Biology and Neuroscience Flashcards
(123 cards)
1
Q
Breakdown of the nervous system
A
CENTRAL NS
Brain
- Forebrain, midbrain, hindbrain
Spinal cord
PERIPHERAL NS
Autonomic
- Sympathetic, parasympathetic
Somatic
2
Q
Somatic NS
A
Intentional reactions/responses
3
Q
Autonomic NS
A
Automatic reactions/responses
4
Q
Sympathetic NS
A
- A.k.a flight, freeze/fight
- Activated when danger is sensed by amygdala to increase chances of survival
- Digestive processes temporarily slow down to focus on survival
5
Q
Parasympathetic NS
A
- A.k.a rest and digest
- Relaxed
- Eliminates/stores waste and delivers nutrients
6
Q
Acute stress
A
Stress from immediate threat that eventually goes away
7
Q
Chronic stress
A
Long-term, hyperactive stress = burn out after a long time
8
Q
Limbic system
A
Controls when we’re in fight/flight based on habit, instincts and primitive reactions
- Takes over for front lobe (where rational decisions are made) after it’s deactivated
9
Q
4 main lobes
A
Frontal (motor behaviour & reasoning)
Parietal, occipital, temporal (perceive world and make conclusions)
10
Q
Cerebral cortex
A
Where higher lvl of perception of the world occurs and origin of all controlled interactions w/ external world
11
Q
Midbrain
A
Primitive and focuses more on survival by controlling automatic processes and stores memories
12
Q
Lateralization
A
Brain is made of separate hemispheres
13
Q
Occipital lobe
A
Lower part of lobe used for vision
14
Q
Scotoma
A
Blind spot in someone’s vision b/c of damage to primary visual cortex
15
Q
Visual association cortex
A
Connects visual input w/ memory, allowing categorization and perception of visual images
16
Q
Agnosia
A
Inability to name a common object upon seeing it
17
Q
Temporal lobe
A
Where auditory processes happen
- Primary auditory cortex (inside upper temporal lobe)
- Auditory association cortex (lateral surface of temporal lobe)
18
Q
Parietal lobe
A
- Primary somatosensory cortex: Perception of body (motor strip)
- Parietal association cortex: Complex spatial functions that different across hemispheres (sensory strip)
19
Q
Proprioception
A
Spatial location of body parts
20
Q
Left side neglect
A
When people neglect left side of space as if it’s not there
21
Q
Cerebellum
A
Fibres at back bottom of brain that works w/ parietal lobe & is important to motor movement
22
Q
Premotor cortex
A
Controls complex movement & combines signals from primary motor cortex
Contributes to decision making
23
Q
Proportional representation
A
Amount of break devoted to specific part of body depends on its relevance
24
Q
Affect (ah-fect)
A
Emotional state
25
Confabulate
Inability to deceive well/at all
26
Neurons
Cells that transmit electrical impulses to and from the brain to form thoughts and actions (communicators)
27
Glial cells
Helper cells that assist neurons w/ communication and providing structural support
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Dendrites
Extensions of cell body (soma) that communicate w/ other neurons
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Nucleus of neuron
- Membrane bound and found in soma
- Includes nucleolus and chromosomes needed to produce proteins in cell
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Axon hillock
Intersection b/w soma and axon
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Axon
Part of neuron membrane that delivers messages
32
Axon terminal
Releases neurotransmitter when action potential reaches it
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Neurotransmitter
Chemicals released from end of an exon and acts as messages to other neurons and body parts and typically binds to receptors
34
Receptors
Proteins embedded in cell body membrane & are built to receive messages from neurotransmitters
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Soma
Cell body of neuron containing organelles and control metabolic processing
36
Terminal button
Very edge of axon terminal wher eneurotransmitter exits
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Vesicles
Bubbles in terminal button that store neurotransmitters and open up to send neurotransmitters to next neuron's dendrites
38
Presynaptic neuron/axon terminal
Releases neurotransmitter into synapse
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Synaptic cleft
Space b/w end of neuron that releases neurotransmitter and end that receives
40
Synapse
Small fluid-filled gap b/w neurons into which neurotransmitters are released
41
Postsynaptic receptors
Neurons that contain receptors ready to bind to neurotransmitter fr presynaptic neuron (usually on dendrites)
42
How fast does communication b/w neurons happen?
About 5 milisecs
43
Myelin
Protein and fatty substance that wraps around axon to protect and increase speed of action potentials/electrical impulses
44
Nodes of Ranvier
Gaps in myelin that lets ions enter into axon and change charge inside
45
Ions
Particles w/ positive/negative charges and their movement = electricity
46
Ions involved in action potential
Sodium, chloride and potassium
47
Polarized
- Cell is at rest and won't release neurotransmitters
- Large # of negatively charged ions (about -70 millivolts)
48
Depolarized
- When cell moves away from being polarized
- Becomes more positive
- More likely to activate and send neurotransmitter the more depolarized
49
Channels
Openings that allow ions to either enter/leave cell
50
Propagation
Process by which electrical impulses get sent to end of neuron
51
Threshold
AMmount of voltage change required to trigger open voltage-gated channels
52
Explain the 5 steps of the movement of action potential
1) Threshold
- Nerve impulse opens gate and Na+ enters cell
2) Depolarization
- Voltage-gated channels are opened, which increases positive ions in cell
- Cell is relatively less negative/polarized compared to outside = depolarized cell
- Occurs in Noes of Ranvier
3) Repolarization
- Na+ channels close = K+ channels open
- Amount of positive ions decreases and inside becomes relatively negative compared to surrounding fluid
4) Refractory period
- K+ channels open long enough to cause neurons to become "extra" negative compared to outside = hyperpolarized cell & temporarily increases difficulty of reaching threshold again
5) Resting state
- Neuron stabilizes and returns to resting state potential (about -70 mV)
53
Excitatory
Neurotransmitters that make neuron move closer to activation (e.g. glutamate, acetylcholine, dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, endorphins)
54
Inhibitory
Neurotransmitters that make neuron move away from activation and causes hyperpolarization (e.g. GABA, dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, endorphins)
55
Agonist
Chem from outside body that can mimic/enhance actions of neurotransmitters
56
Endogenous
Substance naturally produced in nervous system
57
Antagonists
Chem from outside body to shut off receptor
58
Competitive
Agonists/antagonists that will compete w/ neurotransmitter for binding side (direct)
59
Non-competitive
Agonists/antagonists that bind at a different site and interfere w/ receptor function (indirect)
60
Partial agonists/antagonists
Chem from outside body that either partially enhances/mimics/blocks neurotransmitter action
61
Ratio of glial cells to neurons
10:1
62
Glial cell functions
- Structural support for neurons
- Bring nutrients
- Remove waste and dead neurons
- Speed up electrical impulses
63
Oligodendrocytes
Glial cell that wrap myelin insulation around axons in CNS
64
Schwann cells
Glial cells that wrap myelin insulation around axons in PNS
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Astrocytes
Glial cells that help get nutrition to neurons and maintain balance of ions in/out neurons
66
Neural networks
Neurons organized in an interconnected group, dedicated to a set of functions
67
Nerve
Large bundle of axons from many neurons
68
Efferent vs afferent
- Efferent: Carries signals away fr. CNS
- Afferent: Carries signals to CNS
69
Neuroplasticity
ABility of neurons and networks to change
70
Neocortex
Outerpart of brain responsible for high-lvl processing of info (conscious thought/decision-making)
71
Medulla
Part of brain closest to spinal cord that helps regulate life functions
72
Gray matter
- Neurons and glia
- Local processing of info
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White matter
- Bundles of myelinated axons
- Helps share info by connecting neurons via axons and dendrites
74
Somatic
Part of PNS that controls voluntary movement and communicates w/ skeletal muscles (torso, head, limbs)
75
Autonomic
Part of PNS that controls automatic bodily functions
76
Vertebrae
Individual joints that make up vertebral column and provides spine with ability to flex, extend and twist
77
Parasympathetic NS
- Body is in relaxed state to rest, recover and repair
- Originates in lower brain and socral spinal cord
78
Sympathetic NS
- Controls action that require excitement
- Mostly neurons and supporting cells in spinal cord
- Deactivates parasympathetic
- Focusses on survival
79
Frontal lobe
- Anterior = decision making
- Posterior = movement
- Prefrontal cortex gets input from across cerebral cortex to help decide why and how we do things
80
Temporal lobe
- Forming memories
- Processing sound (includes primary auditory cortex)
81
Pons
- Connects info to/from brain
- Regulate arousal, coordinates senses w/ cerebellum and controls facial expression and eye movement
82
Medulla oblongata
- Closest part to spinal cord
- Regulates life functions (e.g. breathing, heart rate)
83
Cerebellum
- A.k.a "little brain"
- 2 lobes
- Helps w/ movement and problem-solving
84
Spinocerebellar
Part of cerebellum that controls motor patterns
85
Vestibulocerebellar
Part of cerebellum that controls posture and balance
86
Cerebrocerebellarr
Part of cerebellum that controls timing and planning movements
87
Alternative names for forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain
Prosencephalon, mesencephalon, rhombencephalon
88
Occipital lobe
- Visual cortex processes visual info and light
89
Parietal lobe
- Association lobe = integrates sensory info from across brain
- Includes primary sensory processing area for touch
- Includes visual info from visual cortex
- Helps orient ourselves in environment
90
Somatosensory cortex/postcentral gyrus
Primary region for processing touch
91
Motor cortex/precentral gyrus
Neurons that initiate voluntary movement
92
Vestibulocochlear nerve
Originates in inner ear and helps brain sense its orientation and regulations L-R coordination
93
Reticular Activating System (RAS)
Network of cells in pons and medulla to help regulate level of awareness and alertness
- Filters out irrelevant stimuli and brings important ones to the rest of the brain
94
Nuclei/ganglia
Netwrok of neurons/glia grouped together to perform certain functions
95
Prefrontal cortex
Front part o frontal lobe involved in decision-making
96
Limbic system
Nuclei/ganglia that regulates emotions, helps regulate endocrine activity, and form emotional memories
- Integrates primitive functions w/ high-order thought
97
Amygdala
- Network that becomes more active when we learn fear response
- Increases secretion of adrenaline/norepinephrine in fight or flight
- Forms memories associated w/ strong emotions
- Analyzes emotional value and intensity of a stimulus
- Connects w/ hippocampus and thalamus for formation of emotional memories and coordinate behaviour
98
Amygdalectomy
Experimental destruction of amygdala in animals, making them docile/less reactive to threats
99
Hippocampus
Acts as a gateway to forming new memories
- Located in temporal lobe
- Essential for memory creation and imagination of new possibilities
100
Steps to forming memories
1) Sensory data is transcribed by neurons in cortex and travels to hippocampus
2) In hippocampus, proteins strengthen cortical synaptic connections
3) If stimulus was strong enough/recalled fora few days after, memory gets transferred back to cortex for long-term storage
101
Cingulate gyrus
Activates when we experience unpleasant things
102
Hypothalamus
Controls some functions in autonomic and endocrine systems
- Secretes hormone that controls pituitary gland
103
Basal ganglia
Interconnected groups near base that help w/ learning movement and coordinating movement patterns
104
Direct path vs indirect path in basal ganglia
- Direct path = dopamine excites neuron = movement occurs
- Indirect path = dopamine inhibits neuron = movement prevented
105
Dorsal striatum
- Closer to neocortex and coordinates movement
- Includes caudate nucleus and putamen
106
Ventral striatum
- Closer to neocortex and coordinates movement
- Globus pallidus: Paleglobe whose role is inhibiting circuits in thalamus to control how sensory info is coordinated w/ movement
- Substantia nigra: Dark substance; Sends inhibitory signals to thalamus to coordinate sensory w/ motor plans
107
Auditory cortex
Auditory info
108
Visual cortex
Match visual info w/ other senses' perception
109
Association cortex
Integrate infro from multiple areas
110
Somatosensory cortex
Feeling/touch
111
Motor cortex
Movement commands
112
Neocortex
Part of brain that integrates and makes sense of all sensory info and is associated w/ higher order functions
113
Ventromedial prefrontal cortex
Modulate behaviour based on fear
114
Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
Maintain info in working memory and change actions based on task
115
Wernicke's area
Posterior temporal lobe necessary for processingand understanding language
116
Corpus callosum/"tough body"
Thick bundle of fibers that connects hemispheres and allows them to share info
- All sensory info crosses here except olfactory
117
Pituitary gland
- Controls adrenal gland
- Releases many hormones that affect sexual behaviour, reproduction, circulatory function, hunger and responses to aggression
118
Pineal gland
Secretes melatonin and regulates sleep cycles
119
Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis
Connects brain and endocrine system to cause cycle of chronic stress
120
Staining method
Using dye to make nerves visible under a microscope (1800s)
121
"Patch-clamp" technique
Record electrical activity of individual neuron (1900s)
122
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
Record directly from clusters of electrical activity in the brain (1924)
123
List methods of research in neuroscience
CT scan, MRI, fMRI, DTI, PET/SPECT
