Chapter 2&3/ Week 3

Question 1

The interaction of the signals of many neurons

Answer 1

Neural processing

Question 2

Where electrical signals take place

Answer 2

Neurons

Question 3

Contains mechanisms to keep the cell alive

Answer 3

Cell body

Question 4

Branch out from the cell body to receive electrical signals from other neurons

Answer 4

Dendrites

Question 5

A.k.a. nerve fiber, which is filled with fluid that conducts electrical signals

Answer 5

Axon

Question 6

The value which stays roughly, the same, as long as there are no signals in the neuron

Answer 6

Resting potential

Question 7

The signal identified by the predictable rise and fall of the charge inside the axon relative to the outside and last about 1 ms

Answer 7

Action potential

Question 8

Once the response triggered It travels all the way down the axon without decreasing in size.

Answer 8

Propagated response

Question 9

The interval between the time one nerve impulse occurs in the next one can be generated in the axon

Answer 9

Refractory Period

Question 10

Action potentials that occurred in the absence of stimuli from the environment

Answer 10

Spontaneous activity

Question 11

Molecules that carry an electric charge

Answer 11

Ions

Question 12

Refers to the ease with which a molecule can pass through the membrane

Answer 12

Permeability

Question 13

An increase in positive charge inside the neuron

Answer 13

Depolarization

Question 14

The quick and steep depolarization from -70 mV to positive 40 mV during an action potential

Answer 14

Rising phase of the action potential

Question 15

An increase in negative charge inside the neuron

Answer 15

Hyperpolarization

Question 16

The hyperpolarization from +40 mV back to -70 mV

Answer 16

Falling phase of the action potential

Question 17

The small space between neurons

Answer 17

Synapse

Question 18

When action potential reach the end of a neuron, they triggers the release of this chemical

Answer 18

Neurotransmitters

Question 19

The structures in which Neuro transmitters are stored

Answer 19

Synaptic vesicles

Question 20

The neurotransmitter molecules flow into the synapse to small areas on the receiving neuron, which are called…

Answer 20

Receptor sites

Question 21

A response that occurs when the neuron becomes depolarized, and the inside of the neuron becomes more positive

Answer 21

Excitatory response

Question 22

A response that occurs when the inside of the neuron becomes more negative or hyperpolarized

Answer 22

Inhibitory response

Question 23

A code that refers to how neurons represent various characteristics of the environment

Answer 23

Sensory coding

Question 24

A specialize neuron that respond only to one concept or stimulus

Answer 24

Specificity coding

Question 25

Highly specific type of neuron

Answer 25

Grandmother cell

Question 26

A particular stimulus is represented by a pattern of firing of only a small group of neurons, with the majority of neurons remaining silent

Answer 26

Sparse coding

Question 27

Proposes that our experiences are represented by the pattern of firing across a large number of neurons

Answer 27

Population coding

Question 28

Gall concluded that there were about 35 different mental faculties that could be mapped onto different brain areas based on the bumps and contours on the person skull

Answer 28

Phrenology

Question 29

The idea that specific brain areas are specialized to respond to specific type of stimuli or functions

Answer 29

Modularity

Question 30

Speech production area

Answer 30

Broca’s area

Question 31

Area in the temporal lobe involved in understanding speech

Answer 31

Wernicke’s area

Question 32

A field of study relating the location of brain damage to specific affects on behavior

Answer 32

Neuropsychology

Question 33

A more controlled way that modularity has been studied is by recording brain responses in neurologically normal humans which makes it possible to create pictures of the location of the brain’s activity

Answer 33

Brain imaging

Question 34

Proposes that the brain represents information and patterns, distributed across the cortex rather than one single brain area

Answer 34

Distributed representation

Question 35

The roadmap of fibers, connecting different areas of the brain

Answer 35

Structural connectivity

Question 36

The neural activity associated with a particular function that is flowing through the structural network

Answer 36

Functional connectivity

Question 37

Recording an fMRI as a person is engaged in a specific tasks, such as listening to certain sounds

Answer 37

Task related fMRI

Question 38

Recording an fMRI, when the brain is not involved in a specific task

Answer 38

Resting state fMRI

Question 39

The determined brain location associated with carrying out a specific task

Answer 39

Seed location

Question 40

The other location where resting state is measured

Answer 40

Test location

Question 41

How do physical processes like nerve impulses become transformed into the richness of perceptual experience?

Answer 41

The mind body problem

Question 42

The distance between the peaks of the electromagnetic waves

Answer 42

Wavelength

Question 43

The energy within the electromagnetic spectrum that humans can perceive

Answer 43

Visible light

Question 44

Where light enters the eye through

Answer 44

Pupil

Question 45

Allows light to enter the inside of the eye

Answer 45

Cornea

Question 46

Transmits light to the retina

Answer 46

Lens

Question 47

The network of neurons that cover the back of the eye

Answer 47

Retina

Question 48

Converts light into signals that are sent to the brain

Answer 48

Photoreceptors

Question 49

A type of photo receptor shaped like a rod, allows for peripheral vision

Answer 49

Rods

Question 50

A type a photo receptor, helps us to see fine detail

Answer 50

Cones

Question 51

Light-sensitive chemicals that react to light and trigger electrical signals

Answer 51

Visual pigments

Question 52

A bundle of more than 1 million nerve fibers that carry visual messages

Answer 52

Optic nerve

Question 53

A small center of the eye where visual acuity is the highest, retinal cones are particularly concentrated here

Answer 53

Fovea

Question 54

An area that includes all of the outside of the fovea, containing both rods and cones. Responsible for our side, and night vision.

Answer 54

Peripheral retina

Question 55

Most common in older people, destroys the cone-rich fovea, and a small area that surrounds it

Answer 55

Macular degeneration

Question 56

Degeneration of the retina that is passed from one generation to the next. This condition first attacks, the peripheral rod, receptors and results in poor vision in the peripheral visual field.

Answer 56

Retinitis pigmentosa

Question 57

The area of the eye where there is an absence a photoreceptors

Answer 57

Blindspot

Question 58

A muscle that increases the focusing power of the lens by increasing its curvature

Answer 58

Ciliary muscles

Question 59

The change in the lens shape that occurs when the ciliary muscles at the front of the eye tighten, and increase the curvature of the lens, so that it gets thicker

Answer 59

Accommodation

Question 60

A number of errors that can affect the ability of the cornea and/or lens to focus the visual input into the retina

Answer 60

Refractive errors

Question 61

Age related loss of the ability to accommodate. Can be dealt with by wearing reading glasses, which brings near objects into focus by replacing the focusing power that can no longer be provided by the lens.

Answer 61

Presbyopia

Question 62

The inability to see distant objects clearly

Answer 62

Myopia/nearsightedness

Question 63

A condition in which the cornea/lens bends the light too much

Answer 63

Refractive myopia

Question 64

A condition in which the eyeball is too long

Answer 64

Axial myopia

Question 65

The inability to see nearby objects clearly. Usually happens because the eyeball is too short.

Answer 65

Hyperopia/farsightedness

Question 66

The transformation of one form of energy into another form of energy

Answer 66

Transduction

Question 67

A process that creates a chemical chain reaction that activates thousands of charged molecules to create electrical signals in receptors

Answer 67

Isomerization

Question 68

Increasing sensitivity in the dark

Answer 68

Dark adaptation

Question 69

What is used to measure the increase sensitivity in the dark

Answer 69

Dark adaptation curve

Question 70

The sensitivity measure in the light

Answer 70

Light adapted sensitivity

Question 71

The sensitivity at the end of dark adaptation, about 100,000 times greater than the light adaptive sensitivity measured before dark adaptation began

Answer 71

Dark adapted sensitivity

Question 72

People who have no cones because of a rare genetic defect. Provide ways to study rod, dark adaptation without interference from cones.

Answer 72

Rod monochromats

Question 73

The place where the rods begin to determine the dark adaptation curve instead of the cones

Answer 73

Rod-cone break

Question 74

The change in shape and separation from the opsin that causes molecules to become lighter in color

Answer 74

Visual pigment bleaching

Question 75

In order to do their job of changing light energy into electrical energy, the retinal needs to return to its bent shape and become attached to the opsin

Answer 75

Visual pigment regeneration

Question 76

The eye’s sensitivity to light as a function of the lights wavelength

Answer 76

Spectral sensitivity

Question 77

The light of a single wave length created, using special filters or device called a spectrometer

Answer 77

Monochromatic light

Question 78

The enhanced perception of short wave lengths during dark adaptation

Answer 78

Purkinje shift

Question 79

A plot of the amount of light absorbed versus the wavelength of the light

Answer 79

Absorption spectrum

Question 80

Interconnected groups of neurons within the retina

Answer 80

Neural circuits

Question 81

Occurs when the number of neurons synapse onto a single neuron

Answer 81

Neural convergence

Question 82

The region of the retina that must receive illumination in order to obtain a response in any given fiber

Answer 82

Receptive field

Question 83

In these receptive fields, the area in the “center” of the receptive field response differently to life than the area in the “surround” of the receptive field

Answer 83

Center-surround receptive fields

Question 84

The area that increases neuronal firing when a stimulus is presented towards the area

Answer 84

Excitatory area

Question 85

The area that decreases firing when a stimulus is presented toward the area

Answer 85

Inhibitory area

Question 86

The receptive field, which responds with excitation, when the center is stimulated, and an inhibition, when the surround is stimulated

Answer 86

Excitatory-Center, inhibitory-surround receptive field

Question 87

The receptive field, which response within inhibition, when the center is stimulated and excitation, when the surround is stimulated

Answer 87

Inhibitory-Center, excitatory-surround receptive field

Question 88

A small spot of light presented to the excitatory center of the receptive field, causes a small increase in the rate of nerve firing; increasing the light size so that it covers the entire center of the receptive field, increases the cells response

Answer 88

Center-surround antagonism

Question 89

The inhibition involved in Center-surround ganglion cell receptive fields, inhibition that is transmitted across the retina (laterally)

Answer 89

Lateral inhibition

Question 90

An increase in perceived contrast at borders between regions of the visual field

Answer 90

Edge enhancement

Question 91

The perceived light and dark bands at the borders, which are not present in the actual physical stimuli

Answer 91

Chevruel illusion

Question 92

Light and dark bands created at fuzzy borders

Answer 92

Mach bands