PSYC*3270 Week 3 Flashcards
What are the two organizing principles of the brain?
- Anatomical (structural) principles
- Chemical (functional) principles
What are emergent properties?
Complex, non-linear, interactions between systems
What type of properties cannot be predicted to exist based only in the knowledge of a system’s individual components?
Emergent properties
What are the three divisions of the brain?
- Forebrain
- Brain stem
- Spinal cord
Which of the three brain divisions consists of the cerebral cortex, limbic system, and basal ganglia (among others)?
The forebrain
Which of the three brain divisions performs higher functions like thinking, perception, and planning?
The forebrain
Which of the three brain divisions performs regulatory and movement-producing functions?
The brain stem
Which of the three brain divisions conveys sensory information to the brain and send commands from the brain telling muscles to move?
The spinal cord
What are bumps in the brain’s folded surface called?
Gyri
What are cracks in the brain’s folded surface called?
Sulci
What are deep ridges in the brain’s folded surface called?
Fissures
What does the third ventricle wrap around?
The thalamus
Which ventricle connects the third and fourth ventricle?
The cerebral aqueduct
What are the two divisions of the forebrain?
- Telencephalon
- Diencephalon
The midbrain is also known as what?
The mesencephalon
What are the two divisions of the hindbrain?
- Metencephalon
- Myelencephalon
What are the five main subdivisions of the brain that develop from the neural tube (in order from dorsal to ventral)?
- Telencephalon
- Diencephalon
- Mesencephalon
- Metencephalon
- Myelencephalon
What are the four lobes of the cerebrum?
- Frontal
- Temporal
- Parietal
- Occipital
T or F: The brain doubles in size postnatal.
False. Triples in size.
What is the somatotopic map?
The topographic map for somatosensory input
What is the retinotopic map?
The topographic map for visual input
What is the chemotopic map?
The topographic map for olfactory input
What is the tonotopic map?
The topographic map for auditory input
What is the gustotopic map?
The topographic map for taste
What brain structure wraps around the limbic system and basal ganglia?
The cerebral cortex
Which brain structure does the limbic system wrap around?
The basal ganglia
The limbic system is most commonly known for regulating which function?
Regulating motivated behaviours
Which brain system is primarily responsible for the fight, flight, freeze response?
The limbic system
Which brain structure wraps around the diencephalon and thalamic nuclei?
The basal ganglia
The basal ganglia is primarily known for regulating which function?
Regulating movement
T or F: Some categorize the amygdala as part of the limbic system and others categorize it as part of the basal ganglia
True
What are the five structures included in the limbic system (not including the amygdala)?
- Hippocampus
- Cingulate cortex
- Fornix
- Septum
- Mammillary bodies
Which brain structure is primarily said to play a role in fear memory?
The amygdala
Which brain structure is primarily said to play a role in spatial memory consolidation?
The hippocampus
Which brain structure is primarily said to play a role in quick decision-making and attention?
The cingulate cortex
Which brain structure receives output from the hippocampus and connects nuclei?
The fornix
The basal ganglia includes which two striata?
- The dorsal striatum
- The ventral striatum
Are the caudate, putamen, and globus pallidus included in the dorsal or ventral striatum?
Dorsal striatum
Are the nucleus accumbens and olfactory tubercle included in the dorsal or ventral striatum?
Ventral striatum
What are the three primary thalamic nuclei?
- Lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN)
- Medial geniculate nucleus (MGL)
- Ventral posterior nucleus (VPN)
What type of sensory information is processed in the LGN?
Visual
What type of sensory information is processed in the MGN?
Auditory
What type of sensory information is processed in the VPN?
Somatosensory
T or F: The thalamus does not have reciprocal connections.
False
T or F: The hypothalamus is located below the pituitary gland.
False. Located below.
What is the endocrine function of the hypothalamus?
To send hormones long distances
What is the primary function of the hypothalamus?
To maintain homeostasis
What are the two major divisions of the mesencephalon?
- Tectum
- Tegmentum
The tectum includes what two colliculi?
- Superior colliculus
- Inferior colliculus
What is the primary function of the superior and inferior colliculi?
To direct attention
Which structure in the tegmentum is said to play a role in arousal?
The reticular formation
Which structure in the tegmentum is said to play a role in mediating pain reduction?
The periaquiductal grey
Which two structures are included in the myelencephalon?
- Medulla
- Reticular formation
Which two structures are included in the metencephalon?
- Cerebellum
- Pons
What are the two divisions of the nervous system?
- Central
- Peripheral
What are the two divisions of the PNS?
- Somatic
- Autonomic
Which division of the PNS facilitates connections between sensory/motor signals and the musculoskeletal system?
Somatic
Which division of the PNS facilitates connections between sensory/motor signals and the internal organs?
Autonomic
Are afferent nerves sensory or motor?
Sensory
Are efferent nerves sensory or motor?
Motor
What are the two divisions of the ANS?
- Sympathetic
- Parasympathetic
Which division of the ANS regulates the fight, flight, freeze response?
Sympathetic
Which division of the ANS regulates “rest and digest” and “breed and feed”?
Parasympathetic
What are neurons?
Basic units that analyze and transmit information
In what direction do anterograde action potentials move?
From presynaptic to postsynaptic regions
In what direction do retrograde action potentials move?
From postsynaptic to presynaptic
T or F: Stimulation of receptors by natural ligands or psychoactive drugs can activate, but not inhibit a neuron, thereby affecting ABCs.
False. Can activate or inhibit.
Which type of neural cell is commonly referred to as support cells?
Glial cells
Which type of neural cell primarily composes the blood-brain barrier?
Glial cells
Providing firmness/structure to the brain, getting nutrients into the system, and eliminating waste are functions of what type of neural cell?
Glial cells
What forms myelin in the CNS?
Glial cells
What type of molecules are able to passively cross the blood-brain barrier?
Small and lipophilic
A neuron with a resting membrane potential has greater concentration of what ion inside the cell?
Potassium (K+)
A neuron with a resting membrane potential has greater concentration of what ion outside the cell?
Sodium (Na+)
The resting membrane potential is primarily determined by what?
Uneven distribution of ions
What is diffusion pressure?
The pressure needed to diffuse ions across the neuronal membrane down the concentration gradient
What is electrostatic pressure?
The pressure needed to diffuse ions across the neuronal membrane down the electrostatic gradient
What are the 10 steps of an action potential?
- Threshold is reached
- Na+ channels open
- Membrane begins depolarizing
- K+ channels open
- Membrane is fully depolarized
- Na+ channels close
- Membrane is repolarized
- K+ channels close gradually
- Membrane becomes hyperpolarized by K+
- Extra K+ diffuses away (refractory period)
How are mechanically gated ion channels opened?
Physical force
How are chemically gated ion channels opened?
Ligands
How are voltage-gated ion channels opened?
Membrane potentials
How are heat-gated ion channels opened?
Changes in temperature
How are light-gated ion channels opened?
Photons
Are action potentials short or long?
Short
Are graded potentials fixed or variable?
Variable
Where do action potentials occur?
The axon hillock
T or F: Action potentials are nonspecific, meaning they don’t communicate the strength of the stimulus that initiated it.
True
How do action potentials communicate the intensity of a stimulus?
The rate of firing
What do high rates of action potential firing indicate about the initiating stimulus?
It was an intense/strong stimulus
Where do graded potentials occur?
The soma and dendrites
What happens when the graded potentials that reach the axon hillock are not sufficient to cause an action potential?
The Na+ diffuses and no action potential is propagated
What are the two ways graded potentials can accumulate to initiate an action potential?
- Spatial: Graded potentials at multiple dendrites
- Temporal: Graded potentials rapidly stimulate one dendrite
What are the two types of action potentials?
- Absolute refractory period
- Relative refractory period
What occurs during the absolute refractory period?
No stimulus can trigger another action potential
What occurs during the relative refractory period?
Only a larger-than-normal stimulus can initiate another action potential
T or F: Nodes of Ranvier don’t contain voltage-gated Na+ channels.
False. Only the Nodes of Ranvier have voltage-gated Na+ channels.
What are the two primary functions of myelin?
- Increase the speed at which an action potential propagates
- Prevent Na+ from leaking into the extracellular space
What are the six steps of neurotransmitter action?
- Synthesis
- Storage
- Recycling
- Fusion (exocytosis)
- Ligand-receptor binding
- Termination of signal
What are the three ways neurotransmitter activity can terminate?
- Diffusion
- Enzymatic breakdown
- Uptake by presynaptic axon terminal
What property of an action potential determines how much NT is released?
The frequency of action potentials
What are the two temporal patterns of action potentials?
- Tonic
- Phasic
What is the firing pattern of tonic action potentials?
Chronic and low-level firing pattern
What is the firing pattern of phasic action potentials?
A pattern of pulsing bursts
How do agonistic drugs effect NT synthesis?
Increase synthesis
How do agonistic drugs affect the degrading enzymes in terminal buttons?
They destroy degrading enzymes to increase the number of NTs
Do agonistic or antagonistic drugs increase the release of NTs from terminal buttons?
Agonistic
Do agonistic or antagonistic drugs bind to autoreceptors and block their inhibitory effect?
Agonistic
How do agonistic drugs affect postsynaptic receptors?
Bind to them and either activate them or increase their effect on NTs
How do agonistic drugs prevent the deactivation of NTs?
By blocking their degradation or reuptake
How do antagonistic drugs effect NT synthesis?
Prevents synthesis
Do agonistic or antagonistic drugs cause NTs to leak from vesicles and be destroyed by degrading enzymes?
Antagonistic
Do agonistic or antagonistic drugs block the release of NTs from terminal buttons?
Antagonistic
Do agonistic or antagonistic drugs activate autoreceptors and inhibit NT release?
Antagonistic
Do agonistic or antagonistic drugs bind to postsynaptic receptors and block NT effects?
Antagonistic
Are ionotropic receptors ligand-gated or voltage-gated channels?
ligand-gated ion channels
What causes ionotropic receptors to open?
When NTs bind to them
Do ionotropic receptors mediate rapid or slow responses?
Rapid
What are metabotropic receptors?
Membrane proteins that are coupled to G proteins
What are two types of metabotropic receptors?
- Metabotropic receptors coupled to an ion channel
- Metabotropic receptors coupled to an enzyme
T or F: Metabotropic receptors only allow things to enter, not exit, the cell.
False. Allow nothing to enter cell.
What is the most common type of metabotropic receptor?
G-protein-mediated receptors
What are the three steps involved in opening an ion channel coupled to a metabotropic receptor?
- NT binds to receptor
- Binding of NT triggers the activation of a G-protein
- The alpha subunit of the G-protein breaks off and binds to an ion channel, causing it to open
What are the five steps involved in opening an ion channel with a metabotropic receptor coupled to an enzyme?
- NT binds to receptor
- Binding of NT triggers the activation of a G-protein
- The alpha subunit of the G-protein breaks off and binds to an enzyme
- The enzyme activates DNA
- A new ion channel is formed
What are activating systems?
Systems of neurons that coordinate wide areas of the brain to act in concert
Which NT activating system is active in maintaining the waking electroencephalographic pattern of the cortex AND is thought to play a role in memory by maintaining neuron excitability?
The cholinergic system (ACh)
Death of cholinergic neurons and a decrease of ACh in the neocortex are thought to be related to which neurodegenerative disease?
Alzheimer’s
What type of drug is typically given to patents with Alzheimer’s to prevent ACh break down?
Acetylcholine esterase inhibitor (inhibits the enzyme that typically breaks down ACh)
The frontal cortex, corpus callosum, basal forebrain nuclei, and midbrain nuclei are part of which NT activating system?
The cholinergic system (ACh)
What are the two pathways of the dopaminergic activating system (DA)?
- Nigrostriatial pathway
- Mesolimbic pathway
Is the nigrostriatial pathway or mesolimbic pathway of the dopaminergic system active in maintaining normal motor behaviour?
The nigrostriatial pathway
Is an increase or decrease in DA related to the muscle rigidity and dyskinesia in Parkinson’s disease?
Decrease
Does the release of DA in the nigrostriatial pathway or mesolimbic pathway of the dopaminergic activating system cause feelings of reward and pleasure?
The mesolimbic pathway
Which neurotransmitter system is thought to be most affected by addictive drugs and behavioural addiction?
The mesolimbic pathway of the dopaminergic activating system
Is an increase or decrease in DA thought to be related to schizophrenia?
Increase
The substantia nigra and caudate nucleus are part of which pathway in the dopaminergic activating system?
The nigrostriatial pathway
The nucleus accumbens, ventral tegmentum, and cerebellum are part of which pathway in the dopaminergic activating system?
The mesolimbic pathway
Which NT activating system is active in maintaining emotional tone and learning?
The noradrenergic system (NE)
Decreased activity in the noradrenergic system is thought to be related to what?
Depression
Increased activity in the noradrenergic system is thought to be related to what?
Mania
The thalamus and locus coeruleus are part of which NT activating system?
The noradrenergic system (NE)
Which NT activating system is active in maintaining the waking electroencephalographic pattern?
The serotonergic system (5-HT)
Changes in which NT activating system are related to OCD, tics, and schizophrenia?
The serotonergic system (5-HT)
T or F: Abnormalities in brain stem 5-HT are linked to disorders like sleep apnea and SIDS.
True
The Raphe nuclei are part of which NT activating system?
The serotonergic system (5-HT)