Neuroscience II
STRUCTURE OF THE BRAIN
dorsal :: back of the axis
ventral :: front of the axis
rostral :: top of the axis
caudal :: bottom of the axis
 
STUDYING THE BRAIN
phineas gage :: never the same after accidental rod through his left cheekbone to their top of the brain
lesion studies :: hard to determine what specific structure does what bc the brain is so highly interconnected, often a variet of behaviours are affected by a single lesion
single cell recording :: used by Penfield + his montreal procedure. pt under local andesthetic + fully conscious. thin wire carrying small electric chardge to stimulate the cortex leading to indiv neurons to fire = Penfield could accurately map perceptual processes + behaviours to specific brain regions. provides info abt a limited area in the brain
- if visual cortex stimulated = pt sees flash of light
- if motor cortex stimulated = pt experiences muscle twitch
CT scan :: computed tomography. structural neuroimaging technique. series of X-ray slices of the brain are taken. quick + inexpensive. low resolution
MRI scan :: magnetic resonance imaging. structural neuroimaging technique. powerful magnetici fields are generated which align the H atoms in brain. with H atoms aligned, it can map the location of the H atoms. long process + expensive
PET scan :: positron emission tomography. functional neuroimaging technique. radioactive tracer (glucose or oxygen) is injected into the bloodstream + is used by metabolic processes.more active brain areas will use more metabolic resources = an image of the brains relative pattern of activity can be constructed. invasinve
fMRI :: functional magnetic resonance imaging. prefered functional neuroimaging technique. measures the relative use of oxygen = more active areas of the brain require more metabolic resources. downside - there is a delay bw brain activity and oxygen spike
EEG :: electroencephalogram. functional neuroimaging technique. brain activity is measured through the scalp by wearing a cap of v sensitive electrodes. rough image of the brainâs overal activity, from populations of neurons.
ERP experiment :: event related potential. stimulus is presented to person w EEG recording. generally a noisy graph is produced. by averaging the signals + recognizing markers the experiment can give v precise information.
THE BRAIN REGIONS - HINDBRAIN & MIDBRAIN
hindbrain :: medulla, pons, reticular formation, cerebellum. oldest parts of the brain evolutionarily. RCMP
reticular formation :: arousal & motivation, circadian rhythms, posture & balance
cerebellum :: coordinated movement
medulla :: breathing, digestion, heart rate, autonomic reflexes
pons :: movement, auditory perception, emotion processing
midbrain :: lies bw the hindbrain + forebrain. contains tectum + tegmentum
tectum :: contains superior and inferior colliculi that are involved in perception + action
superior colliculus :: eye movements + visual reflexs
inferior colliculus :: auditory integration
tegmentum :: contains red nucleus red nucleus and substantia nigra. implicated in reward circuitry
red nucleus :: motor control
substantia nigra :: integral role in reward-related behaviours, through the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine
vision = superior sense, superior colliculus controls vision so the inferior colliculus deals with audtion
red nucleus = red, muscle fibres = red
THE BRAIN REGIONS - FOREBRAIN
forebrain :: largest region of the brain. emotion, memory, perception, + thought.
hypothalamus :: 4 Fâs - Flight, Fight, Feeding, Fucking
pituitary gland :: inferior or hypothalamus; regulates hormones
anterior pituitary gland :: recieves signals from the brain (usually via hypothalamus) + releases stimulating hormones to regulate other important endocrine glands like thyroid, ovaries etc
posterior pituitary gland :: extension of hypothalamus. releases oxytocin + vasopressin
oxytocin :: involved in basic physiological functions (lactation + uterine contractions). also plays a role in bonding, love, + trust
vassopressin :: blood hormone that regulates levels of thirst by interacting w the kidneys to regulate glucose lvls
thalamus :: relay station to the cerebral cortex. all senses synapse through except olfaction
amygdala :: almond shaped, located just below the surface of temporal lobe. decodes emotions, esp fear
hippocampus :: ability to hold short term memories. connected to amygdala. spacial map of world. one of few regions of brain where neurogenesis continues through adulthood
PHAT-H the regions of the limbic system
THE BRAIN REGIONS - CORTEX
cortex :: the outermost layer of the brain; 5mm thick. newest part of the brain.
F-POT :: 4 lobes of the cortex. Frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal
occipital lobe :: responsible for primary visual processing
temporal lobe :: below the sylvian fissure. higher visual processing, basic auditory processing, memory & language
parietal lobe :: lies ant to occipital lobe, above the sylvian fissure + terminates rostrally at the central sulcus. contains the primary somatosensory cortex. touch processing + spatial representations
frontal lobe :: contains primary motor cortex. motor processing + decision making & higher order thought
BRAIN LATERALIZATION
asymmetry :: function specialized to one sid eof the brain
brocaâs area :: left frontal lobe. expressive aphasia. when broca is broke, he uses broken words
wernickes area :: left temporal gyrus. receptive aphasia. when wernike wonât work, we wonder âwhat?â
right hemisphere :: contains a number of specialized region involved in the processing of spatial representations of the world
corpus collosum :: thick bundle of axons that connect the two hemisphere of the brain