Neuropsychology 2307 Midterm#1 Flashcards
(138 cards)
Human Neuropsychology
- The scientific study of the brain-behavior relationship with an emphasis on humans
- employed by hospitals, rehabs, governm. etc.
Goal of Neuropsychology
- how the nervous system functions lead to the emergnece of experience and behaviour
- functional / anatomical relationship between different brain structures
Clinical Neuropsychology
Brain behaviour studies applied to diagnosis, rehab and long-term prognosis of abnormal brain-behavior relationships
Goal Clinical Neuropsychology
- differential diagnosis of pathology
- assess for dementia and associated conditions
- affect TBI on cognition / behavior
Experimental Psychology
- Assessment of CNS function using testing procedures requiring behavioural responses
- Standardized testing
Valuable Skills to study Neuropsychology
- scientific research
- computer literacy
- applications for testing
neurolinguistics
the neural mechanisms in the brain that control the comprehension, production, and acquisition of language
alexia
loss in the ability to read
agraphia
loss in ability to communicate through writing
la belle indifference
inappropriate lack of concern for the perceptions by others of one’s disability, usually seen in persons with conversion disorder
maximum number of items hold in short term memory
7
conversion disorder
(neurological) symptoms that can’t be explained by a neurological disease or other medical condition.
in vivo Neuroimaging Techniques
- see structure and function of neuronal tissues
- CT, MRI, PET, fMRI, SPECT
- CT can show blood vessels and therefore show if there is an aneurysm or sub-arachnoid hemorrage
- non-invasive / non-destructive
- dTI (e.g. MRI) Tracks flow of water:
Measures direction and get picture of region of brain where water flow signal is large
travels on large tracs, axonal fibres
Tractography
Traces axon bundles through the brain in 3D
Mapping connection amongst brain areas
- Long connections - one lobe to another
- Relatively short connections - one part of lobe to another part same lobe
- Interhemisphereic connections: homotopic points (in “typcial” brain) and heterotopic points (in patients with Agenisis of Corpus Collosum AgCC) - missing part of CC
Connectional methods to link brain and behaviour
Connections to and from neurons or a given region of the brain using tracer substances (maps - non invasive)
MRI, fMRI, Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Correlational Methods
- Make observations of brain activity while an individual performs a behaviour
- Identify pathway and region whose activity correlates wtih the behaviour
Note: need to back up correlational study with causational study
Lesion Method
- Study the effects of brain lesions
- TBI, Stroke, Tumor, Infection, Degenerative disease
- MRI maps out the lesions
Note: lesions can sprawl and include structures that are not involved
Stimulation Method
- Stimulate the brain region or neural circuit and observe effects on cognition and behaviour
- Transcranial magnetic stimulation
- Transcranial direct current stimulation
Risk: can spread beyond target site
Franz Joseph Gall
- Founded phrenology
- Link between mental faculties and specific brain locations
Paul Broca
Broca’s area
Region in frontal lobe (usually left) with functions linked to speech production
Locating Cognitive Functions
Gunshot Wound Neurology / Mental Chronometry
- Gunshot Wound: looked at functional loss associated with damage to that area
- Chronometry: break down human tasks to see stages of information processing during timed task
Brain Metabolism for localization
measure relationship between function and structure by monitoring changes in brain metabolism
Golgi’s Stain
- Used silver nitrate to stain slices of the cerebral cortex to see cellular level in the tissues
- prove nervous system made up of individual cells
Cajal
Used Golgi’s method to show individual neurons
Neuron Doctrine; billions of discrete cells that communicate with each other