The Brain Flashcards
(61 cards)
1
Q
what is the space in brain made up of
A
- white and greay matter
2
Q
what ions bind to receptors on the receiving neurone
A
- sodium, potassium, calcium ions
3
Q
what surrounds the axon, and what does it contain
A
- myelin sheath
- nodes of ranvier
4
Q
whats released into the synaptic gap
A
- neurotransmitters
5
Q
what happens when neurotransmitters are released into synaptic cleft
A
- ion channel opens, neurotransmitters attatch at receptor binding site
- channels are specific to different ions
6
Q
why is a neurin described as lock and key
A
each neuron releases only 1-2 types of neurotransmitter
7
Q
what is acetylcholines major function
A
muscular movement and memory
8
Q
what is noradrenalines major function
A
learning, memory, wakefulness and eating
9
Q
what is serotonins major function
A
mood, sleep, eating and arousal and pleasure and pain
10
Q
what is dopamine’s major function
A
voluntary movement, emotional arousal, learning, memory and experiencing pleasure or pain
11
Q
what is GABA’s major function
A
inhibitory transmitter in motor system
12
Q
what are endorphin’s major functions
A
inhibits transmission of pain impulses
13
Q
what are glutamate’s major functions
A
involved in most aspects of brain function
14
Q
what are examples of serotonin as drugs
A
psychedelic drugs, antidepressants
15
Q
what are examples of dopamine as drugs
A
psychomotor stimulants (cocaine), anti- psychotics
16
Q
what are examples of GABA as drugs
A
anti-anxiety effects
17
Q
whats an example of glutamate as a drug
A
Ketamine
18
Q
what does vascular damage of brain consist of
A
- disruption to blood flow to brain due to:
- stroke
- partial blockage (ischemia)
- enlarged artery (aneurysm)
19
Q
what does a tumor do to brain and what is it described as
A
- neoplasm
mass of tissue with no psychological function - grows and disrupsts normal functioning
- can destroy neurons
20
Q
what are the different types of tumours (3 types)
A
- gliomas- beging with abnormal glial cells
- Meningiomas- originates in meninges, surrounding brain
- Merastic originate elsewhere in body, but invade bloodstream going to brain
21
Q
whats a degenerative disease with examples
A
- breakdown of neurological material
- alzheimers
- parkinsons
- korsakoffs
22
Q
is EEG invaive or not and what does it do
A
- non- invasive
- measures magneitc fields produced by the brain’s electrical activity
23
Q
is PET scan invasive or not and what does it do
A
- measures glucose metabolism
- non invasive
24
Q
what is PET scan helpful for identifying cancer
A
- cancer thrives on glucose
25
is an MRI invasive or not what does it do
- non invasive
- produces structural image, to identify structures and possible brain damage
26
is an fMRI scan invasive or not and what does it do
- non invasive
- maps bain function over time
- measures blood flow
- (neural activity-> increased demand for oxygen-> increased blood flow)
27
why would invasive measures be used and what can they do with activity in the brain
- in special circumstances
- e.g, people udner going brain surgery, or in animals
- can be used to record and influence activity in brain
28
is tms invasive and what does it do, and what diseases is it involved in treating
- disrupts activity in a specific area
- invasive
- use of electrical stimulation in specific area
- deep brain stimulation, treats parkinsons and depression
29
what does the peripheral nervous system consist of
- sensory and motor nerves
30
what are 2 key components of the central nervous system
- brain
- spinal cord
31
what is the role of the sympathetic system
- 'fight or flight'
- prepares body for stress/danger
- increases heart rate, dilates pupils, directs blood flow to muscles
- gives alertness to body to respond quickly
32
what is the role of the parasympathetic system
- helps body relax and conserve energy after stressful event
- slows heart rate, constricts pupils, stimulates digestion
- supports recovery of body
33
what is the 'survival' part of the brain called and where is it located
- reptilian
- centre of brain
34
what is the 'emotional' part of the brain and where is it located, and what is it involved with
- limbic
- outer area
- involved with how we behave and act in interaction with our environment
35
what is the 'thinking' part of the brain, what does it do (what does it inhibit)
- neo cortex
- associated with higher thinking such as advanced planning and inhibits urges
36
what does the thalamus do and they hypo thalamus
- relays information between lower and higher brain centres
- set of nuclei involved in different regulating functions, plays a role in emotions and stress
37
what is the amygdala involved with
- emotional processing, e.g process of fear
38
what does the reticular formation part of the brain do
- diffuse collection of neurons involved in arousal and stereotyped patterns, E.G WALKING
39
what does PONS part of the brain do
- governs sleep and rousal
40
what does medulla part of the brain do
- governs breathing and reflexes
41
what does the cerebellum do
- rounded structure involved in motor coordination
42
what does the hippocampus do
- involved in memory
43
whats the amygdala
- involved in fear and discrimination of objects necessary for survival
44
whats the cerebral cortex
- wrinkled outer layer of fore brain
- governs higher brain functions, such as thinking, learning, and consciousness
45
what is brain plasticity
- known as neuroplasticity
- refers to brains ability to change and adapt in response to experiences such as learning or injury
46
what is it called when neurons die and others are created
neurogenesis
47
what is neurogenesis
when neurons die and others are created
48
whats the juggle example of brain plastisicity 2004 and results it showed
-24 healthy volunteers
- 12 jugglers, 12 controlled
- trained 12 jugglers for 3 months then brain scan taken
- another 3 months both groups did nothing
- found areas in brain after brain scan, when jugglers first after 3 months showed a 3% volume increase (not seen in control)
- 3rd scan showed if they stopped juggling there was a reduction in brain volume
49
where does neurogenesis occur
in hippocampus
50
what did the study on taxi drivers show
suggested that the extensive spatial navigation experience led to structural changes
51
what was the positive and negative correlation found in the taxi driver study
-the longer youd been a taxi driver for, the volume of the posterior hippocampus increased (positive correlation)
- the anterior hippocampus (front), reduces in volume the longer you have been a taxi driver (negative correlation)
52
why does phantom limb syndrome occur
- Due to neurones growing new connections and may misplace parts of brain that corresponded to previous limb
53
what are critical periods
- idea that brain plasticity is regulated at different ages
- hormones and molecules regulate plasticity
54
what is the endocrine system involved in
- creating and releasing hormones
55
what are the 2 different types of messengers in body and their difference
- neurons
- hormons
- neurons communicate quickly and specifically, hormones flood body but action is slower, but effects last a long time
56
whats the issue with hormones as a messenger
- slow to cancel message
57
whats good about hormones being used as a messenger
- many areas affected at once due to lots of glands being involved
- thyroid, adrenal glands (endocrine system)
58
what does the adrenal medulla do
- prepares body for action and secretes stress hormones
59
list an example of the process of a stress response
- inforamtion through senses
- communicated through the brain stem by thalamus (relay station) to rest of system
- quick communication
- hypothalamus sets of chain response (HPA axis)
60
what is the hpa axis
- hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis
- consists of: hypothalamus, pituitary gland, adrenal glands
61
what can immune cells do
- produce hormones and neurotransmitters
