Human Cognitive Neuroscience

achromatopsia

definition: loss of color vision from cortical damage / key feature: grayscale perception, impaired shape perception / brain area: area V4

acuity

definition: sharpness of sensory detail / function: fine spatial discrimination / influenced by: foveal cones

adaptation

definition: reduced response after constant stimulation / key features: increases sensitivity to change to prevent system overload

akinetopsia

definition: motion blindness, cannot see smooth movement, instead sees in snapshots / location: damage to area MT 

area MT

definition: major motion-processing area / function (motion processing): detect and integrate motion / location: dorsal visual stream / associated conditions: akinetopsia when damaged

area V4

definition: color and form processing region / location: ventral visual stream / function: analyse color + complex shape / associated conditions: achromatopsi

chemical senses

definition: senses detecting chemicals in the environment, olfaction and gustation

cochlear nerve

definition: auditory nerve carrying sound info / key features: frequency-specific fibers / location: cochlea → brainstem / function: transmit auditory signals

cochlear nuclei

definition: first auditory relay in brainstem / location: medulla / role: divides info into processing streams, processes timing, intensitu

cones

definition: photoreceptors for color and detail / key features: three types (S, M, L) / location: fovea / function: color and high-acuity vision, require bright light

cortical plasticity

definition: brain’s ability to reorganise / key features: experience-dependent structural change / function: learning and recovery from injury, stronger in childhood but lifelong process

cortical visual areas

definition: visual regions beyond V1 / key features: hierarchical representation / location: occipital, parietal, temporal / function: extract color, shape, motion, objects

extrastriate visual areas

definition: visual regions V2,3,5, MT / key features: specialized processing modules to integrate multiple visual features / location: outside V1

fovea

definition: central retinal zone for high acuity - dense cones, no rods / location: center of retina / function: detailed visual focus

ganglion cells

definition: olfactory buld processing units / location: olfactory bulb/ function: initial odor mappin

glomeruli

location: ____ / function: ____ / mapping principle: ____

inferior colliculus

location: ____ / role: ____ / pathway: ____

interaural time

definition: ____ / used for: ____ / mechanism: ____

lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN)

location: ____ / function: ____ / layers: ____

multisensory integration

definition: ____ / example: ____ / purpose: ____

nociceptors

definition: ____ / detect: ____ / pathway: ____

odorant

definition: ____ / binds to: ____ / example: ____

olivary nucleus

location: ____ / role: ____ / specialization: ____

photoreceptors

definition: ____ / types: ____ / function: ____

primary auditory cortex (A1)

location: ____ / function: ____ / map: ____

primary gustatory cortex

location: ____ / function: ____ / notes: ____

primary olfactory cortex

location: ____ / function: ____ / connections: ____

primary somatosensory cortex (S1)

location: ____ / function: ____ / map: ____

primary visual cortex (V1)

location: ____ / function: ____ / key property: ____

proprioception

definition: ____ / receptors: ____ / purpose: ____

receptive field

definition: ____ / depends on: ____ / example: ____

retina

location: ____ / function: ____ / layers: ____

retinotopic map

definition: ____ / found in: ____ / purpose: ____

rods

location: ____ / function: ____ / sensitivities: ____

saccades

definition: ____ / purpose: ____ / controlled by: ____

secondary somatosensory cortex (S2)

location: ____ / function: ____ / connections: ____

superior colliculus

location: ____ / function: ____ / involved in: ____

synesthesia

definition: ____ / example subtype: ____ / proposed mechanism: ____

tastant

definition: ____ / detected by: ____ / example: ____

tonotopic map

definition: ____ / location: ____ / principle: ____

binocular rivalry

definition: ____ / occurs when: ____ / brain basis: ____

block design

definition: ____ / used in: ____ / advantage: ____

blood oxygen level–dependent (BOLD)

definition: ____ / reflects: ____ / used for: ____

cerebral vascular accident

definition: ____ / cause: ____ / symptoms: ____

cognitive psychology

definition: ____ / focuses on: ____ / examples: ____

computerized tomography (CT)

definition: ____ / measures: ____ / use case: ____

connectivity map (connectome)

definition: ____ / describes: ____ / methods: ____

deep brain stimulation (DBS)

definition: ____ / used for: ____ / mechanism: ____

degenerative disorder

definition: ____ / examples: ____ / features: ____

dependent variable

definition: ____ / example: ____ / role: ____

diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)

definition: ____ / measures: ____ / applications: ____

double dissociation

definition: ____ / shows: ____ / example: ____

electrocorticography (ECoG)

definition: ____ / measures: ____ / advantage: ____

electroencephalography (EEG)

definition: ____ / measures: ____ / temporal resolution: ____

event-related design

definition: ____ / used in: ____ / advantage: ____

event-related potential (ERP)

definition: ____ / derived from: ____ / use: ____

fMRI

definition: ____ / measures: ____ / strengths: ____

hemodynamic response

definition: ____ / timing: ____ / significance: ____

independent variable

definition: ____ / example: ____ / role: ____

MRI

definition: ____ / measures: ____ / uses: ____

magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS)

definition: ____ / measures: ____ / applications: ____

magnetoencephalography (MEG)

definition: ____ / measures: ____ / strengths: ____

multiunit recording

definition: ____ / measures: ____ / context: ____

multivoxel pattern analysis (MVPA)

definition: ____ / used to: ____ / example: ____

neural network

definition: ____ / components: ____ / function: ____

optogenetics

definition: ____ / uses: ____ / purpose: ____

pharmacological study

definition: ____ / manipulates: ____ / application: ____

positron emission tomography (PET)

definition: ____ / measures: ____ / tracer example: ____

regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF)

definition: ____ / used in: ____ / reflects: ____

retinotopic map

definition: ____ / location: ____ / principle: ____

simulation

definition: ____ / used for: ____ / example: ____

single-cell recording

definition: ____ / measures: ____ / advantage: ____

single dissociation

definition: ____ / shows: ____ / limitation: ____

tACS

definition: ____ / mechanism: ____ / use case: ____

tDCS

definition: ____ / mechanism: ____ / use case: ____

tFUS

definition: ____ / mechanism: ____ / advantage: ____

TMS

definition: ____ / mechanism: ____ / typical use: ____

tSMS

definition: ____ / mechanism: ____ / notes: ____

traumatic brain injury (TBI)

definition: ____ / causes: ____ / symptoms: ____

voxel

definition: ____ / used in: ____ / size meaning: ____

action potential

definition: ____ / ions: ____ / phases: ____

amygdala

location: ____ / function: ____ / associated conditions: ____

association cortex

location: ____ / function: ____ / examples: ____

autonomic nervous system

definition: ____ / branches: ____ / roles: ____

axon

definition: ____ / function: ____ / features: ____

axon collaterals

definition: ____ / function: ____ / example: ____

axon hillock

location: ____ / role: ____ / threshold property: ____

basal ganglia

location: ____ / function: ____ / disorders: ____

blood–brain barrier

definition: ____ / function: ____ / significance: ____

brainstem

location: ____ / major functions: ____ / subdivisions: ____

central nervous system (CNS)

definition: ____ / components: ____ / role: ____

central sulcus

location: ____ / separates: ____ / importance: ____

cerebellum

location: ____ / function: ____ / special features: ____

cerebral cortex

definition: ____ / layers: ____ / functions: ____

commissure

definition: ____ / example: ____ / role: ____

corpus callosum

location: ____ / function: ____ / lesion effect: ____

dendrites

definition: ____ / role: ____ / properties: ____

depolarization

definition: ____ / caused by: ____ / significance: ____

electrical gradient

definition: ____ / affects: ____ / example: ____

equilibrium potential

definition: ____ / depends on: ____ / example: ____