The Brain Flashcards
what is the space in brain made up of
- white and greay matter
what ions bind to receptors on the receiving neurone
- sodium, potassium, calcium ions
what surrounds the axon, and what does it contain
- myelin sheath
- nodes of ranvier
whats released into the synaptic gap
- neurotransmitters
what happens when neurotransmitters are released into synaptic cleft
- ion channel opens, neurotransmitters attatch at receptor binding site
- channels are specific to different ions
why is a neurin described as lock and key
each neuron releases only 1-2 types of neurotransmitter
what is acetylcholines major function
muscular movement and memory
what is noradrenalines major function
learning, memory, wakefulness and eating
what is serotonins major function
mood, sleep, eating and arousal and pleasure and pain
what is dopamine’s major function
voluntary movement, emotional arousal, learning, memory and experiencing pleasure or pain
what is GABA’s major function
inhibitory transmitter in motor system
what are endorphin’s major functions
inhibits transmission of pain impulses
what are glutamate’s major functions
involved in most aspects of brain function
what are examples of serotonin as drugs
psychedelic drugs, antidepressants
what are examples of dopamine as drugs
psychomotor stimulants (cocaine), anti- psychotics
what are examples of GABA as drugs
anti-anxiety effects
whats an example of glutamate as a drug
Ketamine
what does vascular damage of brain consist of
- disruption to blood flow to brain due to:
- stroke
- partial blockage (ischemia)
- enlarged artery (aneurysm)
what does a tumor do to brain and what is it described as
- neoplasm
mass of tissue with no psychological function - grows and disrupsts normal functioning
- can destroy neurons
what are the different types of tumours (3 types)
- gliomas- beging with abnormal glial cells
- Meningiomas- originates in meninges, surrounding brain
- Merastic originate elsewhere in body, but invade bloodstream going to brain
whats a degenerative disease with examples
- breakdown of neurological material
- alzheimers
- parkinsons
- korsakoffs
is EEG invaive or not and what does it do
- non- invasive
- measures magneitc fields produced by the brain’s electrical activity
is PET scan invasive or not and what does it do
- measures glucose metabolism
- non invasive
what is PET scan helpful for identifying cancer
- cancer thrives on glucose
is an MRI invasive or not what does it do
- non invasive
- produces structural image, to identify structures and possible brain damage
is an fMRI scan invasive or not and what does it do
- non invasive
- maps bain function over time
- measures blood flow
- (neural activity-> increased demand for oxygen-> increased blood flow)
why would invasive measures be used and what can they do with activity in the brain
- in special circumstances
- e.g, people udner going brain surgery, or in animals
- can be used to record and influence activity in brain
is tms invasive and what does it do, and what diseases is it involved in treating
- disrupts activity in a specific area
- invasive
- use of electrical stimulation in specific area
- deep brain stimulation, treats parkinsons and depression
what does the peripheral nervous system consist of
- sensory and motor nerves
what are 2 key components of the central nervous system
- brain
- spinal cord
what is the role of the sympathetic system
- ‘fight or flight’
- prepares body for stress/danger
- increases heart rate, dilates pupils, directs blood flow to muscles
- gives alertness to body to respond quickly
what is the role of the parasympathetic system
- helps body relax and conserve energy after stressful event
- slows heart rate, constricts pupils, stimulates digestion
- supports recovery of body
what is the ‘survival’ part of the brain called and where is it located
- reptilian
- centre of brain
what is the ‘emotional’ part of the brain and where is it located, and what is it involved with
- limbic
- outer area
- involved with how we behave and act in interaction with our environment
what is the ‘thinking’ part of the brain, what does it do (what does it inhibit)
- neo cortex
- associated with higher thinking such as advanced planning and inhibits urges
what does the thalamus do and they hypo thalamus
- relays information between lower and higher brain centres
- set of nuclei involved in different regulating functions, plays a role in emotions and stress
what is the amygdala involved with
- emotional processing, e.g process of fear
what does the reticular formation part of the brain do
- diffuse collection of neurons involved in arousal and stereotyped patterns, E.G WALKING
what does PONS part of the brain do
- governs sleep and rousal
what does medulla part of the brain do
- governs breathing and reflexes
what does the cerebellum do
- rounded structure involved in motor coordination
what does the hippocampus do
- involved in memory
whats the amygdala
- involved in fear and discrimination of objects necessary for survival
whats the cerebral cortex
- wrinkled outer layer of fore brain
- governs higher brain functions, such as thinking, learning, and consciousness
what is brain plasticity
- known as neuroplasticity
- refers to brains ability to change and adapt in response to experiences such as learning or injury
what is it called when neurons die and others are created
neurogenesis
what is neurogenesis
when neurons die and others are created
whats the juggle example of brain plastisicity 2004 and results it showed
-24 healthy volunteers
- 12 jugglers, 12 controlled
- trained 12 jugglers for 3 months then brain scan taken
- another 3 months both groups did nothing
- found areas in brain after brain scan, when jugglers first after 3 months showed a 3% volume increase (not seen in control)
- 3rd scan showed if they stopped juggling there was a reduction in brain volume
where does neurogenesis occur
in hippocampus
what did the study on taxi drivers show
suggested that the extensive spatial navigation experience led to structural changes
what was the positive and negative correlation found in the taxi driver study
-the longer youd been a taxi driver for, the volume of the posterior hippocampus increased (positive correlation)
- the anterior hippocampus (front), reduces in volume the longer you have been a taxi driver (negative correlation)
why does phantom limb syndrome occur
- Due to neurones growing new connections and may misplace parts of brain that corresponded to previous limb
what are critical periods
- idea that brain plasticity is regulated at different ages
- hormones and molecules regulate plasticity
what is the endocrine system involved in
- creating and releasing hormones
what are the 2 different types of messengers in body and their difference
- neurons
- hormons
- neurons communicate quickly and specifically, hormones flood body but action is slower, but effects last a long time
whats the issue with hormones as a messenger
- slow to cancel message
whats good about hormones being used as a messenger
- many areas affected at once due to lots of glands being involved
- thyroid, adrenal glands (endocrine system)
what does the adrenal medulla do
- prepares body for action and secretes stress hormones
list an example of the process of a stress response
- inforamtion through senses
- communicated through the brain stem by thalamus (relay station) to rest of system
- quick communication
- hypothalamus sets of chain response (HPA axis)
what is the hpa axis
- hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis
- consists of: hypothalamus, pituitary gland, adrenal glands
what can immune cells do
- produce hormones and neurotransmitters
