exam 4 study set

Motor Homunculus

A map of motor control that represents the various body parts in the primary motor cortex and their relative motor function.

Lower Motor Neurons

Neurons that transmit signals from the spinal cord to muscles, releasing neurotransmitters to initiate muscle contractions.

Basal Ganglia

A group of structures in the brain that regulate the initiation of movements, involving both direct and indirect pathways.

Disinhibition

The process by which the inhibition of an inhibitory neuron leads to downstream excitation of other neurons.

Direct Pathway

A pathway in the basal ganglia that facilitates movement by exciting the motor cortex.

Indirect Pathway

A pathway in the basal ganglia that inhibits movement through GABAergic mechanisms.

Corticospinal Tracts

Neural pathways that transmit motor commands from the cortex to the spinal cord, controlling voluntary movements.

Cerebellum

A brain structure involved in motor coordination, timing, and accuracy of movements, containing a functional map similar to the motor homunculus.

Hebbian Plasticity

A learning principle where an increase in the synaptic strength arises from the repeated and persistent stimulation of one neuron by another.

Prefrontal Cortex

The region of the brain responsible for planning complex behaviors and decision-making.

Premotor Cortex

An area that coordinates complex movement sequences and sends output to the primary motor cortex.

Spinal Cord Reflex

A monosynaptic stretch reflex that controls motor actions based on sensory input from muscle spindles.

Neurotransmitter

A chemical substance released by neurons to transmit signals across synapses to other neurons or muscles.

Inattentional Blindness

A phenomenon where individuals fail to perceive an unexpected stimulus in plain sight when their attention is focused on another task.

Parietal Association Cortex

A region of the brain involved in integrating sensory information, spatial awareness, and coordinating movement.

Zeitgeber

An external cue, such as light or temperature, that helps regulate the biological clock and synchronize circadian rhythms.

Circadian Rhythms

Biological processes that display an endogenous, entrainable oscillation of about 24 hours, influencing sleep-wake cycles.

Nociception

The sensory process that provides signals that trigger pain in response to potentially harmful stimuli.

Left Hemineglect

A condition where an individual is unaware of objects or events in the left visual field, often due to right hemisphere damage.

Somatosensation

The ability to perceive sensory signals arising from the body, including touch, temperature, pain, and proprioception.

Prefrontal Cortex

The part of the brain involved in higher cognitive functions, such as decision making, planning, and moderating social behavior.

Acetylcholine

A neurotransmitter important for many functions, including the regulation of REM sleep.

Basal Ganglia

Group of nuclei that regulate voluntary motor control, procedural learning, and other cognitive functions.

Monosynaptic Stretch Reflex

A simple reflex pathway that involves a direct connection between a sensory neuron and a motor neuron.

Binding Problem

The challenge of explaining how multiple sensory inputs are integrated into a cohesive perception.

Synesthesia

A condition where stimulation of one sensory modality leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory modality.

Dorsomedial Lemniscal Pathway

A neural pathway that transmits touch and proprioceptive information to the brain.

Spinothalamic Tract

A major pain and temperature pathway that carries sensory information from the body to the brain.