Neuroscience Basics: Basal Ganglia and Temporal Lobes

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Questions and Answers

What is a primary function of the basal ganglia?

Regulating sleep cycles

Controlling language comprehension

Initiating spontaneous movements (correct)

Processing sensory information

Which of the following is NOT typically associated with Parkinson's disease?

Cognitive impairment

Heightened sense of smell (correct)

Difficulty initiating movement

Tremors

Deep brain stimulation, can alleviate some symptoms of Parkinson's disease by targeting:

The auditory cortex

The visual cortex

Connections within the basal ganglia or globus pallidus (correct)

The prefrontal cortex

According to the content, which area of the basal ganglia is specifically involved in reward seeking?

The nucleus accumbens (C) Signup and view all the answers

What phenomenon did the Olds and Milner (1954) study demonstrate?

The role of the septum in reward experience (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT considered a primary function associated with the temporal lobes?

Motor control (A) Signup and view all the answers

The primary auditory cortex, located in the temporal lobes, is involved in which aspect of sound processing?

Decoding sound information for understanding (B) Signup and view all the answers

Damage to the right temporal lobe can lead to prosopagnosia, which is characterized by the inability to:

Recognize familiar faces (B) Signup and view all the answers

The fusiform face area (FFA), is most specifically associated with:

Recognizing human faces (C) Signup and view all the answers

Visual agnosia is a condition resulting from temporal lobe damage that impairs:

Ability to recognize visual objects (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which area of the temporal lobe is most specifically involved in the comprehension of speech?

Wernicke's area (B) Signup and view all the answers

Wernicke's aphasia is primarily characterized by:

Fluent speech that lacks substantive content (A) Signup and view all the answers

Sound information, in order to be processed, is transmitted in which order:

Ears, auditory nerve, auditory cortex (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the hierarchical organization of the somatosensory cortex?

Legs, torso, and feet are represented higher up, while hands, face, and neck areas are represented lower down. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Why is a larger proportion of the somatosensory cortex dedicated to the hands and face compared to the legs and torso?

The hands and face are more sensitive to touch than the legs and torso. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the anatomical relationship between the primary somatosensory cortex and the primary motor cortex?

They are located side by side. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which function is NOT associated with the parietal lobe and by extension the somatosensory cortex?

Motor planning (A) Signup and view all the answers

How does the somatosensory cortex facilitate spatial navigation?

By allowing us to perceive our body in space. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary characteristic of hemispatial neglect?

Ignoring one side of space or objects. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Damage to which area of the brain is most commonly associated with hemispatial neglect?

The right parietal cortex. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What type of task would be suitable to test for hemispatial neglect?

Copying images of symmetrical objects. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of motor neurons?

Transmitting information from the brain to muscles and organs. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which part of a neuron is primarily responsible for processing information?

Soma (cell body) (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the 'Step A' of intra-neuronal communication?

Transmission of electrical information from the axon hillock to the terminal buttons. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Approximately how many neurons is your nervous system thought to comprise?

10 to 100 billion (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the general function of interneurons?

Transmitting information between other neurons. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of neurons, referring to their interaction levels?

They are highly integrated, with each neuron communicating with thousands of others. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes how neurons communicate?

Using a combination of electrical and chemical processes. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of sensory neurons?

To transmit information from sensory receptors to the brain. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary composition of the white matter in the brain and spinal cord?

Primarily myelinated axons of neurons. (D) Signup and view all the answers

In neuronal communication, what type of signal is involved in Step A?

Electrical signal, specifically an action potential (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes Step C in neuronal communication?

Release of chemical signals across the synapse. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the specific term for when a molecule or chemical has a positive charge?

Cation (A) Signup and view all the answers

In the context of ion movement, what is diffusion?

The passive movement of ions from areas of high concentration to low concentration. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the three steps of neuronal communication (A,B,C) involve electrical communication?

Both Step A and B (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the flow of information in step B?

From the axon hillock, along the axon to terminal buttons. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of these best describes the role of the synapse in neuronal communication?

To release chemical signals to communicate to nearby neurons (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the 'lock-and-key' analogy in the context of neurotransmitter binding?

Specific neurotransmitters bind only to specific receptors, like a key fits a specific lock. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of a neurotransmitter binding to a pre-synaptic receptor?

To regulate the release of that same neurotransmitter, acting as a feedback loop. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes how binding of a neurotransmitter to a post-synaptic receptor causes an EPSP?

Binding causes the opening of ion channels that increase the concentration of positive ions, causing depolarization. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the key difference between electrical and chemical communication within the nervous system?

Electrical communication is faster and more direct, whereas chemical communication is slower and involves random diffusion of a neurotransmitter. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What primarily determines whether a post-synaptic neuron will generate an action potential?

The summed effect of all excitatory (EPSPs) and inhibitory (IPSPs) potentials arriving at the axon hillock. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following steps is NOT required for successful neurotransmitter binding?

The receptor must be already occupied for binding to occur. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a mechanism for clearing neurotransmitters from the synapse?

Passive diffusion of the neurotransmitter into the bloodstream. (A) Signup and view all the answers

According to the content, why is it important to clear excess neurotransmitters from the synapse?

To ensure continuous neurotransmitter release and prevent overstimulation of the postsynaptic neuron. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Introduction to Psychology - Week 1 Lecture Notes

Learning outcomes for this week:
- Define psychology
- Briefly describe the history of psychology
- Understand different perspectives in psychology
- Identify several possible career paths in psychology
Unit Overview:
- Weekly activities (approximately 10 hours per week):
  - Attend/watch the lecture
  - Attend/work through the recorded seminar
  - Complete associated learning tasks
Assessments:
- AT1 - Week 5 (25%): roughly 5-10 hours
- AT2 - Week 10 (35%): roughly 15-20 hours
- AT3 - End of unit assessment (exam): 40%

Early Work and Ideas - Internal Processes

Early philosophers:
- Aristotle, Socrates, through to Descartes, Hobbes, and Locke (early empiricists)
- Free will vs. determinism, mind-body problem, and mind-body dualism
Early Biological Explanations of Behavior (Nature):
- Theory of evolution and natural selection (Darwin)
- Comparative Psychology
- Wilhelm Wundt's 1879 experimental lab (Leipzig, Germany)
- Structuralism (breaking down the mind into basic components)
- Functionalism (examining functions, rather than components - William James)
Psychodynamics (within the mind):
- Freud and his colleagues (including Anna Freud)

20th Century - Move From Internal Processes to Externally Observable 'Behavior'

Behaviorism (examining the role of external factors on behaviors - nurture):
- Pavlov - Classical conditioning
- Watson - Focusing on observable behaviors
- Skinner - Operant conditioning and the Skinner box
- Bandura - Social cognitive theory
Humanism - Free will, growth, and meaning:
- Maslow's hierarchy of needs
- Rogers' person-centered approach
- Focus on strengths and well-being, rather than problems
Still interest in the mind:
- Cognitive neuroscience (modern biological approach)

Sociocultural

Recognizes the influences of culture, social norms, and group processes (macro)
The influence of individuals like family members, workmates, and romantic partners (micro)

The Problem of White, Cis, Hetero, Male Psychology

Much knowledge in biology and mental health has been generated for specific groups, and generalizing to women, non-Western, and marginal groups doesn't work
Examples: ASD/ADHD in girls and women; signs of stroke/heart attack differing between men & women; racism in intelligence testing; CBT with First Nations people

Biopsychosocial Model

Recognizes that cognitions and behavior are best explained through the interaction of:
- Biology (e.g., genes, neurotransmitters)
- Psychology (e.g., neuroticism, optimism, rejection sensitivity)
- Social factors (e.g., identity, experience, social support)

What is Psychology Now?

Research areas in psychology
- Clinical, mental health, cognitive neuroscience, social, organizational, developmental, forensic, relationship, and cross-cultural psychology
- Specific areas such as aggression, addiction, sleep, memory, ADHD, gender and sexuality, suicide, climate change, and dark tetrad

Week 2 Notes

Learning Outcomes:
- Describe the basic structures and functions of the CNS and PNS
- Describe the location and function of the lobes of the brain
- Describe the basic functions of the ANS
- Apply understanding of the ANS to automatic behaviors
Biopsychosocial model (focus on the biological component)

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

Test your knowledge on the functions of the basal ganglia and the temporal lobes in this quiz. Explore the roles these brain structures play in movement, reward seeking, and auditory processing. Additionally, examine conditions related to temporal lobe damage, including prosopagnosia and Wernicke's aphasia.