The Brain Flashcards
Neurons
Cells in the brain that communicate with each other, all thoughts and cognition begin at the brain
Dendrites
Part of neuron that branches out from the cell body, receives information from other neurons
Soma
Cell body, contains nucleus, decides whether to send info on to other neurons
Axon
“Long” part of neuron, transports info from the cell body to the end of the neuron, contains myelin sheath which speeds up transmission of information
Terminal buttons
At the end of the neuron, transmits info to the next neuron, sends neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft
Synapse/synaptic cleft
Synapse: Area where information is transferred from one neuron to the next
Synaptic cleft: space between terminal buttons and dendrites where neurotransmitters are released
What are the four types of neurons
Sensory: takes info from sense organs to the brain
Motor: take directions from brain to muscles to make movements
Mirror: allow us to mirror people physically and empathetically
Inter: neurons connected to other neurons for transportation of info
What is the most common type of neuron
Inter
Glial cells
Create a skeletal system for neurons, nourish/fuel neurons, create myelin sheath, help remove waste, help repair damage, create blood brain barrier
Afferent vs efferent
Afferent: neurons that take info to the brain
Efferent: neurons that take info from the brain
What neurological processes are electrical vs chemical?
Info within neurons = electrical
Info between neurons = chemical
Action potential
Change of charge within neurons (-70V to +40V) that allows information to travel down the axon
Relative vs absolute refractory period
Refractory period: the period after an action potential where it is either more difficult (relative) or impossible (absolute) to perform another action potential
What are neurotransmitters
Chemical messengers that play an important role in interneuron communication
Agonist vs antagonist
Agonist: make transmitters more effective
Antagonist: make transmitters less effective
Dopamine
Pleasure/reward neurotransmitter, associated with an emotional boost, helps with voluntary movement
Serotonin
Neurotransmitter that controls negative emotions (depression, anxiety), important for regulating sleep
Epinephrine/norepinephrine
Epinephrine: Energized mental state neurotransmitter
Norepinephrine: energized mental and physical state neurotransmitter
Endorphin
Neurotransmitter, body’s pain killer, associated with positive mental state
GABA
Primary inhibitive neurotransmitter, stops cell body
Glutamate
Primary excitatory transmitter
Acetylcholine
Neurotransmitter that communicates with motor neurons
What is the first neurotransmitter that was discovered
Acetylcholine
Synaptic pruning
Process of getting rid of synapses that are no longer useful to us
What physical quality of the brain determines intelligence
Surface area (wrinkles)
Where are the evolutionarily older/newer parts of the brain located
Older = lower, newer = higher
Contralateral control
Left side of the brain controls the right side of the brain body and vice versa
Association area
What parts of the brain are responsible for different components of thinking
What are the 3 divisions of the brain
Hindbrain, midbrain, forebrain
What does the hindbrain do
Deals with info to and from the rest of the nervous system, and vital body functions to keep you alive
Medulla
Located on “stem” part of hindbrain, important for heart rate, circulation, respiration, reflexes. Damaged medulla = death
Reticular formation
Located below medulla in hindbrain, deals with sleep, arousal, mood and focus
Pons
Located near the top of the stem part of hindbrain, manages sleep, arousal, focus, and facial expressions (both our own and understanding others)
Cerebellum
Near the back of the hindbrain, sends info to pons, which is sent to other parts of the nervous system. Is concerned with balance and fine motor movement
What is the smallest brain division
Midbrain
What does the midbrain do
Orient is and help us move through space
What neurotransmitter is the midbrain a significant source of
Dopamine
Tectum
Back part of midbrain, receives sense information and connects it to movement
Tegmentum
Focuses on movement and arousal
How do the tectum and tegmentum work together
Tectum helps you build a picture of your environment, tegmentum helps you move through it
What is the largest brain division
Forebrain
What does the forebrain do
Contains cerebral cortex, deals with high order thinking/processes
Frontal lobe
Front of cerebral cortex, contains prefrontal cortex and primary motor cortex. deals with reasoning, decision making, creativity
Prefrontal cortex
Part of frontal lobe, deals with decision making (doing/stop doing something), allocating resources, how things connect with each other, what to engage with/ignore
Primary motor cortex
Concerned with fine movement, mainly focused on the face, mouth and hands
Parietal lobe
Contains somatosensory cortex, which is concerned with touch/skin sensations mostly focused on the mouth nose and hands. Also integrates touch sensations with visual information
Occipital lobe
Deals with vision, and processes it into more complicated information
Temporal lobe
Deals with hearing, language and recognition
Temporal lobe lateralization
Left of temporal lobe = language focused
Right of temporal lobe = non language sounds
Broca’s area
Allows for speech production
Wernickes area
Allows for language comprehension
Broca’s/Wernicke’s aphasia
Aphasia: problem/disruption of speech
Broca’s: cannot produce words, but can comprehend others
Wernicke’s: can produce words but they are nonsensical and cannot comprehend others
Subcortical structures
Part of forebrain underneath the cerebral cortex
Thalamus
Subcortical structure, relay station for sensory and motor information
Pituitary gland
Subcortical structure close to hindbrain, related to growth, metabolism, reproduction
Limbic system
Subcortical structure that deals with emotions
Hypothalamus
Part of limbic system, deals with fleeing, feeding, fighting and mating (survival instincts)
Amygdala
Part of limbic system, deals with emotional memory, typically negative emotions
Hippocampus
Behind amygdala, critical for memory
Cingulate gyrus
Part of limbic system that deals with focusing on information
Basal ganglia
Part of limbic system that produces dopamine
What is the most common type of brain imagine technique?
MRI
Structure vs activity imaging
Structure: shows physical structure of brain
Activity: shows where activity happens in brain
MRI
Physical imaging: uses magnets to understand your brain structure, shows images in horizontal slices
DTI
Physical imaging: type of MRI that focuses on myelin
NIRS
Phyiscal imaging: sends light pulses into the brain, reflections show the structure
EEG
Activity imaging: places electrodes across your skull and measures electrical activity
ERP
Activity imaging: Looks at a singular electrode from the EEG over time
FMRI
Activity imaging: Magnets use metal in blood to determine which parts of our brain are being used
PET
Activity imaging: Tracks glucose (active locations require more fuel)
TMS
Activity imaging: magnetic coil is moved around the brain and disrupts brain’s processes, non-invasive way of determining causality
Central vs peripheral nervous system
CNS: brain + spinal cord
PNS: all other parts
What part of the body responds fast to impulses
Spinal cord
Gate control theory
Spinal cord blocks pain so your understanding is not blocked by pain
Cerebrospinal fluid
Liquid that protects + nourishes the brain and spinal cord
Autonomic vs somatic
Autonomic = involuntary actions
Somatic = voluntary actions
What are the three parts of the autonomic nervous system
Sympathetic: Fight/flight responses
Parasympathetic: Rest/digest/calming
Enteric: Nerve cells embedded in gastrointestinal lining, associated w/ gut feelings
