Lecture 34: Cortical Circuits 1

Question 1

What is the role of the neocortex?

Answer 1

sensory perception, motor execution / planning and higher cognitive functions e.g. decision-making, memory, thoughts, learning, attention, emotion, social behaviour, consciousness

Question 2

Which regions are conserved in mammals?

Answer 2

cortical regions

Question 3

What are association areas like in primates?

Answer 3

significantly expanded in primates

Question 4

What is the role of the temporal lobe?

Answer 4

auditory

Question 5

What is the role of the occipital lobe?

Answer 5

visual

Question 6

What is the role of the parietal lobe?

Answer 6

motor, somatosensory and association

Question 7

What is the role of the frontal lobe?

Answer 7

motor planning, memory, learning and social

Question 8

What does an increase in structure lead to?

Answer 8

an increase in complexity of function

Question 9

What is the motor and sensory homunculus?

Answer 9

a cortical map of the body

Question 10

What defines the functional aspect of a region of the cortex?

Answer 10

its connections (and cellular composition)

Question 11

What is the neocortex composed of?

Answer 11

six layers

Question 12

What is the pyramidal neuron?

Answer 12

the functional unit of the cortex

Question 13

Which percentage of cortical cells do pyramidal neurons constitute?

Answer 13

~75%

Question 14

What do PYRs integrate synaptic inputs from? Where do most inputs arrive?

Answer 14

different pathways

on the dendrites

Question 15

What can dendrites generate?

Answer 15

voltage events

Question 16

Where do PYRs send axonal projections?

Answer 16

both within and outside of the cortex to other brain structures

Question 17

Where does L2/3 input?

Answer 17

to the cortex and L5

Question 18

Where does L5 input?

Answer 18

to cortical and subcortical regions

also to L6

Question 19

Where does L6 input?

Answer 19

to the thalamus

Question 20

Where does L4 input?

Answer 20

to L2/3

Question 21

Where does the thalamus input?

Answer 21

to L2/3, L4, L5 and L6

Question 22

Which percentage of cortical neurons are interneurons?

Answer 22

~20%

Question 23

Which types of selectivity exist in the visual cortex?

Answer 23

orientation and direction selectivity

Question 24

What is an important feature of inhibitory circuit computation?

Answer 24

surround suppression