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S1 Foundations of Perception and Cognition > L19 - The Brain > Flashcards

L19 - The Brain Flashcards

Cognitive Neuroscience

1
Q

Why is the brain seen as a ‘black box’ in classic cognitive psychology?

A

Because while we see what it produces (stimulus -> cognition -> response), we cannot see exactly what is happening inside (cognition).

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2
Q

Why is reaction time (RT) a good measure in cognitive psychology?

A

The RT needed to react to a stimulus can tell us about the time needed to process that stimulus.

This allows us to draw inferences about the internal organisation of cognition.

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3
Q

What is the philosophy behind behaviourism?

A

Empiricism - all knowledge comes from sensory experience.

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4
Q

What is cognitive psychology interested in?

A
  1. The structures of cognition

(separable working systems; what are they, what are their properties?)

  1. The processes of cognition

(lead to changes of state with regard to the information within these structures; how are they organised?)

e.g. how does the brain implement cognition

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5
Q

What are the problems with using abstract representations when describing cognitive function?

A

They are distant from the physical objects they are describing.

We instead want a grounded explanation and they are more useful and similar than abstractions

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6
Q

What did the “neuron doctrine” describe that won a Nobel Prize in 1906?

A
  1. That neurons are discrete entities.
  2. The nervous system is made up of these individual cells
  3. The electrical information in the brain is unidirectional (dendrites -> axonal tip)
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7
Q

What is ‘the levels problem’ in neuroscience?

A

There are multiple different levels of analysis that experts need to discover, but they all need to be integrated to understand relevant findings at each level for the next level.

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8
Q

What parts of the body are affiliated with the central nervous system (CNS)?

A

Brain and Spinal Cord

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9
Q

What parts of the body are primarily concerned in the peripheral nervous system (PNS)?

A

Spinal cord and Sensory receptors

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10
Q

What are the two parts within the peripheral nervous system and what do they control?

A

Autonomic; controls self-regulated action of internal organs and glands

Somatic; controls voluntary movement of skeletal muscles

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11
Q

What are the two parts of the autonomic region of the PNS?

A

Sympathetic (arousing) and Parasympathetic (calming)

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12
Q

What is the inside of the brain made out of?

A

White matter (myelinated axons)

white because it’s wrapped in a fatty layer called myelin

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13
Q

What is the outside of the brain made out of?

A

Grey matter (cell bodies and dendrites - each covered with synapses)

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14
Q

What are the three divisions of the brain?

A

Hindbrain

Midbrain

Forebrain

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15
Q

What parts of the brain are within the hindbrain (or brainstem)?

A

Medulla Oblongata

Cerebellum

Pons (‘bridge’)

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16
Q

What is the medulla oblongata responsible for?

A

Heart Rate

Blood Flow

Breathing

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17
Q

What is the cerebellum responsible for?

A

Body movement (including speech).

Plays some role in executive functions as well.

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18
Q

What proportion of the brain is the cerebellum?

How many neurons does it have compared to the rest of the brain?

A

10%

It has as many neurons as the rest of the brain.

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19
Q

What does the pons (‘bridge’) do in the brain?

A

Connects the brainstem and cerebellum.

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20
Q

What is the midbrain important for?

A

Integrating sensory processes (acts as a relay system for auditory and visual information)

21
Q

What systems are within the midbrain?

A

Dopamine system

Reticular formation

Substantia nigra

Ventral tegmental area

22
Q

What is the reticular formation important for?

A

Sleep and arousal

23
Q

What is the substantia nigra important for?

What colour is it and why is it that colour?

A

Movement

It is darkly pigmented because of the large number of dopamine-producing neurons.

24
Q

What is the ventral tegmental area important for?

A

Pleasure and reward

25
Q

What is the main neurotransmitter that helps movement function in the brain?

What happens when people lose production of this neurotransmitter?

A

Dopamine.

They have trouble with movement (e.g. Parkinson’s disease)

26
Q

What are the regions within the forebrain?

A

Thalamus

Hypothalamus

Limbic System

Cerebrum

27
Q

What is the purpose of the thalamus?

A

Relay station for movement and sensory information.

28
Q

What is the purpose of the hypothalamus?

A

Meeting point between the nervous and endocrine system.

An important part of the brain that signals the bodies hormonal system.

29
Q

What body functions does the hypothalamus control?

A

Maintains the bodies status quo, including; blood pressure, body temperature, weight, hunger, thirst, sex drive etc.

30
Q

The brain has two hemispheres, is lateralization of brain function complete or is there crossover?

A

There is crossover

31
Q

What is the Corpus Callosum?

What does it aid in?

A

The major pathway between hemispheres.

It aids motor coordination of left and right side

32
Q

The right eye is controlled by the left side of the brain.

True or False

A

False

The right visual field is controlled by the left side of the brain.

33
Q

What does contralateral organization mean?

A

That sensory information is sent to the opposite hemisphere in the brain.

34
Q

In the Roger Sperry ‘lateralisation of function’ experiment, what had happened to the brains of the participants?

A

Their corpus callosum had been severed.

35
Q

In the Roger Sperry ‘lateralisation of function’ experiment, how did he test for brain lateralization.

A

Through showing participants images on each side of a screen (different visual field for different hemispheres).

36
Q

Where is the occipital lobe?

A

The cortex near the rear

37
Q

What cortex does the occipital lobe contain?

What does it do?

A

The primary visual cortex?

It receives inputs from Optic nerves and outputs to parietal and temporal lobes

38
Q

What cortex does the temporal lobe contain?

Where is it located?

A

The primary auditory cortex

The side of the cortex

39
Q

What functions is the primary auditory cortex responsible for?

A

Speech reocgnition

Face recognition

Word recognition

Memory formation

40
Q

Where does the temporal lobe output to?

A

Limbic System

Basal Ganglia

Brainstem

41
Q

What part of the cortex does the parietal lobe contain?

A

Primary Somatosensory Cortex

42
Q

Where is the parietal lobe located?

A

Borders visual and auditory cortex on the top of the brain

43
Q

What is the parietal lobe important for?

A

Hand-eye coordination

Eye movements

Attention

Prerequisites for higher cognitive functions

44
Q

Where does the parietal lobe output to?

A

Frontal Lobe

45
Q

What cortex does the frontal lobe contain?

A

Primary Motor Cortex

46
Q

What is the frontal lobe important for?

A

Planning and sequencing of actions

Important for executive functions

47
Q

What sensory input does the frontal lobe have?

A

None

48
Q

What are executive functions?

A

A set of processes that all have to do with managing oneself and one’s resources in order to achieve a goal.

e.g. decision making, memory etc.

49
Q

What is the prefrontal cortex important for?

A

Executive functions

S1 Foundations of Perception and Cognition (23 decks)

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