Exam 1 Terms Flashcards by Jenny Qi

Cells specialized for the conduction and transmission of electrical signals in the nervous system

Neurons

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Process in which a substance is released by synaptic terminals for the purpose of transmitting information from one nerve cell to another

Neurotransmission

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A functional entity consisting of interconnected neurons that is able to regulate its own activity

Neural circuits

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The neuronal process that carries the action potential from the nerve cell body to a target

Axon

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A neuronal process arising from the cell body that receives synaptic input

Dendrite

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The specialized end of a growing axon (or dendrite) that generates the motive force for elongation

Growth cone

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Wrapping around an axon that provides electrical insulation formed by glia cells: Oligodendrocytes or Schwann cells

Myelin

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A general term for parts of the central nervous system (CNS) that are rich in axons (rich in lipids)

White matter

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Describes parts of the CNS that are rich in cell bodies

Gray matter

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Specialized apposition between a neuron and its target cell for transmission of information by release and reception of a chemical transmitter agent

Synapse

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Substance released by synaptic terminals for the purpose of transmitting information from one nerve cell to another

Neurotransmitter

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Spherical, membrane-bound organelles in presynaptic terminals that store neurotransmitters

Synaptic vesicle

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A molecule specialized to bind any one of a large number of chemical signals, preeminently neurotransmitters

Receptor

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Referring to the component of a synapse specialized for transmitter release. Upstream of a synapse.

Presynaptic

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Referring to the component of a synapse specialized for transmitter reception. Downstream of a synapse.

Postsynaptic

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Nerve cells within the nervous system responsible for converting external stimuli from the organism’s environment into internal electrical impulses

Sensory neuron

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A nerve cell forming part of a pathway along which impulses pass from the brain or spinal cord to a muscle or gland

Motor neuron

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A neuron that innervates other neurons; technically links a primary sensory neuron to a primary effector neuron (reflex arc)

Interneurons

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Transmit signals between brain areas

Communication neuron

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Extract and process information from input neurons

Computation neuron

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A synapse that increases the likelihood of the downstream neuron sending a signal (action potential)

Excitatory synapse

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A synapse that decreases the likelihood of the downstream neuron sending an action potential

Inhibitory synapse

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Synapse made by a motor neuron on a skeletal muscle fiber

Neuromuscular junction

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The axis of symmetry of a bilaterally symmetric organism

Midline

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The electrical signal conducted along axons (or muscle fibers) by which information is conveyed from one place to another in the nervous system

Action potential

The visual phenomena where an individual has the ability to depict visual information although they are not entirely conscious of the experience

Blindsight

Anterior end of the brain stem

Midbrain

Ridges of the brain

Gyrus

Grooves of the brain

Sulcus

“Executive function” - All of neocortex from front to the central sulcus - Planning, emotional expression, problem solving, memory - Includes primary motor cortex

Frontal lobe

Fissure that separates the frontal and parietal lobes

Central sulcus

“Sensory information” | - Includes somatosensory cortex

Parietal lobe

- “Vision” - Processes visual input - Size indicates importance of vision to humans

Occipital lobe

- “Memory, listening” - Includes hippocampus: critical in forming long term memories - Primary auditory perception/processing (hearing) - Visual memories

Temporal lobe

Portion of the CNS that extends from the lower end of the brain stem

Spinal cord

Cerebellum, pons and medulla

Hindbrain

Relay station (like thalamus); initiates dreams

Pons

Controls involuntary functions such as breathing

Medulla

Regulates motor coordination, posture and balance

Cerebellum

Midbrain, pons and medulla

Brainstem

200+ million axons connecting the two hemispheres

Corpus callosum

Dividing brain regions into evolutionary age: - Lizard brain (brain stem, cerebellum - flight or fight) - Mammalian brain (limbic system - emotions, memories, habits) - Human brain (neocortex - language, abstract thought, imagination, consciousness)

Tribune Brain Theory

Pseudoscience primarily focused on measurements of the human skull, based on the concept that the brain is the organ of the mind, and that certain brain areas have localized, specific functions or modules

Phrenology

Neocortical regions not involved in primary sensory or motor processing; carries out tasks not associated with a single sense

Association cortex

Frontal lobe area specialized in the production of language

Broca's Area

Temporal lobe area that mediates language comprehension

Wernicke’s Area

Physical representation of the body located within the brain - Motor homunculus: motor neurons projected out - Sensory homunculus: sensory neurons projecting in

Homunculus

Also called somatosensory or sensory cortex – the region of the neocortex concerned with processing of sensory information

Somatic sensory cortex

Group of neurons with similar properties that represent a functional unit within the neocortex. The basic unit of the neocortex, repeated many times.

Neocortical or minicolumn

Subcortical brain structures that are crucial in planning, organizing and executing movement, addiction - Functions with the frontal lobes - Caudate, putamen, globus palladus, substantia nigra, subthalamic nucleus - Produces a lot of dopamine: involved in addiction

Basal ganglia

Nucleus in the basal ganglia involved in initiating voluntary movement - Dopaminergic neuron die in Parkinson’s disease - Dopamine metabolism: black coloration

Substantia nigra

Cortical and subcortical structures concerned with emotions and memory

Limbic system

Part of the temporal lobe involved in consolidation of | short-term memories into long-term memories (cortex)

Hippocampus

Major part of the limbic system, monitors progress towards goals

Cingulate gyrus

A nuclear complex in the temporal lobe whose major functions concern autonomic, emotional and sexual behavior; most often connected with the major emotions such as fear and avoiding situations that induce fear

Amygdala

Imaging technique that uses a combination of radio waves and magnetic fields to scan the brain or a body part; generates a static image

Magnetic Resonance imaging (MRI)

Uses MRI techniques to image blood flow, which reflects neuronal activity; multiple images are taken over time to generate a dynamic view, albeit at much lower resolution than a standard MRI scan

Functional magnetic Resonance imaging (fMRI)

Variation of MRI that measures movement of water molecules along axons; allows tracing of brain wiring

Diffusion Tensor Imaging

Radioactive sugar or glucose injected | which is taken up by active neurons; emitted positrons annihilate and convert to gamma rays which are detected

Positron Emission Tomography

Delivery of low current to brain region of interest via electrodes on the scalp. Thought to the likelihood that neurons will fire (neuronal excitability)

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

Implantation of a electrode or device to deliver electrical stimulation to a region effectively inactivating the region - Parkinson’s disease: Globus palidus and other regions - Multiple sclerosis: Thalamus

Deep Brain Stimulation

Uses x-rays from many different angles and a computer to build up an image of the brain or body

Computerized Tomography (CT) scan

- Memory of “autobiographical” events - Event is linked to when and/or where you learnt something (emotions, personal experience, “episodes”) - Recalling where you were when Kennedy was shot - Warning: autobiographical memory is more than just episodic

Episodic memory

- “Factual” memory | - Ideas and concepts not drawn from personal experience

Semantic memory

Memories held briefly in mind that enable a particular task to be accomplished (e.g., efficiently searching a room for a lost object)

Working memory

Ability to learn; Pavlov pairing a bell with food

Associative memory

Use of a placebo group in clinical trials or tests

Control

Random assignment of test subjects to experimental and control (placebo) groups; neither the subjects nor the experimenters know who is in which group

Double blind study

Experimenters know who is in which group

Single blind

Must be included in studies

Statistics

Recording activity, say in fMRI, before asking test subject to perform task

Baseline

Any treatment used to ameliorate a symptom or disease, but is actually ineffective for the condition

Placebo

Surgical severing of the corpus callosum (usually to control grand mal seizures); brain sides function independently

Split brain patient

Harmless substance that when taken by a patient is associated with harmful effects due to negative expectations or the psychological condition of the patient

Noceibo

Having a psychological origin

Psychogenic

Difficulty comprehending language due to damage to these areas (or others)

Aphasia

Inability to name objects

Agnosia