PSY 3217 Ch 2 -- Cognitive Neuroscience

cognitive neuroscience

the study of the physiological basis of cognition

neuron doctrine

Ramon y Cajal — founder

Individual nerve cells transmit signals, not continuously linked with other cells

neurons

cells specialized to create, receive, and transmit info in the nervous system

cell body (Soma)

contains mechanisms to keep cell alive

dendrites

multiple branches reaching from the cell body, which receive information from other neurons

axon

tube fille with fluid; transmits electrical signal to other neurons

terminal buttons

nonmyelinated extensions to the axon that release neurotransmitter into the synapse

synapse

space between axon of one neuron and dendrite or cell body of another

neurotransmitters

chemicals that affect the electrical signal of the receiving neuron, cross the synapse and bind w/ receiving dendrites

Long-term potentiation (LTP)

connections between individual neurons are strengthened

• Lasts few hours to weeks

• Mostly change in the dendrites

Consolidation

strengthening assemblies of neurons

• Primary occurs during sleep

experience-dependent plasticity

the structure of the brain changes w/ experience

Hubel and Wiesl: visual stimuli w/ cats

brocas area

language production — frontal

wernicke’s area

language comprehension —- temporal

occipital lobe

vision

parietal lobe

touch, temperature, pain

temporal lobe

hearing, taste, smell

frontal lobe

coordination of info from all senses

fusiform face area (FFA)

responds to faces

prosopagnosia

inability to recognize faces

parahippocampal place area (PPA)

responds to places

extrastriate body area (EBA)

responds to pictures of bodies and partys of bodies

structural connectivity: corpus callosum

large and thick band of 200m nerve fibers connecting both brain sides

where info is communicated across the hemispheres

split brain syndrome

rare medical procedure where the corpus callosum is severed to stop seizures from epilepsy

Henry Molaison “H.M.” (1953)

Epilepsy treatment

Anterograde amnesia

Explicit and implicit memory

Phineas Gage (1848)

Ramping rod accident

Damaged left pre-frontal and frontal cortex

Brain localization

Louis Victor Leborgne “Tan” (1861)

Epilepsy damaged an area in his left frontal lobe

Investigated by Paul Broca

Discovered broca’s area in the brain