intro.pdf Flashcards
What do circadian rhythms relate to?
Brain circuits for information
What do learning and reward systems illustrate?
Inference, emotion, memory, predictions
Do we use all neurons in our brains?
Yes, all are used
What do neurons exchange?
Electrical signals
Which animals share similarities with human nervous systems?
Roundworms, fruit flies, etc.
What does the nervous system do?
Communicates with body systems
How many people will face a neurological or psychiatric condition?
One in four
What types of conditions are mentioned?
Alzheimer’s disease, depression
What is the role of neurons?
Communicate and relay messages
How do neurons communicate?
Electrical and chemical signals
What happens when you stub your toe?
Sensory neurons create action potentials
What bridges the gap between two neurons?
Chemical message
What is the gap between neurons called?
Synapse
What can chemical messengers trigger in the receiving neuron?
Second action potential
What can happen to a signal when a chemical messenger blunts transmission?
Quelling the message
What happens with repeated activity in synapses?
Synapse grows stronger
What do neurons learn to do?
Pass on important messages
How do our brains learn?
Adapt to changing world
What are neurons responsible for?
Thoughts, actions, feelings
What do sensory circuits do?
Carry signals to brain
What do motor circuits send?
Commands to muscles
What do simple circuits carry out?
Automatic reflexes
What do complex circuits handle?
Memory and decision-making
When do the circuits in the brain arise?
Before birth
What is the process of the brain changing called?
Plasticity
When do most brain changes occur?
Childhood
How does learning a new skill or language affect the brain?
Strengthens/weakens connections
What happens to the brain after injury or disease?
Rerouting connections
Can the brain create new neurons?
Yes, but slowly
What process eliminates extra neurons in the brain?
Synaptic pruning
How many neurons does the human brain have?
86 billion
What helps preserve unused neurons?
Physical and mental exercise
What does the brain combine to paint a picture of the world?
All available information
How does the brain make sense of the assembled picture?
Inference and instinct
What are emotions in the context of the brain’s functions?
Value judgments
What is the brain’s role in consciousness?
Integrates sensory inputs, stores memories, and plans for the future.
How does the brain process memories?
Associates pictures with feelings.
What abilities does the brain gain from combining different functions?
Predicts future events, calculates next moves, and devises plans.
What makes humans special in communication?
Talent for talking
Which brain structure is key for human language?
Cerebral cortex
What brain lobes are involved in language circuits?
Temporal, parietal, frontal
What do circuits in the brain help us do?
Generate words and sounds
When are our brains primed to learn language?
From birth
What does language enable us to do?
Trade ideas and information
What has language contributed to?
Human culture and inventions
How much electricity does the brain run on?
25 watts
How many different types of neurons are in the brain?
Nearly 10,000
What drives us to understand our world?
Curiosity
What has the study of neuroscience allowed us to learn?
Neurons and their functions
What insights have come from neuroscience?
Helped solve human problems
What treatments have been developed from neuroscience?
Pain and Parkinson’s disease
What do depression and Alzheimer’s disease have in common?
Both reveal brain secrets
How many people are affected by neurological and psychiatric conditions worldwide?
One in four people
What do neurological and psychiatric conditions cause more of than other diseases?
More total disability
What do neuroscientists study?
Biology of nerves and brain
How much is estimated leached from the U.S. economy?
$1.5 trillion
What is the goal of neuroscientists?
Find treatment or cure
What is the process used to approve new medicines?
Testing for safety and effectiveness
How long have researchers been using this process to fight neurological disorders?
Decades
What was the result in the 1950s and ’60s?
L-dopa for Parkinson’s disease
What is a neural rosette?
Model of developing brain
What do precursor cells do?
Create new neurons and glia
What do the red rings represent?
Connections between precursor cells
How do newborn cells move?
Radiate out using scaffolding
What can scientists observe with this model?
Developing human brain processes
What does the brain contain?
Billions of neurons
What functions does the brain perform?
Processes movements, thoughts, emotions, memories
Can the brain perform multiple tasks simultaneously?
Yes
What is the largest part of the human brain?
Cerebrum
How many hemispheres is the cerebrum divided into?
Two
What connects the two cerebral hemispheres?
Corpus callosum
What is the surface layer of the cerebrum called?
Cerebral cortex
What do the deep folds of the cerebral cortex increase?
Area for neurons
What do neuroscientists use to identify regions of the cerebrum?
Deepest divisions
Where are the frontal lobes located?
At the front above the eyes
Functions of frontal lobes?
Movement, speech, memory
What are higher cognitive skills?
Planning, problem-solving
Where are the parietal lobes located?
Top, behind frontal lobes
What do the occipital lobes process?
Visual information
What are the occipital lobes responsible for?
Recognizing colors and shapes
Where are the temporal lobes located?
Sides of the brain
What type of information do the temporal lobes interpret?
Auditory information
What is the function of the hippocampus?
Encodes new memories
What does the amygdala integrate?
Memory and emotion
What system are the hippocampus and amygdala part of?
Limbic system
What does the thalamus do?
Integrates sensory information
What does the hypothalamus send through the pituitary gland?
Hormonal signals
What makes up the forebrain?
Structures + cerebral cortex
Where is the midbrain located?
Beneath the thalamus
What does the midbrain coordinate?
Eye movements and reflexes
What triggers the startled jump?
Loud noise
What types of movements does the midbrain help inhibit?
Unwanted body movements
What types of control does the midbrain manage?
Fine motor control
What do the basal ganglia help regulate?
Complex body movements
What roles does the hindbrain play?
Glucose regulation and sleep
Where is the cerebellum located?
Underneath occipital lobe
What is the cerebellum’s significance in brain volume?
Second-largest part
What percentage of the brain’s neurons are in the cerebellum?
Over half
What is one function of the cerebellum?
Coordinates voluntary movements
What is another role of the cerebellum?
Learns new motor skills
What type of perception does the cerebellum help with?
Spatial and temporal perception
What can a patient with cerebellar damage exhibit?
Jerky, arrhythmic gait
What might a patient struggle to do with cerebellar damage?
Touch finger to nose
What part of the brain influences breathing and posture?
Pons
Which part of the hindbrain connects the brain to the spinal cord?
Medulla
What functions does the medulla help control?
Swallowing, heart rate, breathing
What three parts make up the brainstem?
Midbrain, pons, medulla
What is the frontal lobe responsible for?
Attention, planning, decision-making
What is the temporal lobe associated with?
Language, memory, emotion
What does the parietal lobe integrate?
Senses information
What is the occipital lobe responsible for?
Vision
