Brain Flashcards

The brain is composed of billions of brain cells which work together to pass information back and forth. 

1. Brain Structure(architecture)

• Hindbrain(the bottom of the brain) 

Medulla controls our breathing heart rate blood circulation and balance 

Ponds-  attentiveness and sleep (inside the ponds

Midbrain- regulate experiences of pain, mood, and shape motivation

Cerebellum- coordinates voluntary movement. Ex: balance, posture, coordination) 

• Forebrain: 

Thalamus- sleep, wakefulness, and sends signals to the cerebral cortex

Hypothalamus- is involved in controlling motivated behaviors in eating, drinking, and sextual behaviorsIt detects your body temperature when sleeping 

 Amygdala- emotional response (specifically anger; playing video games or in fear) 

Hippocampus- learning, memory,creating new memories, spatial orientation(ability to navigate around your environment) 

• The cerebral cortex makes up 80% of the brain. 

• The cerebral cortex is taken most into consideration because it coordinates our thoughts, language, and emotions. 

• Large tissue crumpled up in the brain. 

• Each hemisphere controls muscles on each side of the body. 

• Sensory information is passed through the  corpus callosum to opposite sides of the brain. 

• Fissures divide the hemisphere into 4 lobe groups, the frontal lobes, the parietal lobes, temporal lobes, and the occipital lobes. 

Longitudinal fissure- separates the brain in 2 halves(left and right hemisphere) 

Corpus callosum- allows right and left hemispheres to connect 

Types of cortical tissue 

1. Sensory areas- receiver information 

2. Mirror areas- control behaviors

3. Association areas- thinking 

2. Action Potential(electrical activity)-  

neurons are communication cells, sending and receiving information. 

Action potential happens: 

Depolarization-positive charged sodium ion move into axon 

Depolarization- positive charged sodium ions move out of the axon

A neuron is made up of a dendrite, an axon, and a cell body…

The dendrites are heavily branched and are the ones who receive information from other neurons 

The cell body contains the neuron's nucleus. 

The axon is the output side of the neuron and sends information to other neurons.

Glia:

Brain contains a cell called glia and contributes to the brain's development. 

Glia hold neurons in place and supply nutrients and oxygen. 

Glia converts glucose into lactate which feeds neurons. 

Glia has a nucleus and a cell membrane. 

Glial cells increase the speed of neuron communication. (Helps create more rapid action potentials) 

When glia is stimulated it results in a signal, action potential. (Information carrier, sent from one neuron to another.)

3. Neurochemicals(chemical messages)- 

Synaptic cleft- space between neurons when there is an action potential 

When action potential reaches axon terminal it releases neurotransmitters are in between the synaptic cleft 

What happens to neurotransmitters after affecting the postsynaptic neuron?  

Some neurotransmitters are broken down by cleaning enzymes 

Most of them are reused with the process of synaptic reuptake… 

Synaptic uptake- after affecting the postsynaptic neuron the neurotransmitter is vacuumed up to the presynaptic axon terminals  for future use. 

At night- Rest and recuperation neurotransmitters increase: 

• Melatonin 

• Serotonin 

At morning- excitatory neurotransmitters: 

• Acetylcholine 

• Glutamate 

• Aspartate 

• Noradrenaline 

• Histamine

Stressful situations-  flight or fight neurotransmitters: 

• Epinephrine 

• Norepinephrine 

Excitatory neurotransmitters increase the chance of a n action potential 

• Epinephrine 

• Norepinephrine 

Inhibitory neurotransmitters inhabit the chance of an action potential 

• Serotonin 

• GABA 

Most common in CNS(central nervous system)-  glutamate and GABA 

 Degeneracy- combination of many different neurotransmitters can produce the same outcome