intro to neuroscience (exam 1 prep)
Case studies
Q: 14 yo viet girl at school had a seizure, and on arrival in er could not move her right arm or see to her left. on exam, she was quite short and thin, and hard of hearing. a month later she was back and this time she was unable to move her left arm. and her hearing was worse. what was her diagnosis (dx)? describe what it is
A: MELAS syndrome
Notes: N: Think MELAS = Mitochondria Energy Loss → Affects Senses (seizures, strokes, hearing loss, growth problems). Imagine “her tiny mitochondria candles burning out.”
Q: Esme had seemingly normal development for about 12 months followed by loss of purposeful hand use and spoken language. as well as development of: gait abnormalities and hand posturing. what was her condition?
A: RETT syndrome
Notes: RETT syndrome: A rare genetic neurological disorder primarily affecting girls, characterized by normal early growth followed by a loss of acquired skills such as purposeful hand use and spoken language.
Q: Sheila fell in her english garden, cutting her leg. she was taken to er where the wound was cleaned and stitched. but she returned 3 days later when her facer began to ache and she had difficult opening her mouth. she look unwell and complained of diffused pain. her condition worsened; 24 hrs later she developed jaw stiffness, and severe back and limb spasms. she was transferred to icu. what was her condition?
A: Tetanus
Notes: “Rusty garden cut → Lockjaw” → toxin blocks relaxation → spasms & stiffness. Visualize a garden rake clamping your jaw shut.
Q: 15-month-old boy admitted for continual screaming ,vomiting, and enlarged head. He deteriorated and died 3 weeks later. what was his diagnosis (dx)?
A: Alexander disease actrocyetes filled w GFAP and (This condition is caused by mutations in the GFAP gene, which leads to the abnormal accumulation of glial fibrillary acidic protein in brain cells.)
Notes: Alexander the Great’s Helmet is filled with GFAP glue → astrocytes clogged, big head, fatal in toddlers.
Q: Tre, the little boy who died from mild head trauma, maybe could have been saved with a drug that
A: blocked apoptosis
Notes: “Tre’s tragedy = too much self-destruct”. Blocking apoptosis could’ve saved him.
Q: The enzyme responsible for breaking down dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin is
A: monoamine oxidase (MAO), which plays a crucial role in regulating mood and emotional responses by maintaining neurotransmitter balance in the brain.
Notes: Think “MAO = Mood Axe Officer” → chops up dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin when there’s too much.
Intro+Anatomy
Q: physiological activity of the brain can be visualized using a:
A: PET scan
Notes: it measures metabolic activity (PET = “Puppy Energy Tracker” → tracks where brain cells burn energy.)
Q: The neuron doctrine was proposed by who?
A: Santiago Ramon y Caja
considered the father of modern neuroscience, he formulated the neuron doctrine which states that neurons are the basic building blocks of the nervous system. also posited that each neuron operates as a distinct entity, communicating with other neurons through specialized connections called synapses.This foundational concept revolutionized our understanding of how information is transmitted within the brain and has guided countless research studies in neuroscience.
Notes: “Cajal = Father of Neurons” → drew neuron trees like an artist.
Q: Gray matter refers to
A: Neuronal cell bodies (white and gray and unmyleinated)
Q: What view shows brain structures from the front?
A: Coronal section.
Q: The most common type of neuron in the brain are
A: Interneurons
Neurodevelopment
Q: AP proteins protect neurons from apoptosis by
A: inhibiting caspase activity
Q: Developing spinal cord cells are induced to differentiate into motor neurons instead of sensory neurons by
A: Sonic Hedgehog.
Q: In development, our skin arises from ___ embryonic layer; our brain arises from ___ layer.
A: Extoderm; extoderm
Q: Spinal cord cells are induced to develop as motor neurons under the influence of a hormone produced by the
A: Notochord
Q: The interior of the neural tube eventually develops into the ____ system
A: Ventricular
Neuropharmacology
N:
L-dopa: The primary symptoms of levodopa are side effects that can affect the body, mind, and movement. These symptoms, which vary by person, may include nausea and dizziness initially, and involuntary movements (dyskinesia) with long-term use. The most common formulation combines levodopa with carbidopa, which helps manage gastrointestinal symptoms.
Q: Matt’s first cigarette at age 14 caused mild nausea. When he tried his second cigarette a month later, he had worse nausea. This is the phenomenon of
A: Sensitization
Q: Benzodiazepines, such as diazepam and other anxiolytics, modulate action of the neurotransmitter
A: GABA
Q: Cocaine and amphetamine both potently affect ___ of catecholamine neurotransmitters.
A: Reuptake
Q: What causes autism?
A: Too many synaptic connections.
Q: Curare is a drug that selectively blocks receptors
A: acetylation
Neurophysiology
Q: What type of seizure lasts only a minute or so?
A: Focal impaired awareness seizure
Q: If the resting potential changed from -70 mV to -90 mV this is a(n)__; this occurs as part of an ___.
A: Hyper-polarization; IPSP
Q: When an action potential reaches an axon terminal, ___ now enters the cell and triggers the release of neurotransmitter
A: Calcium
Q: ____ detects the amount of neurotransmitter in the synaptic cleft
A: Autoreceptors
Q: The change in a neuron’s membrane potential caused by binding of neurotransmitter is called
A: Post-synaptic potential
Misc.
Q: The presence of benzodiazepine receptors in the brain implies that the brain must
A: produces an endogenous substance that binds to these receptors
Q: The neurotransmitter acetylcholine acts on ___ receptors.
A: Nicotinic and Muscarinic.
Antagonist drugs: ANTROPINE
Q: Neurogenesis is
A: birth of new neurons
Q: If both eyes are deprived light after an animal sensitive period, which occurs?
A: Nothing much