lecture 2

Question 1

define neuroanantomy?

Answer 1

the study of the structure and the function of the brain (brain, brainstem, nervous system)

Question 2

Is plasticity important for memory?

Answer 2

yes

Question 3

what are Neurons?

Answer 3

cells, specialized to create, receive, and transmit information in the nervous system

Question 4

what are the three things that a neutron has?

Answer 4

dendrites, cell bodies, and axons

Question 5

define dendrite?

Answer 5

Dendrites receive info from nearby cells

Question 6

define cell bodies?

Answer 6

contains the charge and the electrical info / it holds the info and is also known to be as a signal

Question 7

define axons?

Answer 7

Axon is the branch that communicates to the other cells

Question 8

define synapse?

Answer 8

space between axon of one neuron and dendrite or cell body of another

There are more neurons in your body than there are stars in the galaxy

Question 9

define sulci?

Answer 9

a series of infoldings or crevices in between gyri

Question 10

define gyri?

Answer 10

a series of bumps or ridges of cortex containing neurons; maximizes surface of brain

Question 11

define fissures?

Answer 11

deep sulci are called fissures

Question 12

what does the occipital lobe do?

Answer 12

Processes visual input from the eyes and from memory

Question 13

why is the occipital lobe so far from the eyes?

Answer 13

Protection
Efficient wiring

Question 14

what does the temporal lobe do?

Answer 14

when it is damaged, it is hard to process language

processes auditory input

posterior region of left temporal lobe (Wernicke’s area) crucial for comprehending language

Question 15

what does the parietal lobe do?

Answer 15

Right part of the brain is for your left side of the body and vice versa

Sensory and spatial abilities

includes recollective qualities of memory (“attention to memory”)

Question 16

what does the frontal lobe do?

Answer 16

Regulating emotions and behaviour

major role in producing speech (Broca’s area)

involved in memory encoding, retrieval, planning and reasoning, affective processing

Question 17

What are the four parts in the limbic system?

Answer 17

Thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus, and amygdala

Question 18

what’s the thalamus?

Answer 18

relay of sensory and motor signals

Question 19

what’s the hypothalamus?

Answer 19

involved in regulating hormones (cortisol) and homeostatic function

Question 20

what’s the hippocampus?

Answer 20

plays a major role in learning and memory as well spatial navigation

like HM, cant have any long term memories

Question 21

what’s the amygdala?

Answer 21

emotional response to stimuli, behaviours.

Threat detection.

when you’re having a very emotional event in your life, you remember it better cause it was closer to the hippocampus

Question 22

for Maguire et al. 2000, what’s the name of the test taxi drivers must do?

Answer 22

the knowledge

Question 23

what’s a Positron emission tomography (PET)?

Answer 23

Radioactive compounds are injected into the bloodstream

Images are formed based on the information obtained from these sensors

Compound may reflect blood flow, oxygen or dopamine concentration

Images are shown in colour scale

Question 24

what are the drawbacks for PET?

Answer 24

Need for radioactive reagents (repeated scans can be dangerous)

Costly to prepare materials

Question 25

what’s magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)?

Answer 25

Patients head in a scanner with strong magnetic field

Frequencies are absorbed by the brain variably
i.e., absorption characteristics vary between grey matter, white matter, ventricles

MRI allows for multi-dimensional imaging. It can produce high-resolution 2D slices or 3D reconstructions of the brain.
Excellent spatial resolution (T1, T3, T7)

Question 26

drawbacks for MRI?

Answer 26

Expensive

Question 27

what’s Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)?

Answer 27

Modulates/disrupts neural activity

Question 28

what are the advantages for TMS?

Answer 28

Controlled (compare with and without TMS)

Causality assessment (moves beyond basic correlation)

Question 29

drawbacks for TMS?

Answer 29

Affects a large area, only areas near the surface of the brain

Can cause discomfort

Question 30

define Electroencephalography (EEG)?

Answer 30

Records ongoing brain activity

Can detect when participants are recalling vs familiar

Question 31

advantages for EEG?

Answer 31

Widely used, non-invasive

Can be used with children, older adults

Question 32

drawbacks for EEG?

Answer 32

Poor spatial resolution

Only areas near the surface of the brain

Question 33

what do animal models do?

Answer 33

Critical for understanding processes, drug testing

Leads to better treatments and health for both humans and animals