Brain Methods
What combines a series of x-ray images, gives no function of the brain, but is good for stroke patients to see what part of the brain is damaged?
CT Scan (Computerized Tomography)
Break down a behaviour into component behaviours, is the definition of what?
Reductionism
1. The left and right side is separated by what?
2. What connects the two sides?
1. Longitudinal Fissure
2. Corpus Collasum
What is Amygdala?
The emotional processing, learning, memory, and other stuff
What are the two main divisions of the PNS?
Somatic and Autonomic
What does a PET Scan (Positron Emission Tomography) do?
Shows most active part of brain, measures where blood is most dense. It's bad with timing, really slow. Is not hard on the body except you have to insert a radioactive tracer. Takes pictures with eyes both open and closed than subtracts the difference
What is Neuroanatomy?
The study of the nervous system's structure levels of investigation
What are the 4 subdivisions of the brain, and what is each responsible for?
Frontal - language, memory, sexual behaviour, problem solving
Temporal - Auditory perception, comprehension, naming, verbal memory
Parietal - Integrating sensory info, manipulation of objects
Occipital - Vision
What is the Thalamus?
Sort of a 'sensory switchboard'
What is the Somatic NS?
Nerves that connect the voluntary muscles to sensory receptors. Carries info from the skin, muscles, and joints to the CNS and vice versa.
What has good spacial resolution, doesn't show function, is very loud and brain is getting hit with radio frequency pulses?
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
What is the two types of neuroanatomy?
Fine neuroanatomy
Auditory cortices, Language centers, and fusiform face area are apart of what lobe?
Temporal
What is the brainstem (medulla)?
Involved in breathing and other conscious stuff
What are the two kinds of nerve fibres in the Somatic NS?
Afferent- to the CNS
Efferent- from the CNS
What is EEG and ERPS?
EEG- oldest form of brain imaging, records electrical output of the brain at the scalp, has high density electrode erray.
ERPS- Special use of EEG, presents same stimulus many times and records what the brain does in response to that stimulus. Collate and average brain activity across those timepoints.
What are some Gross Methods?
Dissection, skull, duramater, gyri, sulci, grey matter and white matter
What are some visions in the occipital lobe?
Striate cortex, V1, Brodmann's 17, relayed from the thalamus, retinotopic
What is the purpose of pons?
Connects the brainstem to the cerebellum
What is the Autonomic NS?
Nerves that connect the heart, blood vessels, smooth muscles and glands. Ex. Heart rate, digestion, perspiration. Mediates a lot of the arousal felt during emotional experiences. Increase in blood pressure, sweating, increases respiration. The four F's... feeding, fighting, fleeing, and mating
What is TMS and FMRI?
TMS- Powerful rapidly changing magnetic fields used to produce or disrupt electrical fields in the brain. Stimulates or inhibits neural activity. Replace electroconclusive therapy and treat stroke.
FMRI- measures the haemodynamic response related to neural activity (blood flow). BOLD (blood oxygenated level dependent). More activity= more blood needed= bigger BOLD response.
What is the cerebral cortex?
Two symmetrical hemispheres, consist of grey matter, sheets of layered neurons. It sits over core structures (limbic system, basal ganglia), lots of bumps and folds.
Parietal Lobe is known as what type of area?
Somatosensory
What is the purpose of the cerebellum?
Also known as 'little brain'. Helps with balance and walking.
What are the divisions of ANS?
Sympathetic- mobilizes the body's resources for emergencies. Fight or Flight response
Parasympathetic- conserves body's resources, saves or stores energy