Week 2 Flashcards
Define: dendrites
receive and transmit messages
Define: cell body
holds nucleus and genetic material
Define: axon
transports messages from head to tail
Define: axon terminal
bulb-like extensions that hold vesicles
Define: Neurotransmitters
allow neurons to communicate
Define: Sensory Neurons
Neural impulses go from body to brain
Define: Motor Neurons
Neural impulses that go from the brain to the body
What are glial cells?
specialized cells that mount immune responses in the brain, remove waste, and synchronize the activity of billions of neurons
What is the value for resting potential?
-70 mV
What is the refractory period?
the time where no neurons are firing in between action potentials
Describe the neurotransmitter glutamate.
excitatory neurotransmitter found in brains of vertebrates, regulates and autonomic nervous system reactions, and abnormal function can result in seizures
Describe the neurotransmitter GABA.
inhibits ability to generate action potentials, lowers arousal, anxiety and excitation, low levels result in epilepsy
Describe the neurotransmitter Acetylcholine.
important for voluntary movement and attention, change of ach. can result in alzheimers
Describe the function of the neurotransmitter Dopamine.
controls movement, reward seeking behaviour, cognition and attention
Describe the function of norepinephrine.
Regulates stress response; increases arousal, attention and heart rate, often used with epinephrine
Describe the function serotonin
regulates sleep, appetite, and mood; blocking serotonin reuptake decreases anxiety and depressionp
What are agonists?
drugs that mimic effects of a neurotransmitter
What are antagonists?
inhibits neurotransmitter activity
What is the function of the hypothalamus?
to regulate basic biological needs and motivational systems
What is the function of the pituitary gland?
to produce hormone and send commands about hormone production
What is the function of the adrenal gland?
to release stress hormones
What is the location and function of the brainstem?
located in the hindbrain, consists of the medulla and the pons and regulates breathing, heart rate and wake/sleep
What is the location and function of the cerebellum?
located in the hindbrain, monitors movement, maintains balance, and regulates emotional response
What is the location and function of the superior colliculus?
midbrain; orients visual attention
What is the location and function of the interior colliculus?
midbrain; orients auditory attention
What is the location and function of the basil ganglia?
forebrain; regulates movements and reward processing
What is the location and function of the amygdala?
forebrain; regulates emotion
What is the location and function of the thalamus?
forebrain; relays sensory information to different areas of the brain
What is the location and function of the occipital lobe?
cerebral cortex; visual processing
What is the location and function of the parietal lobe?
cerebral cortex; sensory and bodily processing
What is the location and function of the temporal lobe?
cerebral cortex; hearing, object recognition, language and emotion
What is the location and function of the frontal lobe?
cerebral cortex; regulates thought, planning, language and movement
Define: Neuroplasticity?
the capacity of the brain to change and rewire itself based on individual experience
What is diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)?
measure white matter pathway in the brain
What is transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)?
a procedure in which an electromagnetic pulse is delivered to a target region of the brain
What is an electroencephalogram (EEG)?
a procedure that measures brain activity using electrodes attached to the brain
What is a magnetoencephalography (MEG)?
a neuroimaging technique that measures the tiny magnetic fields created by the electrical activity of the nerve cells in the brain
What is a positron emission tomography (PET)?
a low level of a radioisotope is injected into the blood and its movement to areas of the brain is measured
What is a presynaptic cell?
a neuron that releases its neurotransmitter into the synapse
What is a postsynaptic cell?
a neuron that receives neurotransmitters from the presynaptic cell
What is the synaptic cleft?
the space between the axon terminal and the dendrite
What is reuptake?
a process whereby neurotransmitter molecules that have been released into the synapse are reabsorbed into the axon terminals of the presynaptic neuron
What is the reticular formation and where is it located?
it is involved with attention and alertness and is located in the hindbrain medulla area
What is the main function of the hindbrain?
facilitates basic, life-supporting processes
What is the main function of the midbrain?
regulates sensory and motor attention
What is the main function of the forebrain?
controls emotion, memory, thinking and reasoning
What is the main function of the cerebral cortex?
monitors language and personality
