Neuro Lecture notes Flashcards
What are the general functions of the left hemisphere?
Verbal, linguistic description, mathematical, sequential, analytical and direct link to conscious mind
What are the general functions of the right hemisphere?
Almost non-verbal, musical, geometrical, spatial comprehension, temporal synthesis, possible link to conscious mind
What are the four lobes of the brain?
Frontal
Temporal
Parietal
Occipital
What is the central sulcus?
A division between the frontal and parietal lobe
What is the lateral sulcus?
A division between the temporal and the frontal&parietal.
What are the clinical signs of UMN lesion?
No change in aspect
Increased tone- spasticity
Pyramidal weakness
Increased reflexes
What are the clinical signs of LMN lesion?
Muscular atrophy
Decreased tone
Focal weakness
What are the four ventricles?
A pair of lateral ventricles
III
IV
What are the cranial nerves?
Olfactory Tract Optic Occulomotor Trochlear Trigeminal Abducens Facial Vestibulochlear Glossopharyngeal Vagus Accessory Hypoglossal
What are the arteries feeding into the Circle of Willis?
The internal carotid artery- a branch of the common carotid artery
The vertebral arteries
What are the main branches of the Circle of Willis?
Anterior cerebral artery
Middle cerebral artery
Posterior cerebral artery
What do the vertebral arteries merge to form?
The basilar artery
What percentage of the brain is water?
80%
What are the principles of dualism?
There are 2 kinds of “foundation”- mental and body
The mental cannot exist without the body; and the mind cannot think
What is reductive physicalism?
Everything is applicable to the physical
What is interactionism?
Entities have an effect on one another
What is epiphenomenalism?
Physical affects mental but mental can’t effect physical
What is mysterism?
Mind is only understood by reflection
Why does the biomedical model predominate?
Power, economics, convenient, familiar, reductionism
What is neurology?
Looking for abnormal brain chemistry, genetics, perfusion, structure
What is psychiatry?
The functional consequences of distress and interaction with environment, interpersonal, psychological, social and cultural issues
What are the functions of the dopamine pathways?
Reward, pleasure, motor function, compulsion, preservation
What are the functions of the serotonin pathways?
Mood, memory processing, sleep, cognition
Name 3 tests of executive function
Wisconsin card-sorting test
Proverb interpretation
Similarities test
How common is schizophrenia?
Affects roughly 1 in 100
What are the positive symptoms of schizophrenia?
Delusions, thought disorder, hallucinations
What are the negative symptoms of schizophrenia?
Withdrawal, can’t carry on normal activities
What are the biological correlations of schizophrenia?
Brain Volume
Functional imaging
Dopamine theory
Genetic factors
What are the non-biological correlations of schizophrenia?
Urbanicity
Childhood trauma
Stress
Why may it be good to classify a mental disorder?
Public health issues e.g. allocation of resources Facilitates meaningful communication Feeling of being understood Framework for research Treatment and prognosis
Why may it be bad to classify a mental disorder?
Arbatory thresholds
Stigma and prejudice
Over simplification and reductionism
What are the two divisions of the vertebrate nervous system?
- CNS= within the skull and spine
- PNS= Outside the skull and spine
What is the difference between the somatic and automatic nervous system?
The somatic is the part that interacts with the external environment, the automatic is the part that regulates the bodies internal environment: organs
What type of sensory input is received by the spinal cord?
Nervous or contact stimuli
What type of sensory input is received by the hind brain?
Sudden distal stimuli
What type of sensory input is received by the midbrain and hypothalamus?
Species specific threat stimuli
What type of sensory input is received by the thalamus?
Neural stimuli
What type of sensory input is received by the sensory cortex?
Complex neural stimuli
What type of sensory input is received by the hippocampus and septum?
Context
What type of sensory input is recieved by the frontal cortex?
Cognitive analysis
What type of output is produced by the frontal cortex?
Response supression
What type of output is produced by the amygdala?
Conditioned, emotional response
What type of output is produced by the midbrain and hypothalamus?
Species-specific response
What type of output is produced by the hind brain?
“Startle” response
What type of output is produced by the spinal cord?
Reflexive withdrawal
Is the dorsal root afferent or efferent?
Afferent
Is the ventral root afferent or efferent?
Efferent
What is the role of the medulla?
Low level sensorimotor control
Same with vital functions, sleep, motor
What is the role of the pons?
Relay from cortex and midbrain to cerebellum
What is the role of the cerebellum?
Co-ordinates movement and balance. Mainly fine coordinated voluntary movement
What is the difference between the superior colliculus and inferior colliculus?
The superior is sensitive to sensory change- orienting/defence movements
The inferior is similar but for auditory events
What are the three components to the tegmentum?
The periaquidal gray
The red nucleus
The substantia Nigra
What are the roles of the periaquiductal gray?
Role in defence, pain and reproduction
What are the roles of the red nucleus?
Target of cortex and cerebellum, project to spinal cord. Role in pre cortical motor control
What are the roles of the specific nuclei within the thalamus?
Relay signals to the cortex/limbic system for all sensations (Exc smell)
What are the roles of the non-specific nuclei within the thalamus?
Role in regulating state of sleep, wakefullness, and levels of arousal. Important relays from basal ganglia and cerebellum back to cortex
What is the role of the hypothalamus?
Regulates pituitary and role in hormonal role of motivated behaviour- co-ordinates drive related behaviour
What are the structures contained within the limbic system?
Amygdala Mammillary body Hippocampus Septum Cingulate Gyrus Fornix
What is the role of the amygdala?
Associating sensory stimuli with emotion. Responsible for fear.
What is the role of the mammillary body?
Formation of recollective memory
What is the role of the hippocampus?
Long term and spatial memory. Critical for episodic memory. Essential for the construction of mental images. Has a vital role in short term memory.
What is the role of the septum?
Defense and aggression
What is the role of the cingulate gyrus?
Linking behavioural outcomes to motivation
What is the role of the fornix?
Carrying signals from the hippocampus to mammillary bodies and septal nucleus
What is the role of the precentral gyrus?
Motor instructions
What is the role of the primary motor cortex?
Contains many cells giving origin to the descending motor pathways
What is the role of the premotor and supplementary motor areas?
Higher level motor plans and initiation of voluntary movements?
Where are the precentral gyrus, primary motor cortex, premotor and supplemetary motor areas?
Within the frontal lobe
Where is the post-central gyrus and primary somatosensory cortex?
Within the parietal lobe
What is the role of the primary somatosensory cortex?
Body and head’s position in space
Permits complicated spacio-temporal predictions
Where are the primary auditory complex and inferotemporal cortex found?
Within the temporal lobe
What is the role of the inferotemporal cortex?
Recognition of faces and objects
Where is the visual corticies?
Within the occipital lobe
What is the dorsal stream?
Vision for movement
What is the ventral stream?
Vision for identification
What are the levels of description within the research of neuroscience?
Psychological Systems Microcircuit Neuronal Intracellular Molecular
What are some of the possible constraints of research within neuroscience?
Expertise, facilities, time, money, ethics
What is a contrast X-ray?
An x-ray, but using an injected substance. This provides image contrast between intravascular and extravascular components
What are the different techniques that can be used successfully on humans within neuroscience?
Contrast X-ray MRI fMRI PET EEG MEG TMS&TDCS
What are the different invasive methods that can be used in animal models of neuroscience research?
Direct measurement of brain activity
Determining connectivity between structures
Distrupting connectivity between structures to determine effects on circuit function
Leison specific structures to inform us about its function
Pharmacological research
Genetic manipulations
Optogenetics
What is fMRI?
Altered MRI to be sensitive to oxygenated or deoxygenated blood. Blood changes due to brain activity.
How can PET scan be used in neuroscience?
Use a contrast agent that is specific to a biological process. The chemical will bind to the target. Attach a radioisotope to a positron emitter. Inject the tracer then image. Poor spatial and temporal resolution.
How can an EEG be used in neuroscience?
Using electrodes on scalp, can analyse regional brain activity. Good temporal resolution and bad spatial resolution. Analysis is complex. Can be used to look at brains response to stimuli.
When are neurons formed?
Mainly, but not exclusively, formed during brain development
What are the two types of synapse? Which is more common?
Chemical- majority
Electrical- Less abundant
Briefly describe how a synapse works
Nerve travels down axon, causing depolarisation. This opens voltage-gated Ca2+. Neurotransmitter is released into synaptic cleft and attaches to receptor on the post synaptic membrane.
What is the importance of neural plasticity?
It is the basis of learning and memory
What can change between neurons? (heterogeneity)
Size
Morphology
Electrical properties
Neurotransmitters
What is the difference between upper motor neurons and striatal interneurons?
Upper motor neurons- large, excitatory, glutametergic, long projection pyramidal cells.
Striatal interneuron- small, inhibatory, GABAergic
Describe olgiodendrocytes
Myelinating cells of the CNS
Unique to vertebrates
Myelin insulates axon segments, enables rapid nerve conduction
Myelin sheath segments interrupted by nodes of ranvier- saltatory conduction
Provides metabolic support for axons
What is the myelin sheath?
Formed by wrapping of axons by olgiodendrocyte processes. Highly compacted- 70% lipid, 30% protein.
Myelin specific proteins e.g. MBP, involved in compaction.
Describe microglia
Resident immune cells of the CNS. Originate from yolk sac progenitors that migrate into CNS
“Resting” state- highly ramified, motile processes that survey the environment. Upon activation, they retract their processes, becoming “ameoboid” and motile. Proliferate at sites of injury- phagocytic.
What are the functions of microglia?
Immune surveillance
Phagocytosis- debris/microbes
Synaptic plasticity- pruning
What are astrocytes?
Star-like cells. Most numerous glial cells in the CNS. Highly heterogenous. Common “marker” glial fibrillary acidic protein.
What are the functions of astrocytes?
Developmental Structural- define brain architecture Envelope synapses Homeostatic- buffer K+, glutamate etc Metabolic support Disease- gliosis/astrocytosis Neurovascular coupling
What are the features of the blood-brain barrier?
Endothelial tight junctions Astrocyte end feet Pericytes Lacks fenestrations Specific transporters
What is the choroid plexus formed from?
Modified ependymal cells
What is the main site of CSF production?
The choroid plexus, mainly within the lateral ventricles
What are the functions of the frontal lobe?
Voluntary movement on opposite side of body
Frontal lobe of dominant area controls speech (Brocas area) and writing
Intellectual functioning, thought processes, reasoning and memory
What are the functions of the parietal lobe?
Recieves and interprets sensations, including pain, touch, pressure, size and shape, and body-part awareness
What are the functions of the temporal lobe?
Understanding the spoken word, sounds as well as memory and emotion
What are the functions of the occipital lobe?
Understanding visual images and meaning of written words
How does a neuron stain under H&E?
The haemotoxylin stains the nucleic acids blue, and the eosin stains the proteins red
What are the basic components of neurons?
Dendrites
Cell body/Soma
Axon
Presynaptic terminals
What are the symptoms of multiple sclerosis?
Eye movements are controlled Slurred speech Paralysis Tremor Loss of co-ordination Sensory weakness
What is diffusion?
The force driving molecules to move to areas of lower concentration
What is the ratio of sodium ions to potassium ions pumped by the sodium-potassium pump?
Three sodium ions for every two potassium ions
What is temporal summation?
One axon firing many times
What is spatial summation?
Lots of axons firing once
What are the symptoms of novichok poisoning?
Muscle convulsions Paralysis Heart Failure Asphyxiation Constricted Pupils Vomiting
What are the five fundamental processes of synaptic transmission?
- Manufacture
- Storage
- Release
- Receptor activation
- Inactivation
How long do fast neurotransmitters last and give some examples
Short lasting
Acetyl choline, glutamate, gamma-aminobutyric acid
How long do slow neurotransmitters last and give some examples
Slow acting
Dopamine, Noradrenaline, Serotonin
What chemicals affect ACh?
Cigarettes
Poison Arrows
Spider Toxins
Nerve gas
What chemicals affect Noradrenaline?
Antidepressants (imipramine blocks reuptake)
Antidepressants (MAO inhibitors block break-down)
Stimulants
What chemicals affect dopamine?
Antipsychotic drugs
Stimulants
Antiparkinsons drugs
What chemicals affect serotonin?
Antidepressant drugs
Hallucinogens
Ecstacy
What are the side effects of GABA?
Anti anxiety
Anti convulsant
Anaesthetic
What are the side affects of L-DOPA?
Anti-psychotic
Causes Parkinsons symptoms at high doses
Why may CT Scans be used instead of MRI scans to analyse the brain?
Better for bone and calcification
Quicker scan times than MRI
MRI can be noisy and claustrophobic
Why may MRI scans be used instead of CT scans to analyse the brain?
CT scans require ionated contrast media= allergic reaction? (MRI do not)
CT scans use a high dose of X-rays
MRI provides excellent anatomical detail
What are the two muscles that control lid position?
Orbicularis oculi (Closes lid, controlled by CN VII- facial) Levator palpebrae muscle (elevates upper lid, sympathetic nervous supply)
Where are the meibomian glands and why are they important?
There is a series of openings on the lid. The glands themselves lie in the tarsal plate. They secrete the early components of the tear film
What is the function of the conjunctiva?
Acts as a barrier
Produces mucin from the goblet cells and aqueous part of tear film from the accessory lacrimal glands
What are the layers of the tear film and roles of each?
Anterior lipid layer- stabilizes tear film and reduces evaporation
Middle aqueous layer- Contain antibodies, enzymes and vitamin C
Deep mucin layer- Allows aqueous layer to spread over relatively hydrophobic cornea apithelial cells
What are the general functions of the tear film?
Protects
Provides smooth, clear, anterior refracting surface for cornea
Where are tears produced and what is their function?
Produced by main lacrimal gland in response to stimuli
Acts as a protective agent when the eye is irritated and helps wash out foreign bodies
What is the nervous supply to the cornea?
Opthalmic divison of the trigeminal nerve (CN V)
What are the layers of the cornea?
Epithelium (anterior)
Stroma (Middle)
Endothelium (Posterior)
Describe the stroma of the cornea
Regular lamina of collagen fibres, dehydrated, no blood vessels, thickest part
What is the function of the fluid pump in the endothelium of the cornea?
To counteract the tendancy of the cornea to become cloudy
Where does the cornea receive nutrients from?
No vessels (transparent) so receives nutrients from the tear film anteriorly and aqueous humour posteriorly
What is the site of the trabecular meshwork?
The anterior chamber angle