Neuroscience Lecture: Brain Function and Techniques

Flashcards created to reinforce key terms and concepts discussed in the neuroscience lecture on brain function and research techniques.

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

A technique that measures electrical activity of the brain by placing electrodes on the scalp.

Action Potential

A brief electrical discharge that occurs when a neuron sends information down its axon.

Neurons

Sizable cells of the nervous system that are responsible for transmitting information through electrical and chemical signals.

Brain Waves

Patterns of electrical activity in the brain that can vary in frequency and amplitude.

Alpha Waves

Brain waves that occur when a person is awake but relaxed, often with eyes closed.

Theta Waves

Brain waves associated with light sleep or deep relaxation, common in children and those under severe stress.

Delta Waves

High amplitude, low frequency brain waves that occur during deep sleep.

Functional MRI (fMRI)

A technique that measures brain activity by detecting blood flow changes related to neuronal activity.

Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

A method that uses radioactive glucose to track metabolic activity in the brain.

Cerebral Cortex

The outermost layer of the brain responsible for higher brain functions, including sensation and voluntary motor control.

Homunculus

A representation of the human body mapped onto the somatosensory and motor cortex, showing the allocation of sensory processing.

Limbic System

A collection of structures in the brain that play key roles in emotion, memory, and behavior.

Thalamus

A relay center in the brain that processes and transmits sensory information to the cortex.

Hypothalamus

A brain region responsible for regulating bodily functions like hunger, thirst, temperature, and controlling the endocrine system.

Pituitary Gland

An endocrine gland that produces and stores various hormones that regulate bodily functions.

Cerebellum

Part of the brain that plays an important role in fine motor control and coordination.

Medulla Oblongata

The brainstem structure that controls autonomic functions like breathing and heart rate.

Contralateral Control

A principle where one side of the brain controls the opposite side of the body.

Gray Matter

Regions in the brain and spinal cord containing neuronal cell bodies and synapses.

White Matter

Regions in the brain and spinal cord composed mainly of myelinated axon tracts that transmit signals.

Spinal Nerves

Pairs of nerves that emerge from the spinal cord, carrying motor commands out and sensory information in.

Dorsal Root

The part of a spinal nerve that carries sensory information into the spinal cord.

Ventral Root

The part of a spinal nerve that carries motor commands away from the spinal cord.