Chapter 4 and 5 Flashcards
(217 cards)
What is neuroscience?
The study of the nervous system.
What are telomeres?
Repeitive sequences of DNA found at the ends of chromosomes which are essential to cellular reproduction. They protect genes from damage and recombining with other DNA.
What is the telomere theory of aging?
The theory that as people age their telomeres become smaller and smaller (as telomeres get smaller for each cell replication) and thus cells are unable to replicate properly or as efficiently.
What is an autopsy?
A research method in which neuroscientists can observe what the brain looks like, however it proves no functional data.
What were the old neuroscience research methods?
Examining autopsy tissues, testing behaviour of patients with brain damage, recording brain waves and animal studies.
Why did neuroscientist test behaviour of brain damaged individuals?
To identify what regions of the brain are responsible for certain functions. This was not reliable as there was bias and the mind adapted over time.
How and why was brain activity/waves recorded?
They are recorded with an EEGs (electroencephalograms) to learn about brain activity during certain states/behaviours. The problem was that the data was too generalized and brain function could not be pinpointed.
What was done in animal studies?
Animal studies included close observations of brain structure, electrically recording certain brain areas and destroying certain parts of the brain in order to determine effects on behaviour. (Lesioning)
What is lesioning?
The process in which certain areas of the brain were destroyed in animals in order to identify the effect on behaviour of that area.
What is the main problem with all of the old neuroscience research methods?
They told us little about activity/function of the brain in healthy human brains.
What is the anterior cingulate?
A part of the frontal lobe that is responsible for the processing information about pain and difficult decision making
What is neuroimaging?
New techniques that are used to study the brain. The most useful techniques are the PET scan and fMRI.
What is the PET scan?
A neuroimaging technique detects uptake of certain molecules which indicate increased brain activity.
What is the fMRI?
A neuroimaging technique that detects change in blood flow which indicates increased activity within neurons.
What are the two major cells within the nervous system?
The neuron and glial cell (glia)
What are neurons?
The fundamental cell of the nervous system, they are responsible for the transmission and networking of information.
How do neurons communicate?
Through both chemical and electrical signals.
What are the features of the neuron?
The cell body (soma), dendrites, axon, synaptic terminal/cleft
What are dendrites?
Branches that collect information and send it to the cell body.
What is the soma?
The cell body of the neuron. It has a cytoplasm, nucleus, organelles, produces energy and breaks down waste/toxins.
What is the axon?
A pathway from the cell body that transmits information to the axon terminal.
What is the synaptic cleft or axon terminal?
It is the area where neurotransmitters are released into the synapses in order to communicate with other neurons.
What are the three types of neurons?
Motor, Sensory and Interneurons
What are sensory neurons?
Neurons that collect sensory information.