Final Exam Flashcards
What is the Lateral interpositus nucleus?
The part of the brain that responds to a CONDITIONED stimulus, but not an unconditioned stimulus.
What is the unconditioned response pathway?
Unconditioned airpuff to trigeminal nucleus, to oculomotor nucleus, to the eyeblink (UR and CR.)
What is the conditioned response pathway?
Tone CS to Cochlear Nucleus, to Pontine Nuclei, to Lateral Interpositus Nucleus, to Red Nucleus, to Oculomotor nucleus, to eyeblink (UR and CR.)
Where does learning occur?
Long Term Depression of the Cerebellar Cortex Purkinje Cells occurs when they experience repeated stimulus. This is when the parallel fibers and climbing fibers activate the Purkinje Cells at the same time. EPSPs are reduced in the Purkinje Cells, aka LTD. LTD results from a lower responsiveness to glutamate (fewer receptors) by the Purkinje cells.. This reduces the inhibition of the LIP neurons leading to increased activation to the CS. Purkinje cells become LESS responsive every time tone and puff happens, so they INHIBIT the LIP LESS every time the tone and puff happens. Purkinje cells normally inhibit LIP by releasing GABA.
Part of brain that tells the memory storing parts to keep the information and keeps thoughts going
Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
What is anterograde amnesia?
When you can’t form new memories. Short-term memory can be left intact.
What is the Hebb rule?
The hypothesis that the cellular basis of learning involves strengthening of a synapse that is repeatedly active when the postsynaptic neuron fires.
What is long term potentiation?
A long-term increase in the excitability of a neuron to a particular synaptic input caused by repeated high-frequency activity of that input. Leads to synapses that are stronger and more efficient. Develops rapidly and is long-lasting.
Explain the neuroscience of LTP.
high frequency input, floods lots of glutamate into cleft, opens NMDA receptors, bring calcium in, brings additional AMPA receptors to postsynaptic membrane. If the NMDA receptor is blocked by a NMDA antagonist, LTP will not proceed.
Hemisphere lateralization of emotion?
Positive emotions left lateralized, negative emotions right lateralized, so left hemisphere damage makes you sad. Right hemisphere of brain reads emotion.
What systems mediate the stress response?
The sympathetic nervous system increases release of Catecholamines (NE and E) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) activation increases release of cortisol. Largely under the control of the hypothalamus.
Explain the effects of a stroke.
Release of massive amounts of glutamate; prolonged opening of sodium and calcium channels. Increased sodium causes cells to absorb water and swell. Inflammation activates microglia causing them to become phagocytic. Toxic levels of calcium produce direct toxicity and instigate various second-messenger pathways. Energy crisis ensues as mitochondria reduce their production of ATP. Neuronal cell death occurs immediately after a stroke, but prompt medical attention can save the neurons and glia in the penumbra
Explain the effects of Alzheimer’s disease.
Cortical degeneration. Most affected areas are the limbic cortex, inferior temporal cortex, and posterior parietal cortex. The entorhinal cortex (link between neocortex and hippocampus) shows clearest evidence for cell loss, which may explain why memory problems occur early in the disease. Size of sulci increases because the gyri neurons have been lost
Describe the two hypotheses of schizophrenia.
The Glutamate Hypothesis - PCP produces symptoms similar to schizophrenia by blocking the NMDA glutamate receptor. Therefore, schizophrenia could be linked to an underactivity of glutamate.
The Dopamine Hypothesis - Too much dopamine in the brain can cause schizophrenic symptoms even in people WITHOUT schizophrenia, and drugs that reduce dopamine can help positive schizophrenia symptoms in some patients.
What brain structure facilitates INVOLUNTARY facial movement?
Basal ganglia.
