 ways early neuroscientists studied the brain?

A

Examining autopsy tissue, testing brain-damaged patients, testing brain activity from the surface of the scalp.

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2
Q

What two technologies allow us to directly observe brain activity?

A

PET and fMRI.

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3
Q

What is a dendrite?

A

The parts of neurons that collect input from other neurons.

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4
Q

What is an axon?

A

The part of the neuron that carries information away from the cell body towards other neurons.

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5
Q

What is an axon terminal?

A

The end of a neuron’s axon, from which neurotransmitters are released.

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6
Q

What are glia cells?

A

Nonneural cells which serve many critical purposes to proper neural functioning.

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7
Q

What are the three major types of glia cells?

A

Astroglia, oligodendroglia, microglia.

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8
Q

What is a resting potential?

A

The electrical charge of a neuron when it is at rest.

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9
Q

What is an ion channel?

A

Pores in the cell membranes that open and close to allow certain ions into and out of the cell.

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10
Q

What is an action potential?

A

A sudden positive change in the electrical charge of a neuron’s axon.

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11
Q

What are the key ions in determining the resting potential?

A

Na+ K+ Cl-

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12
Q

What is the dynamic between a cell’s ion concentration?

A

When the neuron is at rest, Na+ are higher in concentration outside the cell, this concentration changes when the cell is activated.

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13
Q

What happens INSIDE the cell during an action potential?

A

The action potential opens ion channels that allow NA+ into through the cell membrane, which changes its charge to positive.

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14
Q

How does the membrane restore the resting potential?

A

Pumps K+ ions out of the cell.

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15
Q

What principle do action potentials follow?

A

All or none.

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16
Q

What membrane insulates axons?

A

Myelin.

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17
Q

What is the refractory period?

A

When the axon is unable to fire.

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18
Q

What is the difference between the absolute and relative refractory period?

A

Absolute: Axon completely unable to fire.
Relative: Axon can fire but with a much increased charge.

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19
Q

What is a synapse?

A

Tiny spaces between the axon terminal of one neuron and the next neuron through which communication occurs.

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20
Q

What is a neurotransmitter?

A

Specialized chemicals that travel across synapses to allow communication between neurons.

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21
Q

What are synaptic vesicles?

A

Membrane-bound spheres in the axon terminals of neurons where neurotransmitters are stored before their release.

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22
Q

What are neurotransmitter receptors?

A

Proteins in the membranes of neurons that bind to neurotransmitters.

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23
Q

What are postsynaptic potentials?

A

Electrical events in postsynaptic neurons that occur when a neurotransmitter binds to one of its receptors.

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24
Q

What are the two types of postsynaptic potentials?

A

Excitatory or inhibitory.

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25
Q

What makes a cells less likely to fire an action potential?

A

Being hyperpolarized to a negative charge.

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26
Q

What differentiates postsynaptic potentials from action potentials?

A

Postsynaptic electrical events are much more varied, depolarizing, hyperpolarizing and graded in strength. Events at individual synapses can also change with experience.

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27
Q

What is the term referring to changes in the nervous system?

A

Plasticity.

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28
Q

What are groups of neurons grouped by?

A

Neural networks.

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29
Q

What are the two main parts of the nervous system?

A

The central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system.

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30
Q

What are the two main parts of the peripheral nervous system.

A

The somatic and the autonomic nervous system.

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31
Q

What is the function of the somatic nervous system?

A

To transmit information about the senses and movement to and from the central nervous system.

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32
Q

What are the two main parts of the autonomic nervous system.

A

The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system.

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33
Q

What is the sympathetic nervous system?

A

The division of the autonomic nervous system activated during conditions of stress.

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34
Q

What is the parasympathetic nervous system?

A

The division of the nervous system active during restful times.

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35
Q

What is an interneuron?

A

A neuron that typically has a short axon and serves as a relay between different classes of neurons. In the spinal cord, interneurons communicate with both sensory and motor neurons.

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36
Q

What autonomic system is digestion a part of?

A

Parasympathetic.

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37
Q

Where do pain reflex signals travel?

A

Up to the spinal cord, passes through an interneuron and back to the somatic system to react quickly. Bypasses the brain.

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38
Q

What determines how much injury you get from a spinal cord injury?

A

Any nerve connections below the injured segment of the spinal cord.

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39
Q

What is the purpose of the spinal cord?

A

To gather information from the body and sending it to the brain as well as for enabling the brain to control movement of the body.

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40
Q

Where is the brainstem located?

A

Low part of the brain, closest to spinal cord.

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41
Q

What is the other name for the brainstem?

A

Medulla.

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42
Q

What is the purpose of the brainstem?

A

Basic bodily functions and integrating information about pain and touch from the head and neck.

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43
Q

What is the reticular formation?

A

Several neuron groups in the brainstem important for sleep and wakefulness by being a major source of serotonin.

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44
Q

Where is the pons located?

A

Right above the brainstem.

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45
Q

What does the pons do?

A

It is part of the reticular formation and it is a source of norepinephrine.

46
Q

What does norepinephrine do?

A

It is important for arousal and attention.

47
Q

Where is the cerebellum located?

A

At the back of the brain.

48
Q

What is the purpose of the cerebellum?

A

For motor coordination and certain types of learning involving movement.

49
Q

Where is the midbrain located?

A

Above the pons.

50
Q

What does the midbrain contain?

A

The substantia nigra.

51
Q

What does the substantia nigra do?

A

Fluidity of movement and inhibition of movement. Also a strong producer of dopamine.

52
Q

Where is the thalamus located?

A

At the front/anterior portion of the brain.

53
Q

What does the thalamus mainly do?

A

Act as a relay station for sensory information.

54
Q

What are two important regions of the thalamus?

A

Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (visual stimuli)

Medial Geniculate Nucleus (auditory stimuli)

55
Q

Where is the hypothalamus located?

A

Underneath the Thalamus.

56
Q

What is the purpose of the hypothalamus?

A

To regulate motivation and to be a critical part of the endocrine system. Stimulates basic drives.

57
Q

What is the main purpose of the pituitary gland?

A

To control hormones.

58
Q

What are the two parts of the pituitary gland?

A

Anterior and posterior pituitary.

59
Q

What is the anterior pituitary’s relationship with the hypothalamus?

A

It is connected with the hypothalamus and communicates with it to release peptides.

60
Q

What do peptides do?

A

Either act as hormones or work to stimulate endocrine glands.

61
Q

What is a critical axis of the stress response?

A

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.

62
Q

How is the posterior pituitary connected to the hypothalamus?

A

It is connected through a bundle of axons which stimulates it to release neuropeptides.

63
Q

What are the two kinds of neuropeptides?

A

Oxytocin and vasopressin.

64
Q

Where is the amygdala located in the brain?

A

Deep within the brain in the temporal lobe.

65
Q

What is the purpose of the amigdala?

A

Recognize, learn and respond to fear.

66
Q

What are the two purposes of the hippocampus?

A

Storing episodic memories and learning spatial environment.

67
Q

Where is the striatum located?

A

In the midline of the brain.

68
Q

What does the striatum do?

A

Work with the substantia nigra to produce fluid movement.

69
Q

Where is the nucleus accumbens located.

A

Anterior to the striatum.

70
Q

What does the nucleus accumbens do?

A

Involved in motivation and reward learning as a receiver of dopamine.

71
Q

What is the purpose of the neocortex?

A

Our most complex behaviours.

72
Q

What are the two parts of the neocortex?

A

The primary sensory and/or motor areas, and the association cortex.

73
Q

What is the purpose of the primary sensory areas?

A

To process basic information about the senses as well as for producing signals that lead to voluntary movement.

74
Q

What is the purpose of the association cortex?

A

Responsible for the complex functions, including higher order sensory processing.

75
Q

Where is the occipital cortex located?

A

At the back of the skull.

76
Q

What stimuli does the occipital cortex process?

A

Basic information about vision and some visual associations.

77
Q

Where is the temporal cortex located.

A

At the sides of the skull.

78
Q

What stimuli does the temporal cortex process?

A

Auditory stimuli.

79
Q

What is the purpose of Wernicke’s area?

A

Language comprehension.

80
Q

Where is Wernicke’s area located.

A

In the temporal cortex.

81
Q

What non-stimuli roles in the temporal cortex important in?

A

Memory and learning, recognition of objects via visual cues.

82
Q

Where is the parietal cortex located?

A

On the top middle of the brain.

83
Q

What kind of stimuli does the parietal cortex process?

A

Somatosensory stimuli, our senses of touch.

84
Q

What is the relationship of the parietal cortex to vision?

A

It processes higher-order visual stimuli.

85
Q

Where is the frontal cortex located?

A

At the front of the brain (fucking duh)

86
Q

What basic function occurs in the frontal cortex?

A

Voluntary movement, in the primary motor strip.

87
Q

Where is Broca’s area located?

A

In the frontal Cortex.

88
Q

What is Broca’s area responsible for?

A

Speech production.

89
Q

What are some functions of the prefrontal cortex?

A

Short-term memory and moral reasoning. Higher-order cognitive functions.

90
Q

What is the corpus callosum?

A

A bundle of axons in the middle of the brain facilitating communication between the two brain hemispheres.

91
Q

What behaviour is strongly associated with the hippocampus?

A

Neuroplasticity.

92
Q

How are functions distributed between the two brain hemispheres?

A

Left part controls right of body and right part controls left of body.

93
Q

What is the neural tube?

A

The area of the embryo from which the central nervous system arises.

94
Q

What is neurogenesis?

A

The production of new neurons.

95
Q

What is synaptogenesis?

A

The process of forming new synapses.

96
Q

What is programmed cell death?

A

The developing organism produces an excess of neuron, and if unused they are culled.

97
Q

Where does nervous tissue first originate from in the early embryo?

A

One of the three layers of undefined tissue, it being called the ectoderm.

98
Q

What is regressive structural remodeling?

A

Many neurons initially develop more dendrites and synapses, or more elaborate axons, than they will eventually need..

99
Q

What is the general conclusion over the right brain-left brain dichotomy?

A

Most studies conclude that the dichotomy is more of a general theme, with the hemispheres being more similar than different.

100
Q

Does overall brain size matter in how well brains function?

A

No.

101
Q

What is the colloquial dichotomy between right and left side brains.

A

Right: more creative.
Left: more analytical.

102
Q

What are the two main classes of brain illnesses?

A

Psychiatric and neurological illnesses.

103
Q

What is the cause of Multiple Sclerosis?

A

Demyelination on the axons leading to inefficient transmission.

104
Q

What are the symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis?

A

Vision loss, pain, muscle weakness.

105
Q

What is the cause of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)?

A

Degeneration of motor neurons in the spinal cord.

106
Q

What are the symptoms of ALS?

A

Loss of motor functions until death by loss of basic functions.

107
Q

What is the cause of Parkinson’s disease?

A

The death of dopaminergic neurons, those that rely on dopamine, in the substatia nigra.

108
Q

What are the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease?

A

Tremor in hands and muscle rigidity.

109
Q

What is the cause of Huntington’s disease?

A

The death of neurons in the striatum.

110
Q

What are the symptoms of Huntington’s disease?

A

awkward movement and symptoms of psychosis.

111
Q

What have scientists learned about the use of stem cells in treating neurological disorders?

A

Can sometimes work, can not sometimes work.

112
Q

What are the cellular processes that sculpt the brain during development?

A

Cell death, axon retraction, synapse elimination.

PSYC 1105 (7 decks)

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