neuroscience exam 2

neuraxis

imaginary line running from spinal cord to front of brain

rostral/anterior

toward beak

caudal/posterior

toward tail

dorsal/superior

top surface

ventral/inferior

bottom surface

lateral

toward side

medial

toward midline

ipsilateral

same side

contralateral

opposite side

transverse

perpendicular to ground + neurons (slice of bread)

saggital

parrallel to neuroaxis (hotdog bun)

horizaontal

parallel to ground (hamburger bun)

cortex/cerebral cortex

collection of neurons forming a thin sheet

nucleus

mass of neurons deep within brain ex. lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN)

locus

small, well-defined group of neurons ex. locus coeruleus

ganglion

collection of neurons in the PNS (1 in CNS) ex. basal ganglia

commissure axon

collection of axons that connect 2 sides of brain ex. anterior comissure

nerve axon

bundle of axons in PNS (1 in CNS) ex. optic nerve

neurocranium

eight bones of skull encasing brain

suture

fibrous joint of skull bones

bregma

intersection of coronal suture and saggital suture (refrence landmark)

meniges

3 layers of tissue— dura matter, arachnoid membrane, pia matter— encasing brain

sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia

cold foods, dialation of internal carotid atery + pain in meniges (ice cream headache)

cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

produced by choroid plexusm, yellowish fluid containing salts + nutrients that bathes CNS

ventricular system

series of hollow, interconnected chambers filled w/ CSF

cerebral blood supply

brain receives 20% of blood supply

what are the 3 cerebral arteries?

anterior, middle, and posterior

blood brain barrier

mechanism inhibiting most chemicals/pathogens from entering brain, contains capillary endothelial cells

how many neurons are in the brain?

100 billion neurons, 85k lost per day, weigh 1300-1400g

what are the 3 brain divisions?

forebrain, midbrain, hindbrain

what is contained within the hindbrain?

medulla oblongata, pons, and cerebellum

medulla oblongata

role in cardiovascular function (heartbeat + bloodpressure), gateway to brain

area postrema

located in the medulla, makes you vomit

pons

role in sleep + arousal, contains locus coeruleus and noradrenergic (NE) systemc

cerebellum

receives incoming sensory + outgoing motor info, coordinates signals, smooths out movement (balance beams)

what is contained within the midbrain?

superior colliculus, raphe nuclei, substantia nigra, and midbrain nuclei

superior colliculus 

visual reflexes + foreaction

raphe nuclei

origin of serotonergic system

substania nigra

origin of dopaminergic system

midbrain nuclei

origin of cholinergic system

Corpux callosum

large bundle of axons that connects both cerebral hemispheres

thalamus

relay station (like an airport)

massa intermedia

thalamic commissure

hypothalamus

controls autonomic NS, 4F’s: fight, flight, feeding, fooling around. contained numerous subdivisions (monkey bread)

basal ganglia

brain areas meditating movement, automatic behaviors, primary structures: caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus

limbic system

brain areas associated w/ emotional processiong (eg amygdala) + memory formation (eg hippocampus)

cerebral cortex

layer of unmyelinated neurons (gray matter)

fissure

large groove. ex longitudinal fissure

sulcus

small groove ex. lateral sulcus or central sulcus

gyrus

bumps ex. precentral gyrus-voluntary movement or post-central gyrus-touch

occipital lobe

visual processing

temporal lobe

audition, language, vision

parietal lobe

integrating (sensory) information

frontal lobe

personality, taste, sex, etc

neuromyths

common misconceptions about brain + neuroscience research, relate to learning + education

Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

imaging technique, measures brain function, CPU records positions emitted by breakdown of radioactive glucose

neuroplasticity

altering/modification of neurons, their networks or function due to experience

mozart effect

listening to classical music everyday, especially while studying, can boost intelligence

lateralization of function

functional asymmetries between 2 brain hemispheres

primary somatosensory cortex

brain’s map of the body

primary motor cortex

relation between cortical space & ability, brain space = ability

neurophilosophy

studying the mind & mental phenomena in the light of neuroscience findings

mind-brain (body) problem

relationship that exists between mental processes + physical processes

charlotte corday

executed by gulliotine for assassination of Jean-Paul Marat - made a face after struck

Robert White

Drr Frankenstein - has done a head transplant

localization of function

specific functions are mediatated by circumscribed brain locations

experimental ablation

destroy (lesion) or remove area of brain + observe possible changes in behavior or performance

aspiration

remove tissue via pipette connected to vacuum pump

radiofrequency (RP)

produced by heat generated from current passing through an electrode (kills everything)

excitotoxic lesion

produced by intracerebral injection of an excitatory amino acid, kills neurons not axons

reversible lesion

temporary disruption produced by injecting a local anesthetic

sham lesions

“placebo” procedure duplicating all steps of producing brain lesion except for one that actually causes brain damage

sterotaxic surgery

brain surgery using a sterotoxic apparatus to position electrode or cannula in specified position of brain

medical forebrain bundle (MFB) 

fiber bundle that runs rostral-caudal direction through forebrain and lateral hypothalamus - part of reward/pleasure circuit

bregma

used as reference point for sterotaxic brain surgery

sterotaxic atlas

collection of drawings of brain sections for a particular animal w measrements, provide coordinates for sterotaxic surgery

stererotaxic apparatus

device permits a surgeon to position electrode or cannula into a specific locus of brain (like at the dentist - put things in ears)

histological techniques

procedures used to examine anatomy of tissue

neuronal labeling

dye injected into brain, absorbed by neurons + transported within the cell

stroke

sudden appearance of neurological deficit due to disruption in cerebral blood supply

ischemic stroke

death of brain tissue (cerebral infarction) due to an inadequate supply of blood + oxygen bc of blockage

atherosclerosis

condition characterized by buildup of plaque - lipid materal covered w fibrous tissue - embedded in atery wall

thrombotic stroke

blood flow reduction due to atherosclerosis in cerebral blood vessel, eventually occludes it

embolic stroke

reductions of blood flow when an embolus travels to cerebral atery + forms a plug

embolus

anything that doesn’t belong in blood

hemorrhagic stroke

loss of blood flow when cerebral blood vessel ruptures

edema

accumulation of fluid

cerebral aneurysym

dilation or swelling of cerebral blood vessel due to weakness in vessel wall

umbra

area of tissue death from CVA (ischemic core)

penumbra

region surrounding immediate damage - cells survive temporarily after stroke

act FAST! - stroke

face - arms - speech - time

synkinesis

involuntary movement accompanying a voluntary one due to miswiring of nerves following trauma

collateral sprouting

newly formed branch by an uninjured axon to replace synapses vacated by injured neuron

kennard principle

maxim suggesting that earlier in life damage occurs, the better the recovery

extraocular muscles

six muscles + eyelid mediate movement of eye

micronystagmus

microscopic jiggling of eye, without it, wouldnt be able to see

sclera

tough, outmost coat of eyeball comprised of densely packed fibers - white of eye

cornea

transparent, dome-shaped element covering front of eyeball, refracts (focuses) light toward posterior eyeball

iris

pigmented muscular membrane dilates + constricts to regulate amount of light entering through pupil

contraction

high light levels parasympathetic arousal