Week 1 Flashcards
Psychophysiology
relationship between physiological signals recorded from the body and brain to
mental processes and disorders.
AKA the relationship between our physiology and behavior.
Human vs 4-legged animal terms
bipedal - human
quadrupedal - dog
Neuraxis
imaginary line drawn through the base of the spinal chord to the front of the brain, use to help with directions
Cephalic Flexure
The part of the neuroaxis that Curvesbetween the brainstem and the forebrain
Directions: Anterior/Rostral and Posterior/Caudal
Anterior/Rostral is toward the head
Posterior/Caudal is toward the tail.
Directions: Dorsal and Ventral
Dorsal is toward top of head or back
Ventral towards front surface facing belly
Directions: Lateral and Medial
Lateral: towards the side
Medial: towards the midline (neuraxis)
Directions: Labeled on a brain
Directions: ipsalateral and contralateral
Directions: Unilateral and bilateral
Directions: Proximal and Distal
Cross sections of the brain
Coronal: cross sections
Horizonal: parallel to ground
Sagittal planes: perpendicular to the ground and parallel to neuroaxsis (midsagittal plan divides directly in half)
MRI vs CT
Both provide pictures of brains
MRI has more detailed tissue, less detailed bone, very expensive, maybe risky, much longer
CT is less detailed tissue but more detailed bony structures, cheaper with no risks, quick
Nervous system: overall
Helps parts of body communicate, takes in information through our senses, processess that info and triggers reactions using chemical and electrical signals
2 core parts of the nervous system
Central Nervous System (CNS)= Brain and spiral chord
- main function: homeostasis, interpreting sensory info, creating motor responses, learning, thinking
Peripheral nervous system (PNS)= nerves that branch off spinal cord and extend to all parts of the body
- main function: relay between the CNS and the rest of the body
The brain controls
thoughts
memory
emotions
touch
motor skills
vision
breathing
temperature
hunger
AKA: every process that regulates our body
the brain has 3 levels of protection:
skull/cranium
meninges
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
Level one brain protection: Cranium/skulll
made like a jigsaw puzzle so it breaks apart well if impacted
Overall 22 pieces but cranium has 8 main bones
Takes 1100 lbs to break
Level one brain protection: Cranium/skulll – STRONGEST and WEAKEST bones
Pterion= weakest point
Jawbone= strongest
Level two brain protection: Meninges
Protective sheaths around the brain and spinal cord.
Three layers:
- Dura Mater: thick and tough outer layer
- Arachnoid Membrane: Soft and spongy middle (subarachnoid space: gap filed with CSF
- Pia Mater: around every surface, smalls surface cells
Level three brain protection: CSF/the Ventricular System - GENERAL
CSF provides protection, nourishment, and waste removal
- clear, colorless body fluid, that contains metabolic products, ependymal cells, and neurotransmitters
- Produced in the CHOROID PLEXUS of the ventricles of the brain
- The ventricular system produces and secretes CSF
Level three brain protection: CSF/the Ventricular System - PATH
Lateral ventricles (2)
Inerventricular foramina (2)
3rd ventricle
Cerebral aqueduct
4th ventricle
central canal to spine
BLOCKAGE: hydocephalus
Brain energy uses
Brain uses:
- 20% of total resting oxygen
- 15-20% of total blood flow goes to the brain
- 60% of glucose metabolism
Energy Division:
–Approx. 25% = maintaining neurons and glial cells
–Approx. 75% = electrical signaling across the brain’s circuits.
CNS Development
Neural tube = serves as the
embryonic brain and spinal cord the,
the central nervous system –> Divides to form basic brain regions.
Neuronal migration = brings neuronal cells to their locations –> neurons branch to form synapses
Apoptosis
planned and purposeful neuronal cell death, removal of damages or unneeded neurons
ex. stop sending cells to umbilical chord when no longer need it
Necrosis: unplanned and uncontrolled
ex. radiation
Synaptic Pruning
Synaptic Pruning = a natural process that occurs in the brain between early
childhood and adulthood. During synaptic pruning, the brain eliminates
extra synapses. –> this helps your brain be more EFFICIENT
Ex. use it or loose it, why can’t learn morphemes after certain age
Synaptic pruning vs apoptosis
Apotosis: CELL DEATH
Synaptic Pruning: ELIMINATES SYNAPSES
Difficulties with synaptic pruning
Too much or too little pruning is bad!
too few synapses correlated with schzio.
Too many synapses correlated with ASD
Brain divisions - chart
MEMORIZE THIS
Forebrain
midbrain
hindbrain
Brain division - image
Olfactory bulb
Smell center. Right near hipocampus, which is why smell is associated with memory
Telencephalon
Largest component of the brain, covered by term cerebral cortex –> higher level stuff
Two hemispheres joined by corpus callosum
divided into four lobes (see next slide)
Has Convolutions (grooves, see next slides)
Corpus Callosum
Joines two hemispheres, what you split in a labotomy
Four lobes of telencephalon
frontal
parietal
temporal
occipital
Convolutions
Sulci = small grooves
Fissures = large grooves
Gyri = bulges between the sulci and fissures (increase the S.A. by 3x)
Components of the cortex (telencephalon)
Made up of glia, cell bodies,
dendrites & axons
Gray on outside because of cell bodies (glial are gray)
white on the inside because of mylenated cells (cells that are covered in lipid layer to increase insulation which increases firing speed)
Glial Cells
Think gray, glial
They are supportive and nourishing cells, 10-50 more times than neurons
lots in brain like lots
Main sulci and gyri
Central sulcus: boundary between frontal and parietal lobe
Precentral gyrus: location of primary motor cortex
Postcentral gyrus: location of somatosensory cortex (all senses except smell and taste)
Forebrain lobe functions
Helpful: remember we develop back to front
Frontal: executive functions (emotion regulation, planning)
Prefrontal Cortex: main planing and strategizing
Parietal: integrating sensory information like touch
Temporal lobe: processing sensory information, like hearing, language, memory
Occipital lobe: visual processing
Homonculus
Model that reflects the amount of brain tissue that goes to sensory/motor neurons for that part
(mouth has a lot, so does hand, etc.)
Limbic system
basal ganglia, limbic system, thalmaus, and hypothalamus –> both in telencephalon and diencephalon
emotion regulation system! –> emotion, motivation, learning, memory
Main parts of the limbic system
Thalamus: relay station
Hypothalamus: homeostasis
Amygdala: emotion center (almond)
Hippocampus: memory
Basal ganglia: dopamine center, motor movement
What happens to limbic system in pubery
more controlled by the PFC
Amygdala
shaped like almond
emotional center
Flight or fight response
Learning of reward and punishment
memory consolidation
PTSD: increased activity
Hippocamps
shaped like seahorse?
formation of new memories
next to olfactory bulb (memory and smell linked(
When damaged: memory loss, disorientation ex. dimentia
Basal Ganglia
Part of limbic system
Controls motor movement, motor learning, executive functions and behaviors, and emotions –> like smooth motor leraning (like riding a bike)
Modulated by dopamine that is made in susbtania nigra
- Dopamine dysfunction: movement disorders (parkingsons), dystonia, tics, etc.
Substania Nigra
Produces dopamine
Lateralization
tendency of different hemispheres to hvae specialized function
Only somewhat true
(debunked broca, etc.)
What is true? we see more firing on the left for language and analysis, and more firing for attention and synthesis on the right side
Cultural considerations
Telencephalon vs diencephalon
“neocortex aka cerebrum” largest division of the brain. 4 lobes (frontal, occipital, temporal and
parietal). Also contains the Precentral gyrus (primary motor cortex) and post-central gyrus (primary somatosensory
cortex). Homunculus represents amount of brain tissue and motor/sensory nerves devoted to an area of the body
Diencephalon – contains the thalamus (“relay station”) and hypothalamus (homeostasis).
Limbic System crosses both the telencephalon and diencephalon. 5 main components (thalamus, hypothalamus,
amygdala, hippocampus, basal ganglia).
