Exam 3 Study Guide Cheat Sheet

A set of flashcards covering the key concepts, definitions, and important terms from the visual and auditory systems, as well as related areas of the brain and associated disorders.

Transduction

Process where light energy is converted into electrical signals in the retina for brain interpretation.

Retina

Layer of neural tissue at the back of the eye where visual processing begins.

Fovea

Central region of the retina responsible for sharp, detailed vision due to many cones.

Periphery

Outer retina region better for motion detection and low light vision due to more rods.

Cones

Photoreceptors that detect color and fine detail and work best in bright light.

Rods

Photoreceptors that are sensitive to light and allow vision in dim conditions, but do not detect color.

Geniculostriate pathway

Main pathway from retina to LGN to V1 responsible for conscious visual perception.

Tectopulvinar pathway

Secondary pathway involved in spatial awareness and unconscious visual responses.

Primary visual cortex (V1)

First cortical area that processes visual input, such as edges and orientation.

V4

Area responsible for color processing.

V5 MT

Area responsible for motion processing.

Ventral stream

What pathway to the temporal lobe that identifies objects and gives them meaning.

Dorsal stream

Where pathway to the parietal lobe that processes spatial location and guides movement.

Fusiform face area (FFA)

Specialized area for recognizing faces.

Extrastriate body area (EBA)

Processes body parts and body shapes.

Superior temporal sulcus (STS)

Processes biological motion and helps interpret actions and intentions.

Parahippocampal place area (PPA)

Processes scenes and environments.

Hemianopia

Loss of half of the visual field in both eyes caused by damage to one side of V1.

Blindsight

Ability to respond to visual stimuli without conscious awareness due to V1 damage with intact alternative pathways.

Visual agnosia

Inability to recognize objects despite being able to see them due to ventral stream damage.

Apperceptive agnosia

Inability to form a full visual perception or copy objects.

Associative agnosia

Can copy objects but cannot recognize them.

Prosopagnosia

Inability to recognize faces due to damage to the fusiform face area.

Alexia

Inability to read words due to damage to the left fusiform gyrus.

Auditory receptors

Hair cells in the cochlea that convert sound vibrations into electrical signals.

Cochlea

Structure in the inner ear that contains auditory receptors.

Primary auditory cortex (A1)

First cortical area that processes sound.

Tonotopic map

Organization where different neurons respond to different sound frequencies.

Superior temporal gyrus (STG)

Primary auditory processing area.

Middle temporal gyrus (MTG)

Integrates auditory and visual information.

Inferior temporal gyrus (ITG)

Involved in visual object recognition.

Insula

Involved in awareness of internal body states and emotional processing.

Amygdala

Processes emotional responses.

Hippocampus

Involved in memory formation.

Amusia

Inability to perceive pitch due to auditory cortex damage.

Wernicke's aphasia

Inability to understand language due to damage to the posterior temporal lobe.

Auditory hallucinations

Hearing sounds without input due to abnormal auditory cortex activity.

Temporal lobe personality

Behavioral and emotional changes due to temporal lobe damage.

Somatosensory cortex

Processes touch and sensory information from the body.

Posterior parietal cortex

Processes spatial information and integrates sensory and motor signals.

Homunculus

Body map where more sensitive areas occupy more space in the brain.

Corollary discharge

Copy of a motor command used to predict sensory outcomes of movement.

Phantom limb

Feeling sensations in a missing limb due to continued brain representation.

Neglect syndrome

Ignoring one side of space due to right parietal damage.

Apraxia

Inability to perform learned movements due to motor planning issues.

Anosognosia

Lack of awareness of illness due to parietal damage.

Primary motor cortex (M1)

Produces voluntary movement.

Premotor cortex

Plans and selects movements.

Supplementary motor area (SMA)

Coordinates sequences of movement.

Dopamine

Neurotransmitter important for movement produced in the substantia nigra.

Cerebellum

Coordinates movement timing and precision.

Parkinson's disease

Slow movement due to loss of dopamine in the substantia nigra.

Huntington's disease

Uncontrolled movement due to damage to the caudate and putamen.

Ataxia

Loss of coordination due to cerebellar damage.

Somatic nervous system

Controls voluntary movement.

Cranial nerves

Control head and face.

Vagus nerve

Important nerve regulating internal organs.

Prefrontal cortex

Involved in planning, decision making, and personality.

Broca's area

Controls speech production.

Homeostasis

Maintaining stable internal conditions.

Hypothalamus

Regulates hormones and internal balance.

Sex hormones

Chemicals like testosterone and estrogen that influence development and behavior.

Organizing effects

Permanent effects of hormones during development.

Activating effects

Temporary effects of hormones on behavior.

Testosterone

Hormone that drives male development and influences behavior.