Exam W 7 - 12 Flashcards
(20 cards)
Anatomy
Functions of the part of the Brain
Biochemistry
Effect of Neurotransmitters and hormones on brain processes
Dendrites
Receives information
Axon
Info sent down the Axon
Afferent Nerves
Carries info from body to CNS
Efferent Nerves
Carries info from CNS to body (motor nerves)
Interneurons
Between Afferent and Efferent Nerves
Hypothalamus
Connected to basically everything
Links Nervous system to Hormone System
Command Centre
Amygdala
Emotional Centre
Links perception and thoughts to Emotional meaning
Role in Negative and Positive Emotions
Role in assessing threat or reward
Traits: Anxiety, fearfulness, sociability, sexuality
Relevant for motivation
- Ex Whitman’s Amygdala Tumor suppressing emotion allowed no remorse for his murder spree
Hippocampus
Important for processing memories
Frontal Cortex
Complex higher order thinking
Research Brain Damage
Brain lesions
- Study lack of one area that is damaged
usually only animal models
Research Brain Stimulation
both human and animal Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) – magnet to activate or deactivate signalling in a part of the brain
or transcranial direct stimulation (TDS)
creating a more direct magnetic
Research Brain Activity
Use observing functioning directly
Electrocephaography (EEG) and Magnetoencephalography (MEG)
Only measures when the brain is working
Research Brain Activity Location
Detection of which parts of brain is functioning
Computed Tomography (CT) scans
- X-Ray low quality
Positron emission tomography (PET) scans
- Blood flow activity
functional Magnetic Resistance Imaging (fMRI)
- videos of brain activity specific regions
Imaging Technique Limits
All parts of the brain are active to some degree
Response to a stimulus does not mean the same psychological process every time it is active
Small areas are often focused and other places might be missed, neural context effect
Tech is expensive
Frontal Lobe and Neocortex
High cognitive Funct
Frontal Lobe:
- Left: Pleasent, Approaching, inhibition to unpleasant stimuli, Emotional Stability
- Right: Unpleasant, Withdrawl, Neuroticism, Prone to Anger
Phineas Gage
Iron Rod through Frontal Lobe
Frontal Lobe Damage:
Perfect Memory
Became cognitively slower
became less socially cognitive
Elliott
Frontal Lobe Damage over time:
decreased social/emotional understanding
Unable to control impulses or feeling
Somatic Marker Hypothesis
The idea that the bodily emotional component of thought is necessary for decision-making:
Loss of frontal cortex = loss of control in decision making
