Exploring the brain (2) Flashcards
What is the role of the hypothalamus?
Regulates several homeostatic processes such as feeding and drinking, links brain to endocrine system
What structure carries information between the two hemispheres?
The corpus callosum
What are three sub-cortical structures?
Hippocampus, basal ganglia, amygdala
What are two computations of the basal ganglia?
1. C____ m____ (via d____ striatum)
2. M____ b____ (via v____ striatum)
Co-ordinating movement (via dorsal striatum)
Motivated behaviour (via ventral striatum)
What does the amygdala have key connections with?
C____x, h____s, t____s, h____s, b____l g____a, b____m
Cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus, basal ganglia, brainstem
Information loops from the cortex (and hippocampus) through what?
Basal ganglia, thalamus, back to cortex
What computation is linked to the amygdala?
Emotional learning, especially fear conditioning - associate environment with emotive state - respond appropriately
What are the main three subfields of the hippocampus?
1. D____e g____s
2. C____s a____s __
3. C____s a____s __
Dentate gyrus, Cornus ammonis 3 and CA1 (another name for the hippocampus)
The hippocampus is thought to be involved in lots of things that involve learning r____ between f____, especially s____ n____ and e____ m____
relationships, features, spatial navigation, episodic memory
Losing hippocampal function impairs what?
Memory
How many lobes and hemispheres is the cerebral cortex made up of?
4 main lobes and 2 hemispheres
Neocortex has 6 layers
What do the 6 different layers in the neocortex do?
1-3 i____ info from l____ and d____ c____ areas, receiving i____ and sending o____ to other cortical areas
4 receives s____ info
5-6 send info to s____ structures, t____ and s____ c____
1-3 integrate info from local and distance cortical areas, receiving inputs and sending outputs to other cortical areas
4 receives sensory info
5&6 send info to subcortical structures, thalamus and spinal cord
What are some of the key aspects of cerebrospinal fluid?
CSF is produced from e____ cells that line the v____
CSF c____ around the b____ - between the m____ that surround the brain and along large b____ v____ as well as through the ventrivles
Also fills the small e____ space around n____
Its m____ controls the e____ experienced by cells
C____ brain from i____ to the head, also clears the brain of u____ products such as broken down p____
ependymal, ventricles (fluid-filled spaces in the brain)
circulates, brain, membranes, blood vessels
extracellular, neurons
makeup (conc. of substances in it), environment
cushions, impacts, unwanted, proteins
What causes a stroke?
Blocked cerebral blood vessels starve the area fed by that vessel
A neuron is a key i____-t____ brain cell.
T____ and p____ information using e____ s____
Key information-transmitting brain cell. Transmit and process information using electrical signals
What are the following parts of a neuron for?
Dendrites - collects i____ from other n____
Soma - cell b____ - contains n____
Axon hillock - where nerve i____/a____ p____ triggered
Myelin sheath - increases s____ of t____
Axon terminal - where n____ is released to s____ to the next cell
D - collect inputs from other neurons
S - cell body - contains nucleus
A - axon hillock, where nerve impulse/action potential triggered (integrates all inputs)
M - increases speed of transmission
AT - where neurotransmitter is released to signal to the next cell
What is the function of astrocytes?
Wrap p____ around s____ and n____, also contact b____ v____
Lots of s____ roles
Wrap processes around synapses and neurons, also contact blood vessels
Lots of supportive roles
What is the function of oligodendrocytes?
Wrap m____ s____ around a____ to i____ the axon and allow i____ to travel f____
Wrap myelin sheath around axon to insulate the axon and allow impulses to travel faster
What is the function of microglia?
The brains resident i____ cell - surveys brain for i____ or d____ and g____ up damaged tissue or infection
The brain’s resident immune cell - surveys brain for infection or damage and gobbles up damaged tissue or infection
What are three ways we can label different cell types?
- Fill them with dye by inserting an electrode and allowing dye to diffuse in
- Label them with antibodies against certain proteins, only expressed by that cell type
- Genetically modify mice to express a fluorescent protein (coloured protein) in cells that express specific proteins
Meninges are m____ surrounding the b____:
D____, a____ and p____
Membranes, brain
dura (tough outer membrane), arachnoid and Pia (next to brain surface)
What are the three types of glia cell?
1. A____tes
2. O____tes
3. M____lia
Astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, microglia
