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BBB > Unit 2-Introducing the Brain > Flashcards

Unit 2-Introducing the Brain Flashcards

1
Q

What is a neuron? What are its three main components?

A

A cell type that makes up the nervous system and supports cognitive functions

Soma (cell body), dendrites, and axon

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2
Q

What does the cell body (soma) contain?

A

The nucleus, which contains genetic code and is involved in protein synthesis

Other organelles

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2
Q

What are dendrites?

A

Branching structures that extend away from the cell body to receive information from other neurons in close proximity

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3
Q

What is the axon?

A

Long tail of neuron that is used to propagate action potentials that send information to nearby neurons

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3
Q

How many dendrites and how many axons does a neuron have?

A

One axon, many dendrites

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4
Q

What is a synapse? What is it formed by?

A

A small gap between neurons that permits signalling

The presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons

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5
Q

What is an action potential? When is the action potential propagated in the axon? What happens when the action potential reaches the axon terminal?

A

A sudden change in the electric properties of the axon membrane, which forms the basis for how neurons code information

When the presynaptic neuron is active

Neurotransmitters are released

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5
Q

What are neurotransmitters? What do they bind to on the postsynaptic neuron? What is their impact on the postsynaptic neuron?

A

Chemical signals released by one neuron that affect other neurons

Receptors on the dendrites or cell body

Create synaptic potential

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6
Q

What is synaptic potential? How is it conducted? When does it cause an actional potential?

A

A change in a neuron’s membrane potential due to the binding of neurotransmitters released from another neuron

Passively, without creating action potential

When the sum of passive currents increases above a certain threshold in the axon hillock

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7
Q

What is the axon hillock?

A

The region of the neuron’s cell body where the axon begins and where the sum of passive currents is calculated to initiate an action potential

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7
Q

What are the five phases in action potential?

A

Resting
Depolarisation
Repolarisation
Hyperpolarization
Refractory Period

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8
Q

What happens during the Depolarisation phase? What type of ions rush into the neuron to make the inside more positive? What gate is opened to allow for this?

A

A sufficiently strong stimulus causes the membrane potential to increase

Sodium ions

Sodium gates

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8
Q

What is the resting membrane potential in the Resting phase?

A

Around -70 millivolts

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9
Q

What happens during the repolarization phase? What type of channels open up and what type of channels close? What does this cause? At around what potential does this happen?

A

The negative charge is restored

Potassium channels open and sodium channels close

Potassium ions leaving and sodium ions no longer entering the neuron

-50 mV

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10
Q

What happens during the refractory period phase?

A

The neuron is temporarily unable to fire another action potential due to the inactivation of voltage-gated ion channels

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10
Q

What happens during the hyperpolarization phase? What is the purpose of this?

A

The membrane potential briefly becomes more negative than the resting potential before returning to its resting state

Preventing the action potential from travelling backwards

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11
Q

What is myelin? What is another function of it?

A

A fatty substance around axons that speeds conduction

Blocking sodium and potassium transfer in normal conditions

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12
Q

What are the three types of effects of neurotransmitters? Explain all of them. Give some examples of neurotransmitters causing each of them:

A

Inhibitory - making the neuron less likely to fire (e.g., GABA)

Exhibitory - making the neuron more likely to fire (e.g., glutamate)

Modulatory functions (e.g., serotonin, dopamine)

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13
Q

What is the primary way through which neurons code information?

A

Through their spiking rate, i.e., the number of action potentials is propagated per second

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14
Q

How can one determine the type of information coded by a neuron?

A

By the inputs and outputs of the neurons, i.e., where the information comes from and where it goes

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15
Q

What does grey matter primarily consist of?

A

Neuronal cell bodies

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16
Q

What does white matter primarily consist of?

A

Axons and glia

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17
Q

What are glia?

A

Support cells involved in forming myelin and repairing tissues

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18
Q

What is the cerebral cortex? What type of matter does it consist of? What comes under it? What comes under this?

A

The outermost layer of the brain

Grey matter

White matter fibres

Subcortex

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19
Q

What is the function of white matter tracts? What are the three kinds of white matter tracts?

A

They connect different regions of the brain to each other

Association tracts, commissures, and projection tracts

20
Q

What is the subcortex made up of?

A

Grey matter

21
Q

What is the hierarchical view of the central nervous system?

A

Older structures are not replaced with newer ones
Newer structures are added onto older ones
Older pathways still contribute to brain functionality

21
Q

What is a ventricle?

A

A hollow chamber in the brain containing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

22
Q

What do association tracts connect? How about commissures? How about projection tracts?

A

Cortical regions within the same hemisphere

Cortical regions in different hemispheres

Cortical and subcortical structures

23
Q

What is cerebrospinal fluid? What are its three primary functions?

A

A fluid filling the ventricles in the brain

Carries waste, transfer messenger signals (hormones) and provides cushioning for the brain

24
Q

What are the four ventricles of the brain?

A

The left lateral ventricle, right lateral ventricle, central ventricle and brainstem/hindbrain ventricle

25
Q

What do the terms anterior/rostral and posterior/caudal refer to?

A

Anterior/rostral refers to the front of the brain

Posterior/caudal refers to the back of the brain

26
Q

What do the terms superior/dorsal and inferior/ventral refer to?

A

Superior/dorsal refers to the top of the brain

Inferior/ventral refers to the bottom of the brain

27
Q

What do the terms lateral and medial refer to?

A

Lateral refers to the outer surface of the brain

Medial refers to the inner part of the brain

28
Q

What is a sagittal slice?

A

A vertical slice that divides one of the brain’s hemispheres into two

29
Q

What is a coronal slice?

A

A vertical slice that divides the brain into front and back parts (from ear to ear)

30
Q

What is a midline slice?

A

A midline slice is a vertical slice dividing the brain into the two hemispheres

31
Q

What is an axial slice?

A

A horizontal slice that divides the brain into upper and lower parts

31
Q

What are gyri?

A

The ridges or folds on the surface of the cerebral cortex

32
Q

What are sulci?

A

The grooves or furrows that separate gyri

33
Q

What does the cerebral cortex consist of? Why is it structured with gyri and sulci?

A

Two folded sheets of grey matter organised into two hemispheres

To create a higher surface area

34
Q

What are the three layers of the cerebral cortex?

A

The neocortex, mesocortex, and allocortex

35
Q

What is the neocortex? What is it involved in?

A

The largest part of the cerebral cortex in humans and other mammals

Higher-order brain functions

36
Q

What is the mesocortex? What are its primary functions?

A

A transitional region of the cerebral cortex bridging the neocortex and allocortex

Emotional processing, autonomic functions, and awareness of bodily sensations

37
Q

What are the four main ways in which the regions of the cerebral cortex can be divided by?

A

By the pattern of gyri and sulci

By Brodmann’s areas

By function (e.g., by sensory vs motor)

By connectivity profiles (which brain regions are connected to what region)

37
Q

What is the allocortex? What are the primary structures that it includes? What are its most crucial functions?

A

The evolutionarily older part of the cerebral cortex

The primary olfactory cortex and the hippocampus

Smell and memory formation

38
Q

What are the four lobes of the lateral surface of the cortex?

A

The frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital

39
Q

What are Brodmann’s areas?

A

Divide the cortex into approximately 52 areas based on relative distributions of cell types

40
Q

What are the three primary systems in the subcortex?

A

The basal ganglia

The limbic system

The diencephalon

41
Q

What is the primary function of the thalamus?

A

A sensory relay for all senses except smell

42
Q

What is the limbic system’s primary function? What are its primary components, and what is the function of each?

A

The detection and expression of emotional responses

The Amygdala (fear, threatening stimuli) Cingulate Gyrus (emotional and cognitive conflicts), Hippocampus (learning and memory), Mammillary bodies (memory), Olfactory Bulbs (smelling)

43
Q

What is the basal ganglia? Where are they located in the brain? What are their two primary functions?

A

Two large rounded masses, one in each hemisphere

In the centre of the brain, around the thalamus

Regulating motor activity, Learning of rewards, skills and habits

44
Q

What two structures does the diencephalon consist of?

A

The thalamus and hypothalamus

45
Q

What are the two main components of the midbrain?

A

Superior and inferior colliculi

46
Q

What is the primary function of the hypothalamus?

A

Deals with homeostasis, i.e., temperature, hunger, thirst, sexual activity, body, growth, etc.

47
Q

What are the two primary functions of the superior colliculi?

A

Integrating information from several senses

Programming fast eye movements

48
Q

What is the primary function of the inferior colliculi?

A

Auditory processing

49
Q

What is the implication of the midbrain and hindbrain providing older pathways for some senses?

A

Allow for reflex actions to certain stimuli

50
Q

What are the two main functions of the cerebellum?

A

Ensuring smooth execution of movement

Integrating motor commands with sensory feedback

51
Q

What are the three main components of the hindbrain?

A

The cerebellum, pons, and medulla oblongata

52
Q

What is the function of the pons?

A

Connecting the cerebellum and cerebrum, in the forebrain, and responsible for higher cognitive functions such as thinking, perception, planning, and voluntary movement

53
Q

What is the primary function of the medulla oblongata?

A

Regulating vital functions such as breathing, swallowing, heart rate, and the wake-sleep cycle

BBB (13 decks)

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