EXAM 1 Flashcards
What does descartes mean by “mind” and “body” and the “mind-body problem”?
- “Mind” is what descartes describes as the “soul” which receives information from animal spirits through a nerve tunnel
- “Body” is our physical existence in space (instantiation)
- The “Mind-body problem” is the idea of how purely physical stimuli and physical reactions can connect to what descartes thinks is a purely non physical entity, i.e the soul
Why is HOW and WHERE descartes described wrong? What is right?
- WRONG: information is not spread through animal spirits, but rather action potentials, and that the entire brain is used when processing information, not just the pineal gland. Descartes also lack a specific mechanism for information spread and how animal spirits can transcend and also connect to the physical world.
- RIGHT: there is a tunnel that information moves through, the brain is the area where information aggregation/processing takes place (NOT THE PINEAL GLAND), and how we sense things, such as heat inside or outside of our bodies.
- Make sure to refer to: the soul, the pineal gland, animal spirits, nerves—also the thalamus, split brain, and neurons
Define a nerve vs a neuron
- Neuron is a nerve cell
- A nerve is a collection of axons
Contrast reticular theory with neuron doctrine.
- Reticular theory: everything in the body is one continuous network that moves information through the connected network–brain tissue is made up of a dense and intricate contiguous and connecting network
- Neuron doctrine: is that neurons are not in a fully connected system but rather in discreet packages known as neurons that send messages across the synapse.
- The golgi stain allowed scientists to see neurons and tell if which of these were right
Describe the steps of an action potential.
NOTE: should be -55mV
Describe what happens in the presynaptic, postsynaptic membrane and the synapse
Describe reuptake/methods of ending comms on postsynaptic membrane
- Reuptake through channels
- Enzyme deactivation through being broken up by enzymes in the synapse
- Autoreception happens when the neurotransmitter binds and inhibits future release
Label the parts of a neuron
What leads to a neuron firing? What prevents it?
- When the neurotransmitters bind to the receptors on the postsynaptic membrane which opens Na+ channels resulting in an initial depolarization towards threshold.. If it reaches -55 mV an action potential will fire. If it does not reach that number, the cell will not rapidly depolarize or spread down the axon because action potentials are all-or-nothing.
- It ends when the Na+ channels close
What are agonists and antagonists? How do they work?
- Agonists: increase the strength of the stimulation (ex: herion)
a. Increase the amount of neurotransmitter in each vesicle
b. Block the reuptake of receptors
c. Can mimic a neurotransmitter and bind to postsynaptic receptors, either activating theme or increasing the neurotransmitters effect - Antagonists: decrease the strength of the stimulation (ex: caffeine)
a. Decrease the amount of neurotransmitter
b. Destroy neurotransmitter in the synapse
c. Block the binding – competitive inhibition
What is the difference between white and gray matter?
- White matter: myelin
1. Contains most of the bundles of fibers coming from the cell bodies - Gray matter: contains most of the brains neuronal cell body
1. Contains most of the brains neuronal cell bodies
Describe Cellular changes in synaptic activity (learning)
- Increased probability a neurotransmitter is released: increased probability that neurotransmitter will be released: a greater percent of available vesicles do exocytosis (50 percent of vesicle release, instead of 25 percent
- Increased number of release sites
- Increased number of vesicles available for release
- Increased sensitivity to neurotransmitter (or greater conductance of the channel)
- Increased number of receptors
- Increased number of synaptic contacts
CAN LEAD TO LONG TERM POTENTIATION (LTP): a persistent increase in synaptic strength (as measured by the excitatory postsynaptic potential)
What was Hebbs’ goal in the section read?
To explain learning and memory
Learning: long term potentiation
Explain the principle that “neurons that fire together, wire together”. How does Hebb think this happens?
These neurons come together to form cell assemblies that get stronger as they are used which explains how we can learn and improve at using pathways
Those pathways stay together, and are strengthened over time, which results in memory
What aspects of Hebb’s account correspond to a neural account of “learning” and “memory”?
Learning: LTP
Memory: stronger sets of synchronized cells
Brocas area
Brodman 44&52, right above the largest sulcus—k2 tone, conversational turns, emotions, meaningful speech— cant do: fluent output of words
Wernickes area
can do: tone, conversational turns, emotions, fluent output of words
cant do: meaningful speech
posterior section of the superior temporal gyrus in the left hemisphere
Be able to identify the four lobes of the brain and the functions that have been associated with each.
- Frontal lobe: contains the primary motor cortex– thought, planning, movement
- Parietal lobe: contains the primary somatosensory cortex– touch, spatial relations
- Temporal lobe: contains the primary auditory cortex– hearing, memory
- Occipital lobe: contains the primary visual cortex– vision
What are the 6 subcortical structures and their functions?
- Cerebral cortex: gray matter on top
- Basal ganglia: (movement and reward)
- Thalamus: (sensory gateway)
- Hippocampus: (memory)
- Hypothalamus: (regulates body function
- Amygdala: (emotions)
