Neuroscience of Somatic Sensation and Motor Control

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to the somatic sensory areas of the cortex, motor control, neuroscience of sleep and rhythms, anxiety disorders, and learning and memory.

Primary Somatosensory Cortex (S1)

Brodmann’s area 3b located on the postcentral gyrus, responsible for processing somatosensory inputs.

Cortical Somatotopy

Mapping of the body’s surface sensations onto the brain, exemplified by the homunculus.

Neuromuscular Matchmaking

Experiment demonstrating that the muscle phenotype can be switched by altering motor neuron activity.

Excitation-Contraction Coupling

Process in which an action potential triggers calcium release, leading to muscle fiber contraction.

Stretch Reflex

A monosynaptic reflex that causes muscle contraction in response to its being stretched.

Reciprocal Inhibition

The process whereby the contraction of one muscle set is accompanied by the relaxation of its antagonist.

Central Pattern Generators

Neuronal circuits in the spinal cord that generate rhythmic motor activities such as walking.

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

A measurement tool used to assess brain activity by recording electrical rhythms across the cerebral cortex.

Circadian Rhythms

Changes in physiological functions based on a 24-hour cycle, controlled by an internal brain clock.

Hippocampus

A brain region involved in the formation of new episodic memories and spatial navigation.

Long-Term Potentiation (LTP)

A long-lasting enhancement in signal transmission between two neurons that results from their repeated stimulation.

Long-Term Depression (LTD)

A long-lasting decrease in synaptic strength following low-frequency stimulation of a synapse.

Hebbian Modifications

Synaptic changes induced by correlated activity between pre- and postsynaptic neurons.

Apoptosis

Programmed cell death that plays a role in maintaining proper neuronal populations during development.

Neurogenesis

The process by which new neurons are formed in the brain, significant particularly during early development.

GABA

Gamma-aminobutyric acid, an inhibitory neurotransmitter that plays a key role in reducing neuronal excitability.

Anxiolytic Medications

Drugs that alleviate anxiety by altering neurotransmission, often enhancing the effect of GABA.

Bipolar Disorder

Affective disorder characterized by alternating episodes of mania and depression.

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

A treatment method for severe depression involving localized electrical stimulation of the brain.

Critical Period

A developmental window during which the brain exhibits heightened plasticity and responsiveness to environmental stimuli.