Neuroscience and Cognitive Psychology Review

A collection of flashcards covering key terms and concepts from neuroscience and cognitive psychology.

Glial cells

Cells that form myelin around axons of neurons, enabling rapid transmission of action potentials.

Myelin

A substance that encompasses axons, facilitating the rapid transmission of action potentials.

Synapses

Specialized structures where neurons communicate with each other through chemical or electrical transmission.

Resting potential

The voltage difference across a neuronal membrane during rest, resulting from ion distribution.

Ion channels

Transmembrane proteins that allow ions to pass through; can be passive or gated.

Postsynaptic potentials

Changes in membrane potential in the postsynaptic neuron resulting from synaptic inputs.

Action potential

An all-or-none electrical signal that propagates down an axon.

Nodes of Ranvier

Spaces between myelin sheaths on axons where action potentials are regenerated.

EPSPs and IPSPs

Excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials, respectively, resulting from neurotransmitter binding.

Neurotransmitters

Chemicals released by presynaptic neurons that bind to receptors on postsynaptic neurons.

Chemical transmission

Neurotransmitter release and binding at synapses affecting postsynaptic potential.

Electrical synapses

Connections between neurons that allow direct ion flow through gap junctions.

Multimodal association cortices

Cortical regions integrating input from multiple sensory modalities.

CNS

Central Nervous System, comprising the brain and spinal cord.

PNS

Peripheral Nervous System, consisting of nerves and neurons outside the CNS.

Autonomic nervous system

Controls involuntary bodily functions, such as heart rate and digestion.

Sympathetic nervous system

The part of the autonomic nervous system that prepares the body for 'fight-or-flight'.

Cerebral cortex

The outer layer of the brain, consisting of layered neurons.

Coronal section

A division of the brain into anterior and posterior parts.

Commissures

Bundles of axons connecting the two cerebral hemispheres.

Corpus callosum

The largest commissure connecting the two hemispheres of the brain.

Basal ganglia

Brain structures involved in action selection, motor preparation, and reward-based learning.

Gyri

Protruding areas of the brain's cortex.

Sulci

Infolded regions, or fissures, of the cerebral cortex.

Brodmann areas

Regions of the brain defined by cell structure and organization.

Cognitive psychology

The study of how the brain represents and manipulates information.

Brain lesions

Damages to brain tissue used to study relationships between structure and function.

Double dissociation

A method to prove specific brain regions are linked to specific cognitive functions.

Optogenetics

A technique to control neuronal activity using light signals.

Machine learning

Techniques that can develop hypotheses in cognitive neuroscience through analysis.

Electrocorticography (ECoG)

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

Magnetoencephalography (MEG)

A method that measures magnetic fields produced by neural activity.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

A neuroimaging technique that measures brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow.

PET scan

Uses radioactive tracers to measure metabolic activity in the brain.

Connectivity maps

Patterns of correlated activity between brain regions, derived from fMRI data.

Retinotopic maps

Topographic representations of visual space within the visual cortex.

Achromatopsia

The inability to perceive color, associated with lesions in area V4.

Akinetopsia

Impairment in motion perception, linked to damage in area V5/human MT.

Cochlear implants

Devices that stimulate the auditory nerve, bypassing damaged hair cells.

Neuronal plasticity

The brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections.

Synesthesia

A condition where sensory experiences are mixed; for instance, seeing colors with sounds.

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)

An MRI technique used to measure white matter pathways and connectivity.

Single-cell recording

A method used to record the activity of individual neurons.

Transduction

The process by which sensory receptors convert environmental stimuli into neural signals.

Action gating

The brain function that manages when actions should occur based on various stimuli.

Nervous system

A complex network of neurons and cells that transmit signals throughout the body.

Sensory modalities

Different types of sensory input such as visual, auditory, and tactile.