Cognitive neuroscience

Question 1

Define cognitive neuroscience

Answer 1

The scientific study of biological substrates underlying cognition. How cognitive functions are produced by neural circuits in the brain

Question 2

Define neurons

Answer 2

Cells in the nervous system that communicate with one another to perform information processing tasks

Question 3

Role of sensory neurons

Answer 3

Receives information fro the external world and sends information to the brain

Question 4

Role of motor neurons

Answer 4

Carry signals to the muscles from the spinal cord to produce movement

Question 5

Role of relay neurons

Answer 5

Connect sensory and motor neurons or other interneurons

Question 6

What is the axon?

Answer 6

Transmits information to other neurons, muscles or glands

Question 7

What is the myelin sheath

Answer 7

An insulating layer of fatty material made up of glial cells

Question 8

What are dendrites?

Answer 8

Receive information from other neurons and relay is to the cell boy

Question 9

Define spatial summation

Answer 9

The process of determining whether the cell should send a signal or not

Question 10

Describe the process of spatial summation

Answer 10

Cell receives excitatory and inhibitory signals
Cell will make a decision whether to send a signal down its axon
Electrical signal travels down the neuron
Cell releases neurotransmitters at the synapse and will attach to receptors on the other side

Question 11

Describe place cells

Answer 11

Specific types of cells, particularly in the hippocampus of the rat brain
Cells become excited and send a signal when an animal is in a particular area of the environment
These cells have place fields
When animal in particular part of the environment, the animal will know where it is based on which place cells are firing

Question 12

Describe grid cells

Answer 12

Also play an important role in the animal knowing where it is

Question 13

What are ions?

Answer 13

Charged atoms

Question 14

Describe the charge of a neuron when is is not sending signals

Answer 14

Inside of the neuron has a negative charge relative to the positive charge outside the cell

Question 15

Define neuraxis

Answer 15

The direction central nervous system lies

Question 16

Describe the difference in the neuraxis of humans and animals

Answer 16

Animals- neuraxis is in the same plane throughout

Human- neuraxis bends

Question 17

Differences between computer and brain

Answer 17

Computer:
typically has 1 processing unit where all computations are done
Various stages to achieve computation
Fast, accurate

Brain
Billions of euros
Work not just done in one place
Lots of computations being carried out in parallel, slower

Question 18

Explain polygraphs

Answer 18

Lie detector 
Detects arousal 
Measures blood pressure, sweat 
Assumption that lying is stressful which cases arousal 
Not accurate

Question 19

Define neurotransmitters

Answer 19

Chemicals that transmit information across the synapse to a receding neurones dendrites

Question 20

Define action potential

Answer 20

An electrical signal that is conducted along the length of a neuron’s axon to a synapse

Question 21

Grey and white matter

Answer 21

Grey- cell bodies

White- axons

Question 22

Describe the Hind brain

Answer 22

Oldest part of the brain in terms of evolution
Co ordinates information flow to/from the spinal cord
Medulla- controls heart rate, circulation, respiration
Cerebellum- controls fine motor movement
Pons-relays information between cerebellum and rest of the brain

Question 23

Describe the mid brain

Answer 23

Smallest area

Co ordinates basic functions related to perception and action

Question 24

Describe the forebrain

Answer 24

Basal ganglia- plan initiation of intentional movements
Thalamus- relays and filters information from the senses to the cortex
Hypothalamus- relates internal body functions

Question 25

Describe the hemispheres of the brain

Answer 25

Hemispheric differences do exist
Both sides work together
Most prominent lateralisation: language
Connected by the corpus callous

Question 26

What are the 3 membranes which protect the brain?

Answer 26

Dura mater
Pia mater
Arachnoid

Question 27

What were the ideas of phrenology (1800s)

Answer 27

The first time people started to think brain functions could be localised
Brain is the organ of the mind
The mind is composed of multiple distinct innate faculties
Dominant faculties create bumps on the skull
Phrenology was the starting point for neuropsychology

Question 28

Define neuropsychology

Answer 28

The study of the brain

Investigating the brain behaviour relationship s by studying the effects of localised brain damage

Question 29

Explain frontal lobotomy

Answer 29

One of the earliest famous types of neurosurgery which impacted peoples behaviour
Procedure destroys the frontal lobes or damages connections to the limbic system
People awake during procedure- no pain receptors in the brain
Surgery not successful- patients then had difficulties such as not motivated to do anything

Question 30

Explain hemispheric callostomy

Answer 30

Surgery cuts corpus callous preventing spread of epileptic seizures
Cut the corpus callous so hemispheres can\t communicate to at least keep epileptic seizures in one hemisphere
Seizures did reduce