Brain and Behavior Exam 1

Behavioral Neuroscience

Field of psychology that aims to study biological processes that underlie behavior.

Renee Descartes

Scientist that originally looked into how animal and human bodies are controlled. Thought that animals were mechanical and only acted based on external stimuli.

Volta

Scientist that theorized that that bodies were not controlled by electricity (was wrong). Created the Voltic pile (first battery).

Electrophysiology

Branch of physiology that studies the electrical properties of cells and tissues. Intracellular or extracellular.

Johannes Muller

Physiologist that used experimental techniques that tested how certain organs reacted to different stimuli. Learned that nerves work on electrical impulses and are perceived differently depending on where they are coming from.

Marie Jean Pierre Flourens

Physiologist that studied experimental ablation (damaging parts of the body). Found that damaging different parts of the brain impacted certain parts of the body.

Phineas Gage

Railway worker that was injured and had a pole pierce his head. Had personality changes due to the injury. Reintroduced the idea that our traits are caused by our physiology.

Franz Josef Gall

Physiologist that coined the term phrenology (Theory that size of the brain dictated personality).

Phrenology

Pseudo science term that claimed that the size and shape of the brain dictated personality traits.

Paul Broca

Physician that officially discovered that different regions of the brain had different functions. Has an area of the brain named after him.

Fritsch & Hitzig

Independent rich men who discovered contralatteral effects and specificity. Also found hyperspecific spots that controlled muscle groups.

Contralateral Control

How the left and right side of the brain control the opposite side of the body. Left controls right and right controls left.

Neuron

Basic unit of the nervous system

Ontogeny

The process of someone developing over time

Adult Neurogenesis

The creation of new neurons in the brain of an adult.

Social Neuroscience

Field of neuroscience that focuses on the biological basis of social behavior and the effect of social activities on the brain

Evolutionary Psychology

Field of psychology that focuses on how natural selection has impacted behaviors in humans and animals

Epigenetics

The study of factors that effect gene expression without making any changes in the nucleotide sequence of the genes.

Neuroeconomics

The study of the brain mechanisms that work when decision making

Luigi Galvani

Scientist who studied how electrical signals made the muscles of frogs contract. Was intrigued after the discovery of electricity.

Johann Perkinje

Anatomist that figured out how to slice the cerebellum and figured out that the brain has cells and neurons. Has a type of cell named after him.

Camillo Golgi

Biologist who used stained tissue in order to differentiate nerves from the tissue. Coined Reticular Theory.

Reticular Theory

Theory that cells were physically connected and that was how they communicated. Ended up being wrong

Neuron Theory

Theory that cells did not physically touch but rather sent messages between them to communicate. Ended up being correct.

Santiago Ramon y Cajal

Neuroscientist who drew intricate images of brain cells. Coined Neuron Theory.

Charles Sherrington

Neurophysiologist who was the first to prove that neurons were connected by synapses. Came up with the name neuron and synapses.

2 Hearts ,1 Dream Experiment

Experiment using frog hearts that revealed that communication between neurons was chemical. Otto Loewi.

Soups and Sparks Debate

Debate that focused on dictating whether or not communications between cells were chemical or electrical.

Rita Levi-Montalcini

Neurobiologist that studied limb removal/regeneration with chicks. Discovered neurotrophins.

Marian Diamond

Neuroscientist who founded neuroscience. Studied neuroplasticity and how our brain physically changed with experience.

Karl Deisseroth

Neuroscientist who wanted to find a way to control a single type of cell without affecting the others. Founded Optogenetics.

Optogenetics

Method to affect neuron activity using light and implanting genetic information.

Kaful Dzirasa

Psychiatrist interesting in using neuro engineering to identify patterns associated with depression. Creating a “pacemaker” for the brain

Consciousness

The state of being aware of our existence, thoughts, emotions, and experiences.

Nissl Stain

Stained tissue used to visualize many cell bodies.

Golgi Stain

Stained tissue used to visualize a small amount of neurons in high detail.

Guidelines for Human Research

Informed consent, minimize harm, protect confidentiality, voluntary withdrawal, and avoiding deception.

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

Commitee responsible for reviewing research involving humans

3 R’s of Animal Research

Replacement, reduction, refinement

Central Nervous System

Nervous system containing the spinal cord and the brain.

Peripheral Nervous System

Nervous system that connects the CNS to the rest of the body

Somatic Nervous System

Nervous system that focuses on connecting sense organs to the CNS. Sensory info in and motor info out.

Autonomic Nervous System

Nervous system that controls organs like the heart and intestines. Divided into 2 more nervous systems.

Sympathetic Nervous System

Nervous System that controls our fight or flight response. Effects include dilation of pupils, faster heartbeat, and release of stress hormones.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Nervous system that undoes our fight or flight response. Effects include contraction of pupils and slowing of heartbeat.

Layers of Protection for the Brain

Skull and Meninges

Layers of the Meninges

Dura mater, arachnoid mater, pia mater

Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)

Fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord and fills the cerebral ventricles.

Lateral Ventricle

Ventricle found in both hemispheres of the brain which produces CSF by filtering blood

3rd Ventricle

Midline ventricle that moves CSF from the lateral ventricle to the 4th ventricle.

4th Ventricle

Ventricle in the pons that surrounds the brain and spinal cord in CSF.

Glymphatic System

System that contains glial cells and functions in the removal of waste and movement of nutrients.

Cerebral Cortex

The heavily folded surface of the brain. Contains Gyri and Sulci.

Gyri

Outward ridges of the cortex. More bumps means a bigger brain and potentially higher intelligence. If not properly developed it can lead to epilepsy and motor disorders.

Sulci

The crevices between gyri

Basal Ganglia

Group of nuclei in the forebrain responsible for skill learning

Limbic System

System of nuclei that are responsible for controlling emotions

Amygdala

Nuclei part of the Limbic System that regulates emotions, odor perception, and memory. Almond shaped.

Hippocampus

Lobe structure part of the Limbic System that is important in memory and learning

Grey Matter

Darker parts of the brain that contain cell bodies and processes

White Matter

Lighter parts of the brain that contain axons

Afferent Nerves

Nerves that bring info towards the CNS

Efferent Nerves

Nerves that bring info away from the CNS

Frontal Lobe

Lobe at the forefront of the brain that focuses on higher order cognition

Parietal Lobe

Lobe at the top of the brain that focuses on motor skills

Temporal Lobe

Lobe at the side of the brain that focuses on language and communication.

Occipital Lobe

Lobe that focuses on interpreting sensory visual information.

Brain Stem

Brain structure that contains the pons, medulla, and midbrain. Connects the brain to the spinal cord.

Thalamus

Brain structure that focuses on flowing sensory info to and from the cortex

Hypothalamus

Brain structure that focuses on regulatory systems like hunger and hormones.

Medulla

Brain structure at the bottom of the brainstem that deals with automatic systems like heartbeat and respiration.

Oligodendrocytes

Glial cells in the CNS that creates myelin. Keeps cells isolated from eachother

Schwann Cells

Glial cells in the PNS that create myelin. Keeps cells isolated from eachother.

Astrocytes

Glial cells in the CNS that are stationary but help with nutrition and the clean up of dead cells.

Microglia

Glial cells in the CNS that are the primary immune response agents which removes waste, viruses, and dead cells. 

Ependymal Cells

Glial cell that produces CSF in the ventricles

Satellite Cells

Glial cells in the PNS that provide support and protection for cells.

Ligand Gated Receptors

Receptors that are in the dendritic spine that receive Neurotransmitters.

Voltage Gated Receptors

Receptors in the Axon Hillock that open when the membrane becomes more positively charged.

Ionotropic Receptors

Receptors that open up due to neurotransmitters and opens ion channels. Fast and local.

Metabotropic Receptors

Receptors that open up due to neurotransmitters and create G proteins in the cell that preform internal tasks. Slow but widespread.

Cat/CT Scan

Scan that uses X rays to generate images of the brain based on the density of the brain tissue.

MRI Scan

Scan that involve placing someone in a magnetic field that causes protons to line up, creating a detailed image of the brain

fMRI Scan

Scan that using spinning magnetic fields in order to observe specific activity in parts of the brain.

PET Scan

Scan that uses radioactive chemicals to quickly observe in movement in the bloodstream through the brain.

Glial Cell

Cells part of the Glymphatic system that are used for support, maintenance, and cleanup

Unipolar Neurons

Category of neuron that is mostly made up of the axon. Contains a cell body that branches from the axon and dendrite branches. Transmits touch and pain info.

Bipolar Neurons

Category of neuron with dendrites on one end, axon terminal on the other end, and cell body in the middle. Transmits sensory info like vision.

Multipolar Neuons

Category of neuron with dendrites surrounding the cell body and a single axon connecting to the terminal. Most common category of neuron.

Sensory Neuron

Neurons in charge of sending sensory info to and from the brain.

Motor Neuron

Neurons in charge of sending motor info to muscles and glands. 

Interneurons

Neurons in charge of sending and receiving signals to and from other neurons.

Axon Hillock

Cone shaped part in between the cell body and axon that gathers info on whether or not to begin an action potential

Node of Ranvier

Gap between segments of myelin sheath in the axon

Ion

An electrically charged molecule.

Anions

Ions that are negatively charged.

Cations

Ions that are positively charged.

Ion Channel

Channel in the membrane that allows molecules to pass through. Sometimes need to be stimulated to open.

Sodium Potassium Pump

Channel that is used to transfer 3 sodium (Na+) molecules out and 2 potassium (K+) molecules in making the cell negatively charged.

Chemical Diffusion Pressure

The property of molecules to move from an area of high concentration to low concentration.