Information processing in the NS Flashcards

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1
Q

Are the things we see 100% real?

A

What you see is a reconstruction of what MIGHT be out there, it’s your brain’s best guess of all that incoming neural activity. Neural activity has meaning.

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2
Q

Which parts of the brain encode information for:

i) object movement
ii) colour
iii) obejct identity

A
  1. movement - parietal visual areas
  2. colour processing - cortical area
  3. identity - inferotemporal visual areas
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3
Q

What determines the firing pattern of an individual cell?

A

Synaptic integration

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4
Q

What is pre-synaptic inhibition and its effects?

A

When an inhibitory neurone terminates on a pre-synaptic bouton of an excitatory neurone. - if excitatory alone activates -> EPSP - if inhibitory activates (on excitatory) as well -> smaller EPSP

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5
Q

What 3 types of neuronal inputs are there on post-synaptic boutons on a dendrite?

A
  • inhibitory - excitatory - modulatory all determine whether an action potential is triggered
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6
Q

What is convergence?

A

many presynaptic cells converge onto one single nerve cell (or fewer) to give input.

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7
Q

What is divergence?

A

one nerve cell to synapse upon many other cells. The postsynaptic target could be within a single structure or widely separated.

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8
Q

What is the role of modulation?

A

Modulatory inputs use metabotropic receptors, typically change size of response without changing message. They control the state of the system.

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9
Q

What is an example of modulation within the primary visual cortex?

A

Serotonin -> fewer action potentials (at diff times) ACh -> more action potentials (at diff times) Changes the VOLUME - not on-off like excitatory or inhibitory.

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10
Q

What is meaningful neural activity associated with?

A

SPECIFIC pathways - eg. motor, sensory, cognitive etc.

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11
Q

What do specific pathways depend on, in terms of signals?

A
  • fast (ligand-gated) - precisely localised (topographic organisation) - time-dependent signals - highly selective responses - information-rich activity
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12
Q

What are some features of modulatory pathway signals?

A
  • slow (g protein couple) - diffuse (not localised/precise) - not time-dependent - linked to changes in arousal (sleep-wake cycle) - linked to changes in attention - linked to changes in mental state
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13
Q

What happens when we are awake?

A

Thalamic cells relay sensory info to cortex - transmits signal as it is.

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14
Q

What happens when we are asleep?

A

Thalamic cells become insensitive to their sensory input - withdrawal of modulatory (sensory) input leads to spontaneous bursts of activity being fired by thalamic cells.

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