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Higher function Flashcards

1
Q

Every cubic inch of the cerebral cortex has how man miles of nerve fibers within it?

A

10,000

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2
Q

The number of neurons in the brain outnumbers number of people on earth by how much?

A

30 x greater neurons in brain than humans on earth.

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3
Q

A typical neuron is wired to how many of it’s neighbors?

A

1,000 - 2,000

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4
Q

What determines what the brain does?

A

The pattern of neuron connections in the brain

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5
Q

T/F

Neurons outnumber glia 10:1

A

False,

Glia outnumber neurons 10:1

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6
Q

Most cortical neurons are a site of what?

A

Converging input and diverging output from and to many other neurons.

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7
Q

What is a cortical silence area?

A

Parts of the cortex (a good majority of it) that does not respond in an obvious way to simple sensory +, nor produces movements when electrically +.

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8
Q

What is layer I of the cortex?

A

Molecular layer (mostly axons).

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9
Q

What is layer II of the cortex?

A

External granule layer. Populated by granule (stellate) cells (stars above the pyramids)

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10
Q

What is layer III of the cortex?

A

External pyramidal layer. Primary pyramidal cells

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11
Q

What is layer IV of the cortex?

A

Internal granule layer. Main granule cell layer

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12
Q

What is layer V of the cortex?

A

Internal pyramidal layer. Dominated by giant pyramidal cells

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13
Q

What is layer VI of the cortex?

A

Multiform layer. All types of cells, granule, stellate, fusiform

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14
Q

What are the three major cells types of the cebebral cortex?

A

Pyramidal, granule, fusiform

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15
Q

What is unique about the pyramidal cells of the cortex?

A

Major efferent cell. Source of corticospinal projections

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16
Q

What is the function of Granule cells?

A

Short axons that function as interneurons (intra cortical processing)

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17
Q

What are the primary excitatory and inhibitory NT’s released by granule cells in the cortex?

A

Excitatory: glutamate.
Inhibitory: GABA

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18
Q

What is unique about fusiform cells and what role do they play in cortical processing?

A

They are least numerous of the 3 major cell types. They give rise to the output fibers of the cortex.

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19
Q

What layers does most of cortical output come from?

A

Layers V and VI

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20
Q

What layer do spinal cord tracts originate?

A

V

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21
Q

Where do most incoming sensory signals terminate?

A

Layer VI

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22
Q

What layer hosts thalamic connections

A

Layer VI

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23
Q

What are the intracortical association function layers?

A

I,II,III

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24
Q

Which of the intracortical association function layers has the most number of neurons?

A

II and III (short horizontal connections with adjacent cortical areas)

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25
T/F Some areas of the cerebral cortex have extensive efferent and afferent connection with deeper structures of the brain?
False. ALL areas of the cortex have these relationships with lower areas (e.g. basal ganglia, thalamus).
26
T/F Cortical neurons (esp. in associate areas) can change their function as functional demands change
True
27
T/F Resultant network of links between neurons in the cortex mimics relationships between things in the outside world
True. Probabilistic model of the world in the brain which can predict what is likely to happen next
28
What is the secret of the CC concerning observed associations of the outside world?
The mechanism for making the strength of these connections change to reflect these observed associations.
29
What have we been able to identify physically about the mostly not understood mechanism of the CC to make strong connects and change them to reflect changes in the observable world?
Creating physical connections between neurons that are often active simultaneously “fire together, wire together
30
T/F Lesions in association areas of the cortex have subtle and predictable quality
False. Subtle and UNpredictable quality
31
What kind of information/activity is associated with prefrontal association areas?
Elaboration of thought, prolonged though processes (prefrontal labotomy). Executive functions of behavior Working memory
32
What are some of the prefrontal association areas and what is their functions?
Broca's area (formation of words) Ventral medial frontal area (processing of emotion) Orbital frontal cortex (error detector, telling you that something is amiss).
33
With OCD, where are cells found to be hyperactive and why are they hyperactive?
Hyperactive in orbital frontal cortex. Hyperactive because they fire strongly when expectations not met (e.g. monkey's with current juice vs brine experiment).
34
What 3 functions concern the limbic association area?
Behavior Motivation Emotions
35
What are the functions of the parieto-occipitotemoporal AA?
Analysis of spatial coordinates of the body (neglect syndrome) Area for language comprehension (reading) Area for naming objects Area for recognition-faces/complex form
36
What 2 parieto-occipitotemporal areas deal with reading?
``` Wernike's Angular gyrus (just behind wernike's) ```
37
What is Wernike's area?
General interpretive area (auditory, visual, somatic all feed into this area).
38
What does the angular gyrus do
Higher order visual signal processing
39
What is neglect syndrome?
Neglect syndrome is a condition in which people are unaware of objects in one half of their visual field.
40
After the identification of a face/object, projections from the fusiform gyrus to the amygdal allow a person to do what?
The person to gage the emotional significance of what has been identified
41
What is Capgras syndrome?
A person thinks their close relatives are imposters due to lack of emotion evoked by visually seeing them. Occurs only when visualizing them.
42
What is happening neurologically in Capgras syndrome?
fusiform gyrus -> amygdala projections that allow a person to gage the emotional significance of what they identify are lesioned or damaged.
43
Ventromedial frontal areas reciprocally connected with subcortical nuclei (e.g. amydgala, hypothalamus) are involved with what functions?
Basic biologic regulation, emotional processing, social cognition and behavior.
44
Studies concerning the function of the ventromedial association areas in monkeys regarding the relationship between their brain physiology and their social environment showed what?
Monkeys that had behavior that was more socially adapted possessed a higher concentration of serotonin S2 receptors. Conversely, low amounts of S2 serotonin receptors were found in monkeys whos behavior is aggressive and socially uncooperative.
45
What are the 4 main functions of the prefrontal association area?
Judgment Planning for the future Holding and organizing events from memory for prospective action Working memory
46
T/F General interpretative functions of Wernicke’s & angular gyrus as well as speech & motor control are more well developed in both cerebral hemispheres
False, only one hemisphere.
47
What percentage of the population has a dominant left hemisphere?
95%
48
How does the brain demonstrate plasticity by having a dominant hemisphere?
If dominant hemisphere sustains damage early in life, the non dominant hemisphere can develop those capabilities of speech and language comprehension.
49
What are specialized functions of the dominant (usually) left hemisphere?
Language based intellectual functions Interpretive functions of symbolism, understanding spoken, written words. Analytical functions - math Speech
50
What are specialized functions of the non dominant (usually) right hemisphere?
Music Non verbal visual experiences (e.g. body language) Spatial relations
51
The corpus collosum deals with bidirectional communication between most of the two cortical hemispheres except for what?
Anterior portions of the temporal lobe
52
What involves the anterior commissure?
Bidirectional communication between anterior portions of the temporal lobe (amygdala-emotional response transfer).
53
What would be the purpose of causing a patient to be "slit brained" by sectioning the corpus collosum?
Prevents information transfer from one cortex to the other. Originally done to prevent the spread of seizure activity from one hemisphere to the other in cases of severe epilepsy.
54
What does the left hemisphere exhibit in matching experiments?
Left hemisphere usually matches based on function
55
What does the right hemisphere exhibit in matching experiments?
Right hemisphere usually matches based on appearance.
56
What is memory?
Your ability to deconstruct the whole form a degraded fragment.
57
T/F The same brain structures that are used to recollect the past are used when we think about the future?
True
58
Since we use the same brain structures to recall the past and think about the future, what negative effect can this cause?
Inaccurate recollection of past memories.
59
What structures make up the allocortex?
Archicortex and paleocortex. Includes the hippocampal formation which is folded into temporal lobe & only viewed after dissection.
60
How much of the cerebral cortex does the allocortex make up?
10%
61
What makes up the hippocampal formation?
Hippocampus, dentate gyrus, subiculum
62
What are the layers of the hippocampus?
I,V, VI
63
What does the hippocampus connect to?
Septal nuclei, mamillary body, contralateral hippocampus via fornix.
64
What are the layers of the dentate gyrus?
I,IV,VI
65
Where does the dentate gyrus project to?
Projects to hippocampus (Ammon's horn).
66
What is the subiculum apart of?
The parahippocampal gyrus
67
What does the subiculum merge with?
Entorhinal area
68
The hippocampal formation receives primary input from the entorhinal cortex and parahippocampal gyrus via what?
Perforant and alveolar pathway
69
What plays an important role in declarative memory (making declarative statements of memory)?
Hippocampal formation
70
What does declarative memory include?
Episodic - daily episodes of life | Semantic - factual information
71
How does the hippocampal formation act as a cortical gutter?
Sensory information is increasingly analyzed & refined as it passes from neuronal level to level from sensory projection areas ⇒ complex associational parietal/temporal networks ⇒ draining into hippocampus
72
What is the role that the hippocampus plays through bidirectional connections with parahippocampal regions, and what abilities are enabled by this role?
Episodic memory. Promotes more flexible association between items Differentiating overlapping patterns Encoding of each unique episode
73
Who does parahippocampal regions having bidirectional connections with cerebral cortex make possible?
Encoding specific memory cues (semantic)
74
What is the function of "place" cells in the hippocampus?
Given a sufficient number, place cells and their fields are able to cover or "map" any given environment. evidence from place cells offers strong support for the hippocampus' involvement in spatial mapping
75
T/F Memory functions can be localized to specific areas of the brain
True
76
What are memory traces?
Memories caused by changes in sensitivity of synaptic transmission between neurons as a result of previous mental activity

Neurophys II/III (5 decks)

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