Key Concepts in Neuroscience and Research Ethics

Informed consent

Must inform participants about purpose of research, expected duration, procedures and their right to decline to participate and to withdraw

Humane care

Ensure ethical treatment of animals in research.

Neurons

Highly specialized for communication occurs via electrical and chemical signals, sending information  

Glia

Support cells aiding neural signaling.

Dendrites

receive information at a synapse and transfer that information toward cell body 

Astrocytes

Important for development of NS. Important for energy, metabolism in nervous system 

Microglia

Immune cells in brain, eliminate synapses.

Oligodendrocytes

Form myelin in central nervous system.

Myelinate axons in the PNS (peripheral nervous system)

Function of Schwann cells

Frontal lobe

Responsible for problem solving and voluntary movement.

Somatic sensory information (touch, pain) and time perception

Function of parietal lobe

EPSP

Excitatory change pushing neuron towards action potential.

IPSP

Inhibitory change pushing neuron away from action potential.

Phospholipid bilayer

Selective barrier controlling ion and molecule movement.

Diffusion

Movement of ions from high to low concentration.

Because the cell is changed in order for action potential, movement on ions, happen because positively charged things are attracted to negatively charged things 

Electrostatic Pressure

Sodium-potassium pump

Moves 3 Na+ out and 2 K+ in.

Chemically (ligand) gated channels

Open when a ligand binds to them.

Voltage gated channels

Active since they have gates that can open close in response to changes in membrane potential 

Rapid all or none-electrical signal travels long distances along neuron  

Action potentials

Graded potentials

Smaller electrical signal only traveling shorter distances and can be summed to reach threshold for triggering action potential. 

Role of myelin and its effects on action potentials

Increases speed of action potentials.

Ionotropic receptors

Ligand gated channels; neurotransmitters bind to channel; ions flow in or out and it is rapid.  

Metabotropic receptors

G protein couple receptor signaling can take longer to open since there are multiple steps in the signaling pathway. Allowing ions to go across membrane  

Flavor

Perception integrating taste and smell signals.

5 Primary tastes

Sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami with survival value.

Homeostasis

Maintenance of stable internal environment for survival.

Negative feedback loop

Response mechanism to counteract changes in conditions.

Homeostatic feedback loop

Environmental change triggers sensory cells and control centers.