sac 2 revsion Flashcards
neurons
individual nerve cells that receive, process and/or transmits information to other cells
sensory neurons
neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord
motor neurons
neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands
3 main areas of the brain
hindbrain, midbrain and forebrain
3 structures of the hindbrain
medulla poms and cerebullem
medulla
the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing (hindbrain)
pons
involved in sleep, dreaming and arousal from sleep (hindbrain)
cerebellum
Balance and coordination (hindbrain)
midbrain
connects the lower and upper structures of the brain, helps orient us
reticular formation
helps screen incoming information so as not to overload the brain, helps regulates arousal and muscle tone
3 structures of the forebrain
cerebrum, thalamus, hypothalamus
cerebrum
responsible for almost everything we consciously think, feel and do (forebrain)
hypothalamus-helps hoemastis
a vital role in maintaining homeostasis through regulating the release of hormones and behaviours associated with basic needs
thalamus
filters information from almost all the sense receptor sites , then passes it to relevant areas of the brain for further processing (forebrain)
left hemispheric specialization
verbal, logic and reasoning
right hemispheric specialization
non verbal, visual thinking, recognizing faces
4 lobes of the brain
frontal, parietal, temporal, occiptal
frontal lobe
associated with reasoning, planning, movement
primary motor cortex
the section of the frontal lobe responsible for voluntary movement
broca’s area
controls language expression - an area, usually in the left frontal lobe, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech
parietal lobe
A region of the cerebral cortex whose functions include processing information about touch and sensation
primary somatosensory cortex
the region of the parietal lobe whose primary input is from the somatosensory system
temporal lobe
A region of the cerebral cortex responsible for hearing and understanding language
primary auditory cortex
the region of the temporal lobe whose primary input is from the auditory system
Wernicke’s area
a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression; located in the left temporal lobe
occipital lobe
A region of the cerebral cortex that processes visual information
primary visual cortex
the region of the occipital lobe whose primary input is from the visual system
Synaptogenesis
formation of new synapses
synaptic pruning
a process whereby the synaptic connections that are not used are lost
sudden onset brain injury
occurs abruptly (blow to the head, car accident, etc.)
insidious onset brain injury
gradually develops over time (tumour, Parkinson’s)
acquired brain injury
Brain damage that occurs as a result of injury or physical trauma to the brain after birth
traumatic brain injury
A type of ABI caused by a blow to the head, or by the head moving forwards and backwards rapidly
broca’s aphasia
causes the affected person to be unable to speak fluently, mispronounce words
wernicke’s aphasia
causing the affected person to be unable to understand or produce meaningful language
brain plasticity
The capacity for the brain to alter its structure and function
Rerouting
an undamaged neuron that has lost a connection with an active neuron may seek a new active neuron and connect with it instead
sprouting
the growth of additional branches on axons or dendrites to enable new connections
long term potentiation
gradual strengthening of the connections among neurons from repetitive stimulation
long term depression
the long-lasting decrease in the strength of synaptic transmission
ways to maximize brain function
mental stimulation, diet, exercise
symptoms of a stroke
Face, Arms, Speech, Time (FAST) face droopiness
epilepsy
neurological disorder that causes sudden, intense bursts of brain activity, resulting in seizures
typical symptoms of epilepsy
convulsions accompanied by, foaming at the mouth, and loss of body functions.
risks associated with epilepsy
seizures over 5 minutes, seizures can occur at dangerous times
diagnosing epilepsy
an EEG can detect abnormal brain waves, MRI and CT scan can identify affected brain regions
treatment of epilepsy
antiepileptic drugs, surgery to remove affected areas
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)
a progressive, degenerative condition involving brain damage resulting from multiple episodes of head trauma
typical victims of cte
contact sports stars, domestic violence victims, army personnel are more likely to be diagnosed
CTE stage 1
headache, loss of attention and irritability
CTE stage 2
rage, impulsivity, depression
CTE stage 3
executive dysfunction, cognitive impairment
CTE stage 4
dementia, word-finding difficulty, aggression
CTE biological markers
a build-up of tau proteins which prevent neurons from staying alive and functioning properly
diagnosis of CTE
CTE cannot currently be conclusively detected while the person is alive, can only be diagnosed with autopsy after death
treatment of CTE
no current cure, most treatment aims at improving behavioural and cognitive function, medication can help
prevention of CTE
the simplest way to prevent CTE is to prevent trauma to the head
