topic 8 - brain Flashcards
describe symptoms of parkinsons
-shaking
- stiffness
- can lead on to dementia and depression
what is used to treat parkinsons and how does it work?
L-DOPA
- converted into dopamine in the brain
why does parkinsons disease occur?
- destruction of neurons in the midbrain
- resultsnin decreased dopamine produced which is needed for movement
what is the main cause of depression and why is this only one of th causes ?
- imbalance of chemicals in the brain
- decreased serotonin
- multifactorial disease
what is used to treat depression ?
-SSRIs
- used to prevent the reuptake of serotinin
describe how MRIs work and what are they used to detect
- magnetic field and radio waves
- identifies soft tissue
- detect tumors
compare MRI to CT
- MRI more expensive
- MRI higher quality
- MRI less dangerous (less exposure)
- both show only structure
describe how CT scans work
- x-ray radiation
- densor regions absorb more radiation and show up lighter
- allows visualisation of tissue
Describe how FMRIs work
- brain can be studied in real time
- shows location of oxygenated blood
- can see what areas are active in the brain (light up)
- as oxyhaemoglobin absorbs fewer radiowaves
describe how a PET scan works
- radioactive tracers used
- collect in areas with increased blood flow
- detects emissions of positrons
- show structure and function
- provides 3D image
name the 4 lobes of the brain + give basic funtion
- frontal lobe - motor cortex
- parietal lobe - orientation + movement
- occipital lobe - visual cortex
- temporal lobe - auditory cortex
give the 5 main parts of the brain
- cerebrum
- cerebellum
- medulla oblungata
- pituitary gland
- hypothalamus
what happens in medulla oblungata
- repiritory, HR + BP control centre
what does the hypothalamus do?
control centre, monitors + maintains homeostasis
what is the pituitary gland
- master gland
- reponible for regulating body functions
what is grey matter?
- cell bodies of neurones
- highly folded to increase SA
what is white matter ?
myelinated axons of neurons
