lecture 3- Brain Function

Question 1

describe granular (stellate) cortical neurons

Answer 1

short axons, interneurons, both excitatory (glutamate) and inhibitory (GABA)

Question 2

describe fusiform cortical neurons

Answer 2

smaller output neurons

Question 3

describe pyramidal cortical neurons

Answer 3

large output neurons

Question 4

describe the 4th cerebral cortex layer

Answer 4

termination of most incoming specific sensory signals

Question 5

describe the 5th and 6th cerebral cortical layers

Answer 5

origin of most output signals, fibers to thalamus from 6

Question 6

describe the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd cerebral cortex layers

Answer 6

intracortical association functions

Question 7

describe primary motor cortical areas

Answer 7

direction connections with specific muscles

Question 8

describe primary sensory cortical areas

Answer 8

detects specific sensations

Question 9

describe secondary motor cortical areas

Answer 9

provide patterns of motor activity

Question 10

describe secondary sensory cortical areas

Answer 10

analyze meanings of specific sensory signals

Question 11

define association areas

Answer 11

receive and analyze signals simultaneously from multiple motor and sensory cortices

Question 12

what are the sub-areas of the parieto-occipitotemporal association area

Answer 12

area for analysis of spatial coordinates, wernicke’s area, angular gyrus area, area for naming objects

Question 13

describe the prefrontal association area

Answer 13

receives pro analyzes sensory info necessary for planning effective movements, output passes through caudate portion of basal ganglia,
carries out “thought” processes in the mind

Question 14

describes Broca’s area

Answer 14

provides circuitry for word formation, works closely with wernicke’s area

Question 15

what is the limbic association area concerned with

Answer 15

behavior, emotions and motivation

Question 16

describe wernicke’s area

Answer 16

involved in language comprehension,
area where somatic, visual and auditory association areas all meet one another in the posterior part of the superior temporal lobe

Question 17

where is the occipital portion of facial recognition area located

Answer 17

next to visual cortex

Question 18

what is the temporal portion of the facial recognition area associated with

Answer 18

the limbic system

Question 19

extensive damage to what area causes prosopagnosia

Answer 19

facial recognition area

Question 20

what does cutting the corpus callosum result in

Answer 20

blocking of transfer of info from wernicke’s area to non dominant motor cortex,
prevention of the transfer of somatic and visual info from right hemisphere into wernicke’s area,
results in 2 entirely separate conscious portions of the brain

Question 21

define declarative memory

Answer 21

memory of various details of an integrated though

Question 22

what type of memories might be included in declarative memory

Answer 22

memory of: surroundings, time relationships, causes and meanings of experience, deduction as a result of experience

Question 23

define reflexive (skill) memory

Answer 23

associated with motor activities

Question 24

define short-term memory

Answer 24

exemplified by memory of a telephone number: lasts only as long as a person thinks of numbers or facts

Question 25

intermediate long-term memory

Answer 25

lasts minutes to weeks; may become long term memory if memory traces are activated enough

Question 26

what structural changes occur as a result of long-term memory formation

Answer 26

increase in vesicle release sites for secretion of transmitter substance, increase in number of transmitter vesicles released, increase in number of presynaptic terminals, changes in structures of the dendritic spines