ELM 21 Neurotechniques Flashcards
Question: What is trepanation in the context of brain surgery?
Answer: Trepanation involves boring holes in the skull. It is one of the oldest known surgical procedures, with evidence dating back thousands of years. Its purpose in ancient times remains unclear but could have been for healing or ritualistic reasons.
Question: What is stereotaxic surgery used for in brain research?
Answer: Stereotaxic surgery is used to produce precise brain lesions or insert electrodes into specific areas of the brain. This technique relies on a stereotaxic atlas to target the desired brain region accurately.
Question: Who was Phineas Gage, and why is he significant in the history of neuroscience?
Answer: Phineas Gage was a railroad construction foreman who survived a traumatic brain injury when an iron rod pierced through his skull. His case was the first to suggest a link between brain trauma and personality change, leading to significant insights into the functions of different brain regions.
Question: What contribution did Wilder Penfield make to neuroscience?
Answer: Wilder Penfield used electrical brain stimulation on awake patients to map the functions of different areas of the cortex. His work helped create functional maps of the brain, including the famous “motor homunculus,” which represents the body’s motor functions in relation to the brain.
Question: What is experimental ablation in the context of neuroscience research?
Answer: Experimental ablation involves lesioning or destroying a specific part of the brain to study its function. This technique helps researchers understand the role of different brain regions in behavior and cognitive functions.
Question: Describe the goldfish shoaling experiment and its findings.
Answer: In the goldfish shoaling experiment, researchers observed the behavior of goldfish with and without lesions in the telencephalon, a region of the brain. Fish with ablated telencephalon did not swim with the others, indicating that this brain region might be involved in social behavior or coordination within the shoal.
What is Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)?
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) involves the implantation of electrodes within certain brain areas. These electrodes are connected to a pacemaker-like device placed under the skin in the upper chest.
How is the amount of stimulation controlled in Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)?
The amount of stimulation in DBS is controlled by a pacemaker-like device implanted under the skin in the upper chest. This device is connected via wires that travel under the skin to the electrodes implanted in the brain.
What is the impact of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) on normal/healthy tissue?
DBS does not destroy normal or healthy tissue. Instead, it produces electrical impulses that regulate abnormal impulses and affect certain cells and chemicals within the brain.
What neurological conditions can be treated using Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)?
DBS can treat a range of neurological conditions, including tremors in Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, essential tremor, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and epilepsy.
What are some potential therapeutic mechanisms of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)?
While the specific therapeutic mechanisms of DBS are unclear, it is known to help the brain release more ATP, which activates adenosine A1 receptors, dampening excitatory transmission.
What are some common side effects associated with Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)?
Side effects of DBS surgery/stimulation may include mood changes, speech problems (such as palilalia), and vision problems.
What is Computerized Tomography (CT)?
CT combines a series of X-ray images taken from different angles and uses a computer to create cross-sectional images.
What are the applications of Computerized Tomography (CT)?
CT is used to quickly examine people with internal injuries from accidents or trauma. It is also used to localize tumors, infections, blood clots, guide procedures like biopsy or radiation therapy, and detect and monitor diseases such as cancer.
What is Positron Emission Tomography (PET)?
PET uses a radioactive drug to show brain activity, which can be injected, swallowed, or inhaled.
What are the uses of Positron Emission Tomography (PET)?
PET is useful for revealing and evaluating tumors and other brain disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and seizures. It can also be combined with MRI and CT scans.
What is Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)?
MRI uses a magnetic field and radio waves to create detailed images of the brain and spinal cord.
What are the applications of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)?
MRI is the most frequently used imaging test of the brain and spinal cord. It can diagnose conditions such as aneurysms, eye or ear disorders, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, stroke, tumors, and brain injury from trauma.
What is Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)?
fMRI measures metabolic changes within the brain and can examine brain anatomy in people being considered for brain surgery.
What are the uses of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)?
fMRI can assess damage from head injury or disorders like Alzheimer’s disease. It has also revealed that parts of the visual cortex are recruited in language processing in blind people.
What is gene therapy?
Gene therapy involves altering genes inside the body’s cells to treat or stop a disease, instead of using drugs or surgery.
What are the goals of gene therapy?
The goals of gene therapy include replacing mutated genes with healthy copies, inactivating or knocking out malfunctioning genes, and introducing new genes to help the body fight disease.
What are the risks associated with gene therapy?
Gene therapy is not viable for all diseases and carries risks. It is currently only being tested for diseases with no other cure, and the process of inserting genetically modified cells can be risky.
What are the methods of gene therapy delivery?
Gene therapy can be delivered through ex vivo gene transfer, where genetically modified cells are inserted into the body, or through direct in vivo injection of viral vectors into target tissue.
