Techniques used to study the brain in relation to  behaviour:

MRI

• Structural MRI reveals brain anatomy

• Magnetic resonance imaging

• The gradient – adjusts the magnetic field

• Isolate different body parts -> Radio waves move at the same frequency as the magnetic fields.

fMRI

• Measures brain function

• Big magnet inside

• Can see the electrical activity to see how the brain works.

• Added Atomic level – stronger magnet – faster scan

• Oxygenated blood moves to the area of the brain that is more active*

• Talk, experience pain, etc.

• How brain changes when learning new things – visible

Localisation:

• Localisation - the theory that specific parts of the brain have specific functions that are related to specific behaviours

• Sometimes multiple parts of the brain can be involved  within the same behaviour because the complexity of the behaviours can be often very high

• Even though some parts of the brain have different functions to others - they work together with other parts of the brain to form and create certain behaviours

• The idea that functions have different areas of localisation within the brain - functions such as speech, hearing, memory etc. have different areas of the brain dedicated to them.

• What impact do specific parts of the brain have on specific behaviours? Eg. how the hippocampus affected memory - HM case study

Neuroplasticity:

• Neural pruning - dendrites shrink if not in use

• Use it to Localisation of function

• Area dense because of the process of brain plasticity

• Density - neurons have more branches on their dendrites

Formation of Neural Networks:

• When neural networks are formed, it is called neuroplasticity

• When neuron is stimulated, an electrical charge travels down the axon

• Neural networks are created when chemicals are repeatedly stimulated.

• This repeated firing causes neurons to sprout new dendrites - dendrite branching

• Increases the number of synapses available for the behaviour

Neural Pruning:

• Neural pruning is the process by which neurons and synaptic connections that are not often used are eliminated

• This is done to increase efficiency of the neural transmissions that are still in use.

• Neural pruning happens when synapses are not straightened in a long time

• Neural pruning results in neuroplasticity - which is the ability of the brain to change its structure

Neurotransmitters:

• Neuron contains electrical and chemical signals

• The electrical signals are only within the neuron and the chemical signals are in the synapse and are used to communicate between neurons

• Neurotransmitter - the chemical that is released when a signal is sent to the axon terminal.

• The neurotransmitter travels through the gap into another neuron

  • that is called synapse, this process is repeated once the neurotransmitter has reached its destination.

Agonists

• Neurotransmitters are agonists

• Specific to post synaptic receptor sights only.

Antagonists:

• Chemicals that are brought to the receptors of the post synaptic neurone

• They block the receptor sights and dont allow the agonist to actually bind to it.

Excitatory and Inhibitory synapses:

• Excitatory neurotransmitters increase the likelihood of a neuron firing by depolarizing the neuron

  • Acetylcholine and glutamate

• Inhibitory neurotransmitters decrease the likelihood of a neuron firing by hyperpolarizing the neuron

  • GABA

• Neural pathway is not inhabited

• E.g. sleeping, calming/relaxing down after a stressful event