Course Intro Flashcards
Define thalamus
Midline symmetrical structure of two halves that sits between the cortex and on top of the midbrain.
Located on each side of third ventricle. Nerve fibers project out to cortex in all directions. Functions include major relay for all ascending sensory information except olfaction, regulation of consciousness, sleep, and alertness.
Define synaptic plasticity
In general, this means synapses can strengthen or weaken over time in response to increases or decreases in their activity. Underlying mechanism = altering number of neurotransmitter receptors, quantity of neurotransmitters released into a synapse, and changes in how effectively cells respond to neurotransmitters. This is how learning occurs.
What are brodmann areas?
just areas that differ in features such as the size of cells and the relative thickness and appearance of the layers they make up. They correspond to functional variations in the cerebral cortex.
what is the neuron doctrine?
the neuron is a distinct anatomic and physiologic unti, responsible for the transmission of information in the nervous system
what is the theory of dynamic polarization?
transmission of nerve impulses is conducted from dendrites toward the soma and then away from the cell body via the axon.
afferent fibers
fibers that carry information toward the cell body/CNS
efferent fibers
fibers carrying impulses away from the cell body/CNS.
What is Hebb’s postulate?
changes in neuronal circuitry occur through growth at synapses. I.e., when an axon in cell A is near enough to excite cell B and repeatedly and persistently takes part in firing it, some growth process or metabolic changes takes place in one or both cells such A’s efficacy in firing B is increased. This also suggests pavlovian dog hypothesis.
define functional disorder and organic disorder.
signs and symptoms that have no clinically identifiable abnormality. organic is the opposite.
what does VITAMIN-C stand for?
vascular, infectious, traumatic, age, metabolic/nutrional/toxic, inflammatory, neoplasm, congenital and developmental disorders
