Week 1: neuroscience Flashcards
what is cognitive neuroscience?
Cognitive neuroscience is the study of the neurological basis of cognition
Name 3 of the ancient views of the mind
(what does the theory state?)
(name the parts)
(what kind of system? How many parts?)
The ventricle theory: states that the brain is the seat for the soul and intellect
The intellectual soul has 3 parts
-imagination
-cognition
-memory
Functional localisation to 3 different brain ventricles
Versalius (1514-1564)
book?
What did he study?
Book: De humani corporis fabrica
‘The fabric of the human body’
Versalius studied anatomy for structure
Which three people studied localisation of function?
(D,G,F)
Decartes
Gall (Phrenology)
Flourens
Which three people studied localisation of language?
(B,W)
Broca (Tan patient)
Wenricke (irrational patient)
What are the two debates in neuroscience?
Mind VS brain: Is the mind and brain separate or the same?
Localisation VS holism:Do neurons and the different areas of the brain have specific functions (localism or do they work more as a combined field? (holism)
Gall (1781)
Cerebral localisation
Research term?
Phrenology: The anaysis of the shape and lumps of the skull which was believed to reveal a persons personality and intellect
Gall identified 27 basic functions
Flourens
Cerebral holism
Challenged? (2) Why?
What did their experiment involve?
Findings?
Therefore functions are not?
Challenge to Gall and phrenology (improper methodology)
Experimented by removing slices of the brain from live animals in order to measure behavioural changes.
Findings_ extensive cortical lesions in birds and rabbits indicated little behavioural change = functions are spread around the brain therefore meaning that function is not localised
Which three people studied cerebral localisation?
(B,D,B)
Bouillaud: frontal lesions and speech loss
Dax
Broca
Broca
Patient?
What condition did the patient have?
Definition of condition?
Term? definition?
‘Tan’ patient
This patient could only communicate with the word ‘tan’
Aphasic patient
Alphasia is a condition which causes the patient to have difficulty with language or speech (damage to the left side of the brain).
Perserveration: Uncontrollable repetition of a particular phrase, word, action even though there is no stimulus. It is caused by brain injury or another organic disorder
Cerebral localisation
Wernicke
What disturbs comprehension?
patient?
What were Wernickes views established as?
Temporal lesions disturb comprehension
Patient could speak however they could not make sense (irrational)
The damaged area was near the temporal and parietal lobes where they meet in the posterior part of the left hemisphere
Wernickes findings were established as the localizationist view
Phineas Gage
Accident?
Aftermath?
What part did the rod pass through?
trampling iron accident: iron rod passed through his skull
Aftermath: personality change- he became crude, impulsive, irrational and antisocial
The rod passed through the ventromedial region of the frontal lobes on both sides which hindered his ability to rationalise and process emotion
Who argued against localisation?
What did the studies aim to do?
What is the cerebral cortex?
Findings? two things? what is not depended on?
Lashley
Attempted to establish if disrupting certain connections between the cortical brain areas would disrupt abilities to learn association
The cortical brain areas refer to the areas which are located in the cerebral cortex which is the outer layer of the brain which is associated with mental capabilities
Findings: learning and memory did not depend on the connections across the cortex and learning did not depend on a single area of the cortex
What two key principles did Lashley propose about the nervous system?
What parts contribute? parts of? in? example?
part of the brain? How does it work?
Equipotentiality: All parts of the cortex contribute equally to complex functioning behaviour such as learning
Mass action: the cortex works as a whole, not as an individual
Advantages of MRI (2)
Non invasive
better temporal resolution
