115 week 1

Behavioral Neuroscience

study of neural bases of psychological processes and behavior

Neuroscience

study of the nervous system

Aristotle

thought the brain acted as a cooling mechanism

Galen

Linked head damage in gladiators to changes in behavior + thought animal spirits travelled through nerves

Galvani

discovered the link between electricity and muscle movement

Descartes

developed a theory of spinal reflex (when near fire you retract)

Dualism

belief that the mind and body and different kinds of substances that are independent of each other. physical brain and nonphysical mind

empiricism 

theory that all knowledge comes from sensory experiences and observation, not from traditions and inution 

phrenology 

different locations of brain have different functions, but thought the brain was like a muscle, specific areas grow the more you learn or practice skills 

Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)

a clear, colorless fluid that surrounds and protects the brain and spinal cord. 

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Brain and Spinal Cord

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

all neurons outside bone

Cholinergic

Cells that release acetylcholine

Projection Neurons / Principal Neurons

Neurons that can send long-range efferent projections to distant brain areas

Interneurons / Local Circuit Neurons

Neurons that only send short range efferents to local neighbors

Nervous System is composed of

Neurons and Glial Cells

Neurons

cells that generate fast electrical impulses called action potentials 

Dendrites

Input station/antenna ; receives and processes incoming signals

Soma

Cell body containing nucleus

Axon

Long, branched cable that sends signals to other neurons

Axon Terminals 

Tips of axon branches that release neurotransmitters to communicate with other neurons 

Synapses

Neurons are connected with one another at chemical junctions , where information transfer happens, between pre and post synaptic neuron

Presynaptic Neuron

Neuron that sends the message, releases neurotransmitters into the synapse

Postsynaptic Neuron

Neuron that receives the message from the presynaptic neuron

neurotransmitters

chemical molecule that is released across synapses , allowing for neuron communication

Schwann Cells

PNS, insulate axons

Oligodendrocytes

CNS, insulate axons

Astrocytes

star-shaped glia, neuron blood chemical transfer

Microglia

in CNS, remove waste and are part of immune response 

input zone

receives info from other cells through dendrites

Integration zone

cell body , soma where inputs are combined and transformed

Conduction Zone

Single axon leads away from the cell body and transmits the electrical impulse

Output Zone

Axon terminals at the end of the axon communicate activity to other cells , where chemicals are released 

Multipolar Neurons

one axon, many dendrites, most common type

Bipolar Neurons

one axon, one dendrite

Unipolar Neurons

A single extension, branches in two directions, forming a receptive pole and output zone

motor neurons

stimulate and contracts muscles or glands

sensory neurons

respond to environmental stimuli like light, odor or touch

Interneurons

send input to other nearby neurons, support local connections

presynaptic membrane

on axon terminal of the presynaptic neuron

synaptic cleft

gap that seperates the membranes

postsynaptic membrane

on the dendrite or cell body of the post synaptic neuron

synaptic vesicles

small spheres that contain a neurotransmitter, specialized chemical substance

receptors

specialized proteins that the neurotransmitter binds to

dendritic spines

studded on the dendrites and increase surface area

neural plasticity

allows size of dendritic spine to be changed based on info being learned / experiences

axon hillock

a cone shaped area of the cell body that gives rise to axon, where action potential is triggered and initiated

myelination

the process in which glial cells wrap axons with fatty sheath myelin to insulate and speed conduction

nodes of ranvier

gaps between sections of myelin where the axon is exposed

multiple sclerosis

a demyelinating disease

Autonomic Nervous System

digestion + fight or flight

Cranial Nerves

taste + touch

somatic nervous system

controls muscle movements and carries sensory info to CNS

sympathetic nervous system

prepares body for fight/flight, quick action, inhibits sleep

parasympathetic nervous system

rest and digest

autonomic ganglia

located outside CNS, composed of preganglionic and postganglionic

norepinephrine or noradrenaline 

postganglionic sympathetic neurons produce 

acetylcholine

preganglionic and postganglionic parasympatheic neurons prodyuce

enteric nervous system

local network of neurons that govern the function of gut , both sympathetic and parasympathetic

afferent

carries infro into a region of interest

efferent 

carries info away from a region of interest

gyrus

ridged/raised portion of the brains surface

sulcus

valley/furrow portion of the brain surface

cerebral cortex

outer portion of forebrain that recieves sensory info and controls motor movement from opposite side of body

prefrontal cortex

involved in planning and organization, impulse control, adjusting behavior in response to rewards and punishments

forebrain

most anterior (front) and prominent part of the brain that consists of two hemispheres that is responsible for higher cognitive functions like thought, memory, emotion, and consciousness

hypothalamus

major role in controlling emotion and motivated behaviors (the 3 Fs, feeding, fighting, f.. Mating)

thalamus

relays sensory information from body to cortex

basal ganglia

responsible for voluntary movement and habit learning, NOT reflex movement

limbic system

strucutres associated with learning, memory, motivation, emotion, fear and aggression

mid brain

Relaying sensory information (e.g., vision, hearing), controlling eye movements, and regulating sleep and wakefulness.

medulla

heart and respiration rate

pons

alertness, respiration, swallowing

cerebellum

movement and balance