phrenology
claim that bumps on the skull reveal our mental abilities and character traits
what are neurons
nerve cells
respond to stimuli
transmit signals
vary in size, shape and function
3 functional types of neurons
sensory, motor and inter
sensory (afferent)
transmit input from our sense receptors
receive information from external world
motor (efferent)
transmits impulses to our muscles and glands
carry signals from spinal cord to produce movement
interneurons (association)
transmit information between the other 2 types
connect sensory and motor neurons and other interneurons
agonist
molecule that increases neurotransmitters action (ex. to treat Parkinson’s)
antagonist
molecule that inhibits or blocks neurotransmitters action (ex. to treat schizophrenia)
botulin (botox) blocks release of acetylcholine
reuptake inhibitor
prevents neurotransmitter from being transported back to pre-synaptic neuron (ex. selective serotonin repute inhibitor (SSRI) to treat depression)
agonist molecule
fills the receptor site and activates it, acting like the neurotransmitter
antagonist molecule
fills the lock so that the neurotransmitter cannot get in and activate the receptor site
parkinson’s diseasse
movement disorder characterized by tremors and difficulty initiating movement, caused by loss of neurons that use the neurotransmitter dopamine
neurons that supply dopamine to basal ganglia degenerate and die basal ganglia lose ability to function
how is dopamine is created
in neurons by a modification of a common molecule called L-dopa
ingesting L-dopa (agonist) elevates amount in brain and spurs surviving neurons to produce more dopamine
THC effects to ones brain
binds to cannabinoid receptors
impacts learning, memory, planning, coordination, movement
limits both excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitter
CBD effects ones brain
interacts with various neurotransmitter receptors (ex. serotonin)
anti-anxiety, anti-inflammatory and anti-psychotic properties
may reverse negative cognitive impacts related to THC
Is caffeine an agonist or antagonist
antagonist, as it inhibits there activation which results in increased wakefulness and receding feeling of fatigue
peripheral nervous system (PNS)
connects central nervous system to body organs and muscles
autonomic and somatic nervous system
somatic nervous system
contains sensory neurons, transmit messages from sense receptors and motor neurons to muscles that control voluntary movements
axons of sensory neurons from sensory nerves
axons of motor neurons from motor nerves
dual functions of autonomic nervous system
sympathetic and parasympathetic
sympathetic
arouses fight or flight
parasympathetic
calms rest and digest
central nervous system
consists of the brain and spinal cord
composed of interneurons
makes decisions for the body
cortical mapping
research conducted on conscious patients during neurosurgery
mapped motor cortex
areas requiring precise control (ex. fingers, mouth) occupy greatest amount of cortical space
brain stimulation
directly stimulating parts of the brain with electrodes
transcranial Magnetic stimulation (TMS)
less invasive procedure used to stimulate the brain
EEG knocks out parts of the brain, like a virtual lesion
electroencephalogram (EEG)
recording of waves of electrical activity sweeping across brains surface
magnetoencephalography (MEG)
measures brains isolated magnetic fields to determine how certain tasks influence brains activity
Ct scan
x-ray technology (100 times more sensitive than standard X-ray)
pinpoint areas of damage/deterioration
positron emission tomography (PET)
allows us to see which part of brain is active by tracing where a radioactive form of glucose goes while brain performs a given task
MRI
makes images from signals produced by brain tissue after magnets along the spin of atoms
functional MRI
reveals brain activity and functions
compares successive MRI images taken a split second apart and shoes changes in level of oxygen in blood flow in the brain
4 cerebral lobes
frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal
frontal lobe
active in executive functions such as judgment, planning, and inhibition of impulses
active in use of working memory and processing of new memories
involved in speech and skeletal motor functions
parietal lobe
information about touch (sensory cortex)
managing input from multiple senses
performing spatial and mathematical reasoning
monitoring sensation of the moment
occipital lobe
visual information (visual cortex)
includes visual areas; they revise visual information from the opposite visual field
temporal lobe
hearing (auditory cortex) and language comprehension
manages sensory input related to sound, which helps the understanding of spoken words
brain is separated into two hemispheres
control the opposite sides of the body (contraleral control)
are connected by corpus callous (communication link)
are functionally symmetrical in some respects (ex. motor and sensory cortex)
have specialized abilities
cerebral cortex
the outer covering of 2 hemispheres of the brain
responsible for most complex aspects of perception, emotion, movement and thought
bark (tree bark covers the areas)
motor cortex
located at the back of the frontal lobe
sensory cortex
included portions of the cerebral cortex, that wrinkly outer layer of the brain that process and make sense out of information gathered by our five senses: vision, audition (sound), olfaction (smell), gustation (taste), and somatosensation (touch).
chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)
degenerative brain disease
associated with receptive brain trauma
can only be confirmed after death
concussion
immediate symptoms, violent shaking of the brain, cell damage
sub-concussive impact
shaking of the brain but no symptoms; below the threshold
longer playing athlete more at risk - tackles and collisions
treatment (for CTE)
no cure
prevention (fewer sub-concussive hits; later age of impact)
cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
neuroplasticity
changing of the brain
the lifelong capacity of the brain to change and rewire itself in response to the stimulation of learning and experience
3 ways the brain can change to support learning
chemical, structural, and functional
what drives neuroplastic change in the brain
behaviour
how can neuroplasticity be both positive and negative
positive - physical activity, education, social interaction, intellectual pursuits, and cognitive remediation.
negative - poor health, poor sleep hygiene, poor nutrition, substance abuse, and depression and anxiety.
how does personalized medicine work
uses an individual's genetic profile to guide decisions made in regard to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease
a major limitation to developing therapies to treat stroke patients
each person is different so it is hard to find one method that works for all as some might not help others
sings and symptoms of CTE
changes in thinking and memory (dementia)
changes in personality and behaviour (erratic, aggressive, depression)
difficulty with balance and mortar skills (walking)
punch drunk syndrome —> CTE (what can cause CTE)
boxing, football, military, hockey, rugby, soccer, wrestling, bull riding, intimate partner violence
what is going on in the brain (when one has a CTE)
axons and microtubules damages
tau proteins move into cel and form tangles
also, see this in Alzheimer’s but in CTE tau angels first form in brains cortex
medulla
controls the most basic functions such as heartbeat and breathing
nerve tracts cross over within the medulla (ex. left side of the brain receives sensory information from right side of body)
brain stem
supports life-sustaining bodily functions
Pons
helps coordinate automatic and unconscious movements
controls movements such as swallowing, posture, facial expression and eye movements
involved in vital functions such as breathing
cerebellum (hindbrain)
helps coordinate reflexive and voluntary movement such as playing a sport
especially involved in timing and coordination
easily impacted by alcohol
many other factors including enabling nonverbal learning and skill memory
midbrain
contains clusters of sensory and motor neuros + sensory and motor fibre tracts that connect higher and lower portions of nervous systems
reticular formation (midbrain)
regulates sleep, wakefulness and levels of arousal
a nerve network in the brainstem
enables alertness (arousal) from coma to wide awake
filters incoming sensory information
damage to the area can result in permanent coma
forebrain (cerebrum)
size and complexity sets humans apart from other animals
contains 2 large cerebral hemispheres (left and right)
covered by cortex
thalamus (forebrain)
sensory switchboard or router
all sensory messages, except smell, are routed through thalamus on the way to the cortex (higher, outer brain)
also sends messages from the cortex to the medulla and cerebellum
located near the bottom and in the center of forebrain
receives neural messages for all senses except for smell
directs those messages to various parts of the brain
basal Ganglia (forebrain)
group of structures that surround and envelop thalamus
important for initiation of deliberate movement
hypothalamus (biological drives - forebrain)
temperature regulation, feeding, fighting, fleeing, sex, emotional regulation
hunger and feeding: digestion and detection of nutrients
flight and fight: blood pressure and circulation
sexual behaviour: behavioural and hormones responses
forebrain - limbic system
includes hippocampus and amygdala
closely connected to hypothalamus
coordinates: emotions such as fear and aggression, basic drives such as hunger and sex and formation of episodic memories
hippocampus (forebrain - limbic system)
creates new memories
integrates memories into a network of knowledge
consolidates and stores memories
helps us retrieve memories
amygdala (forebrain - limbic system)
located at the tip of each side of the hippocampus
plays a central role in the emotional process
plays a significant role in the formation of emotional memories
attaches significance to events associated with fear, punishment, or reward
stereotypical zombie
lack of emotion
increase rage, aggression
in-stable hunger for human flash
changes in balance
motor control
lack of inhibition
inability to make complex decisions