Attention and Consciousness Flashcards
(25 cards)
What neurotransmitter is associated alerting attention and where is it synthesized?
norepinephrine; locus coeruleus
What brain regions are associated with alerting attention?
frontal area, locus coeruleus, thalams, posterior area
What type of receptor does norepinephrine have?
g-protein coupled receptor
What neurotransmitter is associated with orienting attention and where is it synthesized?
acetylcholine; pons
What brain regions are associated with orienting attention?
frontal eye field, superior colliculus, pulvinar, temporparietal junction, superior parietal lobe, pons
What type of receptor does acetylcholine have?
nicotinic receptor
What neurotransmitter is associated with control/executive attention and where is it synthesized?
dopamine; substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area
What brain regions are associated with control/executive attention?
prefrontal area, anterior cingulate gyrus, basal ganglia
what is the difference between top-down and bottum-up control?
top-down - voluntary, goal-driven and selective attention
bottom-up - involuntary, stimulus-driven, reflexive attention
What brain regions are associated with top-down control?
frontal eye field, intraparietal sulcus, superior parietal lobule
What brain regions are associated with bottom-up control?
ventrolateral frontal cortex - inferior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus
temporal parietal junction - inferior parietal lobule, superior temporal gyrus
What is hemi-spatial neglect?
- Fail to apprehend and interact with visual stimuli in the contralesional field
- Unilateral damage, usually right hemispheric lesion
- attention deficit
Where is the brain commonly damaged for hemi-spatial neglect?
border between parietal and temporal lobes of right hemisphere (from stroke patients)
these areas are associated with attention
How can you test for hemi-spatial neglect?
copy and drawing; Ex: had to draw a clock and person only drew half of it
State of consciousness
Describe the resting state
Arousal, awarness, consciousness
Arousal - high
Awareness - high
Consciousness - yes
State of consciousness
Describe the coma/deep sleep/general anesthesia state
Arousal, awarness, consciousness
Arousal - low
Awareness - low
Consciousness - no
State of consciousness
Describe the anesthesia with ketamine state
Arousal, awarness, consciousness
Arousal - low
Awareness - high
Consciousness - no
State of consciousness
Describe the vegetative state
Arousal, awarness, consciousness
Arousal - high
Awareness - low
Consciousness - no
State of consciousness
Describe the minimally conscious state
Arousal, awarness, consciousness
Arousal - high
Awareness - low (higher than vegetative state)
Consciousness - low
State of consciousness
Describe the locked-in syndrome state
Arousal, awarness, consciousness
Arousal - high
Awareness - high
Consciousness - yes
What is an agonists?
A substrate that binds to the recepor in the same spot the neurotransmitter or neuropeptide would. Then it it acts in the same manner as the endogenous activator.
What is an antagonist?
It is a substrate that binds to another part of the receptor and blocks the activity of the endogenous activator.
What is are regions less activated during anesthesia?
Cortical regions - MPFC, precuneus
sub-cortical - thalamus
How is reticular formation involved in this unit?
It is key for arousal and modulates consciosuness, wakefulness and attentiveness.
