Lecture 1 Flashcards
1
Q
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
A
- provides temporary lesion to human cortex
- uses metal coil above area of interest
- coil causes an electrical current inside the cortex which alters the membrane potential, reducing the probability that the neurons will fire
2
Q
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)
A
- Directly puts current into the head using two electrodes passing a current between them
- Alters the neurotransmitters level of excitation within the cortex
- Longer term effects
- Altering the brain in a way that we understand, measuring the effect it has (no imaging)
- Beneficial effect on mood, recovery from stroke, facilitate working memory, motor learning and cognitive enhancement
3
Q
Magnetic resonance Spectroscopy (MRS)
A
- Relatively new
- Allows us to measure neurotransmitter levels (in theory), in practice it is not so successful
- Like an MRI, except it doesn’t measure BOLD it measures concentration of different substances in the brain
- Good for GABA levels, but not really for the others
4
Q
Anterior
A
front
5
Q
Posterior
A
back
6
Q
Rostral
A
towards the head (in animals)
7
Q
Caudal
A
towards the tail
8
Q
Superior
A
top of the brain
9
Q
Inferior
A
bottom of the brain
10
Q
Dorsal
A
towards an animals back
11
Q
Ventral
A
towards animals stomach
12
Q
Medial
A
middle or centre of the brain
13
Q
Lateral
A
outside of the brain
14
Q
Coronal View
A
brain sliced ear to ear from top
15
Q
Horizontal
A
Sliced from front to back down middle
16
Q
Sagittal
A
down the middle, separating left from right
17
Q
Midsagittal
A
sagittal through middle of brain
