Nervous System

Question 1

Function and location of:
The limbic system

Answer 1

-Consists of amygdala (activate for reward seeking behaviors), thalamus, hippocampus,
Emotions such as hunger, sleep-wake cycle
-Highly specialized neural structures at the top of brain stem, at center of brain

Question 2

Function and location of:
Cerebellum

Answer 2

Behind brain stem
Coordinating movement, posture and balance without us realizing it
Aristotle called it the “small brain”

Question 3

What is the cerebral cortex

Answer 3

Layer covering the top of brain
Navigating processes that involve conscious awareness take place in cerebral cortex, eg planning , self control

Question 4

Function and location of:
Corpus Callosum

Answer 4

Between brain hemispheres

Question 5

Directional terms:
Dorsal vs ventral
Rostral vs caudal
Lateral vs medial

Answer 5

Dorsal - superior
Ventral - inferior
Rostral - front
Caudal - back
Medial - middle of left and right hemisphere
Lateral - outer sides of left and right hemisphere

Question 6

Function and location of:
Occipital lobe

Answer 6

Visual Cortex

Question 7

Function and location of:
Parietal lobe

Answer 7

Somatosensory processing
Elements of hearing, visual, memory, language (Wernickes area for speech comprehension found here and angular gyrus for symbols and language)

Question 8

Function and location of:
Temporal lobe

Answer 8

-Primary auditory cortex, input from ears
-Wernickes and Brocas areas : to do with comprehension and production of language
Interacting with limbic system eg amygdala and hippocampus for memory, learning, attention …

Question 9

Function and location of:
Frontal lobe

Answer 9

Risk taking, rationality, self management, decision making, reward seeking behavior, selective attention, empathy , personality

Question 10

White vs gray matter

Answer 10

Grey matter is mostly cell bodies, the soma , where decision is made to pass on the message or not

White matter is mostly made up of myelinated axons (myelin sheath is fatty that allows transit signals fast), transmitting signals between the grey matter

Question 11

What is the primary motor cortex?

Answer 11

Voluntary conscious movements: Walking, waving, kissing, intricate fine motor control and actions
Each body part has a unique portion of the primary motor cortex devoted to it

Question 12

Methods to study the brain:
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

Answer 12

Measures the changes in where oxygen is being used in the brain

Question 13

Methods to study the brain:
Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

Answer 13

PET involves radioactive substance being injected into the bloodstream so that scanner can track where the blood is going in the brain and from that create a map

Question 14

Methods to study the brain: Electroencephalography (EEG)

Answer 14

Measures electrical activity at the scalp
Good temporal resolution, so can pick up to the millisecond WHEN a change in activity is happening. But not so good at spacial mapping, doesnt give precise location of where change is happening, roughly in brain where its happening . Can tell you when but not where—> Good temporal resolution but poor spacial resolution

Question 15

Name and explain 7 structures of the neuron

Question 16

Communciation within cells:
Explain action potential

Question 17

Communication between cells