Anatomy
The protein complex for anterograde and retrograde movement in the neurons are called what respectively?
Anterograde as kinesins and retrograde as dynein
Phineas Gage's infamous 1848 accident, where an iron rod was driven through his skull and frontal lobe, is one of the most famous case studies in neuroscience. What profound change did this accident cause, which taught us about the function of the frontal lobes?
A drastic change in his personality and behavior (while his basic cognitive functions remained, he became fitful, irreverent, and profane). This revealed the frontal lobe's role in personality, judgment, and social conduct.
This common medical imaging technique uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to create detailed pictures of the brain's structure, but it doesn't show brain activity in real-time. What is its acronym?
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
This chronic disorder is characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures, which are sudden bursts of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. What is the name of this condition?
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a chronic brain disorder in which groups of nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain sometimes send the wrong signals and cause seizures.
Which lobe of the brain is primarily responsible for processing visual information?
The occipital lobe
It sits at the back of the brain and contains the primary visual cortex, which is the first cortical area to receive visual input from the eyes via the thalamus.
Which structure connects the two hemispheres of the brain, allowing them to communicate with each other?
Corpus callosum- is a vital structure in the brain that connects the left and right cerebral hemispheres, facilitating communication between them.
In the early 1900s, this Spanish scientist discovered that the brain is made up of individual cells called neurons, which contradicted the previously held belief that the brain was a continuous network. What is his name?
Santiago Ramón y Cajal
What is the name of the technology that uses electrodes placed on the scalp to record the brain's spontaneous electrical activity? It is often used to diagnose epilepsy and study sleep stages.
EEG (Electroencephalography)
This progressive neurodegenerative disease is the most common cause of dementia and is histologically defined by the presence of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain.
Alzheimer's Disease
The famous patient known as Henry Molaison (H.M.) had which brain structure removed, leading to profound anterograde amnesia?
The hippocampus
The answer is the hippocampus, removed bilaterally to treat severe epilepsy.
This major brain structure, named for its seahorse-like shape, is critical for forming new long-term memories. Damage to it can result in an inability to create new memories. What is it?
Hippocampus- is a crucial brain structure involved in memory formation, learning, and emotional processing, resembling a seahorse in shape
In the mid-20th century, Canadian neurosurgeon Wilder Penfield famously created maps of the brain's motor and sensory cortices. What did he use to create these "maps," by applying a mild electrical current to the exposed brains of awake patients?
Electrical Stimulation- Wilder Graves Penfield was a pioneering neurosurgeon known for his significant contributions to electrical stimulation in the brain. He developed the Montreal Procedure, which involved stimulating the brain's surface while patients were conscious, allowing for real-time mapping of brain functions.
This advanced version of MRI measures changes in blood flow to map brain function in real-time, showing which areas become active during a task like reading or moving your hand. What is its acronym?
fMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
Often referred to as a "mini-stroke," this temporary event is caused by a brief blockage of blood flow to the brain, with symptoms that typically last less than 24 hours.
TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack)
ADHD is associated with dysregulation of which two neurotransmitter systems, and which brain network shows reduced connectivity as a result?
The answer is dopamine and norepinephrine.
What is the name of the intricate, highly-convoluted outer layer of the brain, composed of gray matter, that is responsible for higher-order functions like thought, language, and consciousness?
The Cerebral Cortex (or Neocortex)- Neocortex, a specialized part of the cerebral cortex, is responsible for higher-order brain functions like language, reasoning, and problem-solving.
What is the name of the first neurosurgeon to successfully separate the brain of conjoined Twins?
Ben Carson, a neurosurgeon assisted by Donlin. Patrick and Benjamin Binder (born 2 February 1987) were conjoined twins, joined at the head, born in Germany in February 1987, and successfully separated at Johns Hopkins Children's Center on 6 September 1987.
This buildup of glial scarring around a brain-computer interface's electrodes, combined with shifting neural signal patterns over time, is a key reason these devices need periodic recalibration."
Neural Signal Drift
This autoimmune disorder affects the protective covering of nerves (myelin) in the central nervous system, disrupting communication between the brain and the body. Its name literally means "multiple scars."
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Damage to Broca's area typically results in what type of aphasia, and what's the key characteristic?
Expressive, or non-fluent, aphasia. Broca's area is in the left frontal lobe and governs speech production. Patients understand language relatively well but struggle to produce fluent speech, often speaking in short, and simplified phrases.
What are the 4 fluid filled cavities at the centre of brain called?
The ventricles
In a famous and ethically controversial series of experiments in the 1950s, psychologist Roger Sperry and his colleagues studied "split-brain" patients. What specific structure was surgically severed in these patients to treat their epilepsy?
The Corpus Callosum- This structure connects the two hemispheres of the brain and was severed to study the independent functions of each hemisphere in patients with epilepsy.
This techniques is commonly used to measure electro-chemical current across an entire cell membrane and involves creating a giga-seal around the cell being studied
Whole cell patch clamping.
A rare, autosomal dominant inherited disorder causes a progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the brain. It is caused by a specific genetic mutation on chromosome 4 involving a CAG trinucleotide repeat expansion.
Huntington's Disease
In Capgras syndrome, patients believe a loved one has been replaced by an impostor. What's the leading neuropsychological explanation involving a disconnect between two brain systems?
The answer involves a disconnection between the fusiform face area, which handles facial recognition, and the amygdala, which normally generates the emotional response of familiarity