Higher mental function, sleep, Diseases of NS

Question 1

What are the two main brain areas involved in language processing?

Answer 1

Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area.

Question 2

What is the function of Broca’s area?

Answer 2

Speech production

Question 3

Front: What are the four main types of memory?

Answer 3

Declarative (fact) memory
Procedural (skills) memory
Motor memory
Emotional memory

Question 4

What is the function of Wernicke’s area?

Answer 4

Understanding spoken and written words.

Question 5

What is declarative (fact) memory? give example.

Answer 5

Memory of facts like names, faces, words, and dates.

Question 6

What is procedural (skills) memory? Give an example.

Answer 6

Memory of how to perform skills, such as playing the piano.

Question 7

What is emotional memory? Give an example.

Answer 7

Memory of experiences linked to emotions, like a pounding heart when hearing a rattlesnake.

Question 8

What is motor memory? Give an example.

Answer 8

Memory of motor skills, such as riding a bike.

Question 9

What are the two stages of declarative memory storage?

Answer 9

Short-term memory (STM/working memory) and Long-term memory (LTM)

Question 10

What is the main characteristic of short-term memory?

Answer 10

Temporary holding of information (limited duration and capacity)

Question 11

What is the main characteristic of long-term memory?

Answer 11

Has a theoretically limitless storage capacit

Question 12

What are the four main factors that affect transfer from STM to LTM?

Answer 12

Emotional state
Rehearsal
Association
Automatic memory

Question 13

What is memory consolidation?

Answer 13

The process of fitting new facts into existing knowledge categories in the cerebral cortex

Question 14

Which brain structures are involved in memory consolidation?

Answer 14

Hippocampus, temporal cortical areas, thalamus, and prefrontal cortex

Question 15

What happens with unilateral damage to the hippocampus/temporal lobe?

Answer 15

Causes only slight memory loss

Question 16

What is anterograde amnesia?

Answer 16

Inability to form new memories after brain damage (while old memories remain intact)

Question 17

What is retrograde amnesia?

Answer 17

Loss of memories formed before brain injury (distant past memories)

Question 18

What is the effect of bilateral hippocampal destruction?

Answer 18

Causes widespread, severe amnesia

Question 19

What are the three main components of consciousness?

Answer 19

Perception of sensation
Voluntary movement control
Higher mental processing (memory, logic, judgment)

Question 20

What clinical continuum is used to assess consciousness?

Answer 20

Alertness → Drowsiness (lethargy) → Stupor → Coma

Question 21

What is syncope?

Answer 21

Brief loss of consciousness (fainting)

Question 22

What is brain death?

Answer 22

Irreversible coma with no brain function

Question 23

What is coma? How does coma differ from deep sleep?

Answer 23

unconsciousness for extended period

In coma:
Oxygen consumption is lowered
Cannot be aroused
No sleep-wake cycles

Question 24

What are three potential causes of syncope?

Answer 24

-Most often due to inadequate cerebral blood flow
-Low blood pressure
-Hemorrhage
-Sudden severe emotional stress

Question 25

What is an epileptic seizure?

Answer 25

A torrent of uncontrolled electrical discharges by groups of brain neurons

Question 26

Why does consciousness often become impaired during a seizure? What are three common manifestations?

Answer 26

The abnormal electrical activity prevents normal messages from getting through -Loss of consciousness -Falling stiffly -Uncontrollable jerking movements

Question 27

What are absence seizures (formerly petit mal)?

Answer 27

Mild seizures causing brief (few seconds) blank expression

Question 28

What are the key characteristics of tonic-clonic seizures (grand mal)?

Answer 28

Most severe type Last several minutes Loss of consciousness Violent convulsions Possible injuries (broken bones, tongue biting) Loss of bladder/bowel control

Question 29

What is an epileptic aura?

Answer 29

A sensory hallucination or unusual sensation that precedes a seizure

Question 30

What are two surgical options for drug-resistant epilepsy?

Answer 30

Vagus nerve stimulator or Deep brain stimulator

Question 31

What are the 4 main stages of sleep in order?

Answer 31

N1 (Light sleep) N2 (True sleep onset) N3 (Slow-wave sleep) REM sleep

Question 32

What happens during N1 sleep stage?

Answer 32

- Transition from wakefulness to sleep - relaxation (light sleep, easy to awaken) - low amplitude and alpha waves

Question 33

What characterizes N2 sleep stage?

Answer 33

- irregular EEG with Sleep spindles and K-complexes (short high- amplitude burst) - arousal is difficult

Question 34

What happens in N3 slow-wave sleep?

Answer 34

Low frequency, high amplitude theta and delta waves - Declined EEG, BP and heart rate - Deepest non-REM sleep (hard to awaken) - bed-wetting, bed terrors, and sleepwalking

Question 35

What physiological changes occur in REM sleep?

Answer 35

- Brain activity ↑ (near waking levels) - Temporary paralysis (except eye muscles) -↑ Heart rate, respiration, BP -↑ Oxygen consumption greater than awake - most dreaming occurs

Question 36

Which brain structure serves as the body's biological clock?

Answer 36

Suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus

Question 37

What is the function of the preoptic nucleus in sleep regulation?

Answer 37

Acts as a sleep-inducing center in the hypothalamus

Question 38

How does the hypothalamus help maintain wakefulness?

Answer 38

By releasing orexins (hypocretins) that stimulate the cortex

Question 39

What is one key memory function that occurs during sleep?

Answer 39

Consolidation of new memories and discarding unused ones

Question 40

What unique cleaning process occurs during non-REM sleep?

Answer 40

Pulses of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) wash through the brain, aiding in washing waste product associated with Alzheimer

Question 41

How does the brain respond to sleep deprivation in the next sleep cycle?

Answer 41

Increases time in REM and slow-wave sleep to "catch up

Question 42

What is narcolepsy?

Answer 42

A sleep disorder involving abrupt, uncontrollable lapses into sleep from awake state

Question 43

What is the biological cause of narcolepsy?

Answer 43

Destruction of orexin-producing neurons in the hypothalamus (likely by immune system)

Question 44

Insomnia

Answer 44

Chronic inability to obtain sufficient sleep quantity/quality

Question 45

What are the 4 main types of traumatic brain injuries?

Answer 45

Concussion Contusion Hemorrhage (subdural/subarachnoid) Cerebral edema

Question 46

What distinguishes a concussion from a contusion?

Answer 46

Concussion: Temporary functional impairment Contusion: Permanent structural damage

Question 47

Why are subdural/subarachnoid hemorrhages life-threatening?

Answer 47

Blood accumulation increases intracranial pressure, potentially causing brain herniation through foramen magnum

Question 48

What is cerebral edema?

Answer 48

Dangerous swelling of brain tissue after trauma

Question 49

What causes ischemic strokes?

Answer 49

Blockage of cerebral arteries (e.g., by blood clots) depriving brain tissue of oxygen

Question 50

What is a TIA?

Answer 50

Transient Ischemic Attack - temporary, reversible stroke-like symptoms

Question 51

What is hemiplegia?

Answer 51

(one-sided paralysis), Sensory deficits, Speech impairments

Question 52

What is Alzheimer's disease?

Answer 52

A progressive degenerative brain disease causing dementia

Question 53

in Alzheimers diseases, How do protein abnormalities damage the brain?

Answer 53

- Caused by misfolding of proteins - Plaques (beta-amyloid peptides) disrupt cell communication - Tangles ( neurofibrillary tangles) interferes transport mechanism with tangles of Tau, killing neurons

Question 54

Why is Alzheimer's called a "protein misfolding" disease?

Answer 54

Abnormal beta-amyloid and tau proteins misfold and accumulate

Question 55

What is Parkinson's disease?

Answer 55

A neurodegenerative disorder caused by dopamine neuron degeneration in the substantia nigra

Question 56

What is the primary neurotransmitter in Parkinson disease? What happens when basal nuclei is deprived of it?

Answer 56

Dopamine.They become overactive, causing tremors

Question 57

What is Huntington's disease?

Answer 57

A fatal hereditary disorder caused by accumulation of protein Huntington

Question 58

Which brain regions degenerate in Huntington's?

Answer 58

Basal nuclei and cerebral cortex

Question 59

What is the hallmark movement symptom of Huntington Disease?

Answer 59

Chorea - involuntary "flapping" movements