L19 - The Brain

Question 1

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

Answer 1

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

Question 2

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

Answer 2

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.

Question 3

What is the philosophy behind behaviourism?

Answer 3

Empiricism - all knowledge comes from sensory experience.

Question 4

What is cognitive psychology interested in?

Answer 4

1. The structures of cognition

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

2. 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

Question 5

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

Answer 5

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

Question 6

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

Answer 6

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)

Question 7

What is ‘the levels problem’ in neuroscience?

Answer 7

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.

Question 8

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

Answer 8

Brain and Spinal Cord

Question 9

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

Answer 9

Spinal cord and Sensory receptors

Question 10

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

Answer 10

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

Somatic; controls voluntary movement of skeletal muscles

Question 11

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

Answer 11

Sympathetic (arousing) and Parasympathetic (calming)

Question 12

What is the inside of the brain made out of?

Answer 12

White matter (myelinated axons)

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

Question 13

What is the outside of the brain made out of?

Answer 13

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

Question 14

What are the three divisions of the brain?

Answer 14

Hindbrain

Midbrain

Forebrain

Question 15

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

Answer 15

Medulla Oblongata

Cerebellum

Pons (‘bridge’)

Question 16

What is the medulla oblongata responsible for?

Answer 16

Heart Rate

Blood Flow

Breathing

Question 17

What is the cerebellum responsible for?

Answer 17

Body movement (including speech).

Plays some role in executive functions as well.

Question 18

What proportion of the brain is the cerebellum?

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

Answer 18

10%

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

Question 19

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

Answer 19

Connects the brainstem and cerebellum.

Question 20

What is the midbrain important for?

Answer 20

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

Question 21

What systems are within the midbrain?

Answer 21

Dopamine system

Reticular formation

Substantia nigra

Ventral tegmental area

Question 22

What is the reticular formation important for?

Answer 22

Sleep and arousal

Question 23

What is the substantia nigra important for?

What colour is it and why is it that colour?

Answer 23

Movement

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

Question 24

What is the ventral tegmental area important for?

Answer 24

Pleasure and reward

Question 25

What is the main neurotransmitter that helps movement function in the brain? What happens when people lose production of this neurotransmitter?

Answer 25

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

Question 26

What are the regions within the forebrain?

Answer 26

Thalamus Hypothalamus Limbic System Cerebrum

Question 27

What is the purpose of the **thalamus**?

Answer 27

Relay station for movement and sensory information.

Question 28

What is the purpose of the **hypothalamus?**

Answer 28

Meeting point between the nervous and endocrine system. An important part of the brain that signals the bodies hormonal system.

Question 29

What body functions does the hypothalamus control?

Answer 29

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

Question 30

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

Answer 30

There is crossover

Question 31

What is the Corpus Callosum? What does it aid in?

Answer 31

The major pathway between hemispheres. It aids motor coordination of left and right side

Question 32

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

Answer 32

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

Question 33

What does **contralateral organization** mean?

Answer 33

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

Question 34

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

Answer 34

Their corpus callosum had been severed.

Question 35

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

Answer 35

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

Question 36

Where is the occipital lobe?

Answer 36

The cortex near the rear

Question 37

What cortex does the occipital lobe contain? What does it do?

Answer 37

The primary visual cortex? It receives inputs from Optic nerves and outputs to parietal and temporal lobes

Question 38

What cortex does the **temporal lobe** contain? Where is it located?

Answer 38

The primary auditory cortex The side of the cortex

Question 39

What functions is the primary auditory cortex responsible for?

Answer 39

Speech reocgnition Face recognition Word recognition Memory formation

Question 40

Where does the temporal lobe output to?

Answer 40

Limbic System Basal Ganglia Brainstem

Question 41

What part of the cortex does the parietal lobe contain?

Answer 41

Primary Somatosensory Cortex

Question 42

Where is the parietal lobe located?

Answer 42

Borders visual and auditory cortex on the top of the brain

Question 43

What is the parietal lobe important for?

Answer 43

Hand-eye coordination Eye movements Attention Prerequisites for higher cognitive functions

Question 44

Where does the parietal lobe output to?

Answer 44

Frontal Lobe

Question 45

What cortex does the **frontal lobe** contain?

Answer 45

Primary Motor Cortex

Question 46

What is the frontal lobe important for?

Answer 46

Planning and sequencing of actions Important for executive functions

Question 47

What sensory input does the frontal lobe have?

Answer 47

None

Question 48

What are **executive functions**?

Answer 48

A set of processes that all have to do with managing oneself and one's resources in order to achieve a goal. ## Footnote *e.g. decision making, memory etc.*

Question 49

What is the prefrontal cortex important for?

Answer 49

Executive functions