Introduction Flashcards
What is a cognitive psychology?
It’s the study of internal mental processes, such as attention, language use, memory, perception, problem solving, creativity etc.
What is a stroop test?
The Stroop task present the participant with a list of words and then ask him/her to name the color of each word as fast as possible.
Absolute vs Relative refractory period
Absolute refractory period - the voltage-gated Na+ channels are unable to open, and no other new action potential can be generated, while ongoing action potential continues.
Relative refractory period the neuron can generate action potentials, but only with larger-than- normal depolarizing currents
Which forces affect membrane potential?
Concentration gradient – ions go from high concentration to low
Electrical gradient – ions go more to the negative side
At rest, the combined gradients acting on sodium (Na) do what?
A. Push it out of the cell
B. Push it into the cell
C. Cancel each other out.
A. Push it out of the cell
If a neurotransmitter binds to a ligand-gated Na+ channel on a dendrite, causing it to open, what would be the likely result?
a) The postsynaptic cell will become less negative
b) The presynaptic cell will become less negative
c) The postsynaptic cell will become more negative
d) The presynaptic cell will become more negative
a) The postsynaptic cell will become less negative
Which of the following techniques uses magnets to affect the brain?
a) MRI
b) fMRI
c) TMS
d) MEG
c) TMS
Functional imaging techniques work by tracking _____ changes in the brain
a) electrical
b) chemical
c) structural
d) blood flow
d) blood flow
What are the states of consciousness, which are obtained by EEG technique?
Single unit recording?
Single unit recording- the use of an electrode, which records the electrophysiological activity (action potentials) from a single neuron.
Optogenetics?
Optogenetics is a biological technique that control the activity of neurons or other cell types with light in specific brain cells.
Peripheral vs Central nervous system
The nervous system is generally divided into two main parts. The central nervous system (CNS) includes the brain and spinal cord. The peripheral nervous system (PNS) includes the sensory and motor nerves, and associated nerve cell ganglia (groups of neuronal cell bodies), which are located outside the central nervous system.
The nervous system is composed of two main classes of cells:
neurons and glial cells
Neurons vs Glial cells
Neurons are the basic signaling units that transmit information throughout the nervous system.
Glial cells are non-neuronal, which provide structural support and modulating of neuronal activity
What is myelin?
Glial cells also form the fatty substance called myelin in the nervous system.
What is the s-re of neuron?
A neuron is composed of three main parts: a cell body, dendrites, and an axon. Like other cells, the neuron contains a nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, ribosomes, mitochondria, Golgi apparatus, and other intracellular organelles (inset).
What are the 4 types of neuron?
Unipolar neurons have only one structure extending from the soma.
Bipolar neurons have one axon and one dendrite extending from the soma. Multipolar neurons contain one axon and many dendrites;
Pseudounipolar neurons have a single structure that extends from the soma, which later branches into two distinct structures.
ask?
How we measure the membrane potential of a neuron?
Idealized neuron (left), shown with an intracellular recording electrode penetrating the neuron. The electrode measures the difference between the voltage inside versus outside the neuron, and this difference is amplified and displayed on an oscilloscope screen (top). The oscilloscope screen shows voltage over time. Before the electrode enters the neuron, the voltage difference is zero, but when the electrode is pushed into the neuron, the difference becomes -70 mV, which is the resting membrane potential.
How arises the resting membrane potential?
The resting membrane potential arises from the asymmetrical distribution of ions of sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), and chloride (Cl2+) across the neuron’s cell membrane.
3 sodium ions (Na+) pumped out the membrane
2 potassium ions (K+) pumped in the membrane
-70 mV resting potential
Ion channels vs Ion pumps
Ion channels are proteins with a pore through the center that allow certain ions to flow down their electrochemical (electrical) and concentration gradients.
Ion pumps use energy to actively transport ions across the membrane against their concentration gradients—that is, from regions of low concentration to regions of higher concentration.
Ion channels s-re
Voltage gated-ion channels Na+ VS K+
What is Hodgkin-Huxley cycle?
When the threshold is reached, voltage-gated Na+ channels open and Na+ flows rapidly into the neuron. When we get a large number of Na+ inside the neuron, the neuron becomes more depolarized, so that more Na+ channels open.
This process is called the Hodgkin– Huxley cycle (Positive feedback system).
Voltage-gated ion channels location?
Voltage-gated ion channels are located at the axon hillock of the pre-synaptic neuron, where the action potential is triggered. Ion channels can be found along the whole length of the axon.
What is action potential?
An action potential is a rapid rise (depolarization) and fall (repolarization) in voltage or membrane potential across a cellular membrane caused by the opening and closing of ion channels.
List the steps of the action potential
-70 mV resting potential
- 55 mV threshold value
What is saltatory conduction?
Action potentials in myelinated axons need occur only at the nodes of Ranvier, travelling from one node to another, which is called saltatory conduction
What is a synapse?
a specialized structure where two neurons come into close contact, so that chemical or electrical signals can be passed from one cell to the next
Synapse s-re
Neurotransmitter leading to postsynaptic potential
Before transmitter release vs after
What is neural integration?
Gap junction?
Intercellular contacts providing direct transfer of ions and small molecules between neighboring cells.
What are the kinds of neurotransmitters? Describe each.
1) Amines: Dopamine for movement, when die – parkinson’s disease
Epinephrine (adrenaline) - more of hormone
serotonin - mood system
norepinephrine (noradrenaline) – focus, attention, arousal, increase heart rate
2) Acetylcholine – learning and memory, automatic system in the body
3) Neuropeptides – tiny proteins, non classical neurotransmitter
Oxytocin acts as the hormone
Endorphins – relieve pain and gives pleasure
4) Amino acids: glutamata - excitatory, GABA - inhibitory
Spatial vs Temporal resolution
Spatial resolution refers to the capacity a technique has to tell you exactly which area of the brain is active, while temporal resolution describes its ability to tell you exactly when the activation happened
list the brain parts of dog
List the anatomical directions of brain in humans
Ventricles definition
Ventricles are open spaces inside the brain, which create the cerebrospinal fluid
What are the division parts of the brain?
What is cerebellum? It’s function?
Cerebellum – is a large part of the brain, which is responsible for movement and coordination of muscles.
Cerebellum is not part of the brain stem.
What is brainstem? Its function?
Brainstem is the bottom part of the brain, which connects the rest of the brain to a spinal cord. The brainstem sends signals from your brain to the rest of your body. It controls many subconscious body functions, like breathing and maintaining your heart rate
Purkinje cell meaning?
Any of numerous neurons of the cerebral cortex (cerebellum)having large flask-shaped cell bodies with massive dendrites and one slender axon
Thalamus vs Hypothalamus
Thalamus is an egg-shaped structure in the middle of your brain that control all incoming motor (movement) and sensory information — hearing, taste, sight and touch (but not smell) — from the body to your brain.
Hypothalamus - a neural structure lying below the thalamus, which directs several activities (eating, drinking, body temperature) and helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward.
Hypothalamus - is dealing with stress, sleep cycles, reproductive behaviors.
List the main s-res of the brainstem and their function
Midbrain, pons and medulla – main s-res of the brain
Midbrain - functions in motor movement, particularly movements of the eye, and in auditory and visual processing
Medulla – controls heart going, respiration and blood pressure
Pons - a structure that links your brain to your spinal cord, handles unconscious processes, such as alertness, stages of sleep
What are the ways to classify s-res in the brain?
1) Gross anatomy - the branch of anatomy that deals with the structure of organs and tissues that are visible to the naked eye.
2) Cytoarchitectonics - the study of the cellular composition of the central nervous system’s tissues under the microscope.
3) Function
Glial cells vs Schwann cells
Glial cells form the fatty substance called myelin in the nervous system.
In the peripheral nervous system, Schwann cells carry out this task.
Presynaptic neuron VS postsynaptic neuron
Presynaptic neuron is the neuron sending the information.
Postsynaptic neuron is the neuron, which receives the information.
What is membrane potential?
Membrane potential (or membrane voltage) is the difference in electric potential between the interior and the exterior of a biological cell. The charge inside of the membrane is more negative than outside of the membrane.
