Cognitive Neuroscience

Cognitive Neuroscience

The study of the biological processes and aspects underlying cognition, focusing on neural connections in the brain

Localization of Function

Specific brain areas controlling distinct skills or behaviors

Nervous System

Responsible for receiving, processing, and responding to environmental information

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Comprises the spinal cord and brain

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Includes nerves outside the CNS

Autonomic Nervous System

Regulates involuntary functions like heart rate

Sympathetic Nervous System

Prepares organs for vigorous activity

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Facilitates nonemergency responses

Cerebrum

Responsible for voluntary movement and cognitive functions

Limbic System

Involved in learning, emotions, and memory

Hippocampus

Crucial for memory formation and spatial memory

Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome

Results from hippocampal damage, causing memory issues

Amygdala

Key in processing emotions, especially anger and aggression

Thalamus

Relays sensory information to the cortex

Hypothalamus

Regulates behaviors related to survival, emotions, and stress

Reticular Activating System (RAS)

Regulates consciousness, arousal, and attention

Brainstem

Connects forebrain to spinal cord, controlling vital functions

Medulla Oblongata

Controls heart activity, breathing, swallowing, and digestion

Pons

Acts as a relay station for neural signals in the brain

Cerebellum

Controls coordination, balance, and muscle tone

Fissures

Large grooves in the brain

Gyri

Bulges between adjacent sulci or fissures

Neural-cell bodies

Give the cerebral cortex a grayish appearance

Neural-cell bodies in the cerebral cortex

Primary function is processing information

White matter

Primarily comprises myelinated axons in the brain's interior

Contralateral

Information transmission from one side to another

Ipsilateral

Transmission on the same side

Corpus Callosum

Dense aggregate of neural fibers connecting cerebral hemispheres

Corpus Callosum function

Allows transmission of information between cerebral hemispheres

Integration of hemispheres

Important for most brain functions, including language

Left hemisphere

Responsible for language and movement

Right hemisphere

Responsible for spatial visualization, orientation, and comprehension

Right hemisphere function

Dominant in identifying one’s own face

Left hemisphere processing

Analytical

Right hemisphere processing

Holistic

Hemispheres independence

Yes, but serve complementary roles

Paul Broca

Claimed lesion in left cerebral hemisphere critical in speech

Carl Wernicke

Studied language-deficient patients and Wernicke's area

Frontal lobe functions

Motor processing, reasoning, speech production, and more

Prefrontal cortex

Involved in complex motor control and information integration

Parietal Lobe

Associated with somatosensory processing and attention

Temporal lobe

Located under the temples, involved in auditory processing

Occipital lobe

Responsible for visual processing

Neuron

Basic functional unit of the nervous system

Dendrites

Receive signals from other neurons

Axon

Transmits signals to other neurons

Myelin sheath

Insulates and speeds up nerve impulse transmission

Synapse

Space between two neurons for signal transmission

Neurotransmitters

Transmit signals across synapse to other neurons

Soma

Contains nucleus, connects dendrites to axon

Learning

Associated with forming new neuronal connections

Axon

Transmits electrochemical signals from soma to terminus

Myelinated axons

Surrounded by myelin sheath for faster conduction

Unmyelinated axons

Shorter, smaller, and slower

Terminal buttons

Located at ends of axon branches

EEG

Records brain electrical frequencies and intensities

CT scan

Combines X-ray images for 3D brain image

Angiography

Examines blood flow in the brain

MRI

Reveals brain images by analyzing magnetic changes

PET scan

Measures increases in oxygen consumption in active brain areas

Brain disorders

Conditions affecting brain structure or function

Vascular disorder

Brain disorder caused by a stroke

Brain tumors

Also called neoplasms, can affect cognitive functioning

Head injuries

Caused by car accidents, contact with hard objects, or bullet wounds.