Lecture 1 & 2 - Bartlett Mel - Why have a brain?

Question 1

7 types of memory

Answer 1

1) familiarity
2) classical conditioning
3) episodic learning
4) skills
5) spatial memory
6) working memory
7) semantic knowledge

Question 2

7 major subdivisions of the CNS

Answer 2

spinal cord
medulla
pons
midbrain
cerebellum
diencephalon (thalamus & hypothalamus)
cerebral cortex

Question 3

medulla oblongata function(s)

Answer 3

• autonomic functions: e.g. digestion, breathing, control of heart rate
• innate motor patterns e.g. laughing, sneezing, swallowing etc

Question 4

pons function(s)

Answer 4

conveys information about movement from the cerebral hemispheres to the cerebellum

Question 5

main cerebellum function(s)

Answer 5

motor skill learning

Question 6

3 major cerebellum subdivisions and their function(s)

Answer 6

1) cerebrocerebellum (communication with cortex) - most lateral part
2) vestibulocerebellum (balance)
3) spinocerebellum (communication with spinal cord)

Question 7

midbrain function(s)

Answer 7

• control of sensory and motor functions such as eye movement
• coordination of visual and auditory reflexes
• superior colliculi: orienting eyes and head
• inferior colliculi: integrating auditory and visual information

Question 8

diencephalon function(s)

Answer 8

thalamus
- sensory gate (can be modulated for sleep-wake states)
hypothalamus
- regulation of autonomic, endocrine and visceral functions (sympathetic/parasympathetic nervous system)
- controls pituitary gland for sleep

Question 9

basal ganglia component structures and function(s)

Answer 9

component structures:
- caudate
- putamen
- globus pallidus
- substantia nigra
- subthalamic nucleus
- ventral pallidum
functions
- movement execution
- motor and habit learning (i.e. implicit memory)
- reward-based learning through dopaminergic connections

Question 10

hippocampus function(s)

Answer 10

explicit memory

Question 11

amygdaloid nuclei function(s)

Answer 11

coordinate autonomic and endocrine response to emotional states

Question 12

striatum structures

Answer 12

1) caudate
2) globus pallidus
3) putamen

Question 13

basal ganglia major output nuclei and their projections

Answer 13

1) internal globus pallidus (GPi)
2) substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr)

• both make inhibitory projections to the thalamus (suppress thalamic activity => suppression of cortical motor areas ==> suppression of motor action execution

Question 14

3 major basal ganglia output pathways

Answer 14

1) direct pathway (excitatory)
2) hyperdirect (inhibitory)
3) indirect (inhibitory

Question 15

Medium spiny neurons (MSNs) and dopamine receptors in each basal ganglia pathway

Answer 15

• direct pathway MSNs: smaller, less excitable, have D1 type dopamine receptors (excitatory effect)
• indirect pathway MSNs: larger, more excitable, have D2 type dopamine receptors (inhibitory effect)

Note: dopamine release in the striatum simultaneously makes the direct pathway less excitable by the cortex => this tips the balance in favor of action