Neuroscience: Spinal Cord and Brain Structures

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Questions and Answers

What function is primarily associated with the medulla?

  • Fine motor control
  • Visual spatial awareness
  • Heart rate regulation (correct)
  • Emotional memory processing

Which part of the brain is closely linked to the 'locked-in' syndrome?

  • Amygdala
  • Thalamus
  • Pons (correct)
  • Cerebellum

Which aspect of the primary auditory cortex is correctly described?

  • Retinotopic organization
  • Tonotopic organization (correct)
  • Orientation selective cells
  • Direct neural activity measurement

What does the limbic system primarily regulate?

<p>Emotion and motivation (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of the substantial nigra?

<p>Contains high levels of dopaminergic neurons (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which imaging technique is specifically used to trace the movement of water in the brain?

<p>Diffusion weighted imaging (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about the neural subtraction method is true?

<p>It disregards areas of identical activity. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The primary motor and sensory cortices are organized in what manner?

<p>Not directly proportional to human organ size (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary role of the reticular formation within the hindbrain?

<p>Managing arousal and wakefulness (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In what way is the organization of the primary visual cortex structured?

<p>Arranged according to specific orientations of visual stimuli (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between oxygen consumption and neural activity in functional neuroimaging?

<p>Increased activity leads to increased oxygen consumption (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which part of the limbic system is primarily involved in emotion regulation related to aggression?

<p>Amygdala (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following correctly describes the role of the pons?

<p>Relays information between the cerebellum and higher brain regions (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the substantial nigra differ in appearance from other brain regions?

<p>It contains higher levels of dopaminergic neurons, giving it a darker appearance (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of the human brain's capacity for reorganization?

<p>Normal functions can persist despite significant tissue loss (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of the primary auditory cortex is highlighted by its tonal organization?

<p>Its organization is based on frequency responses in auditory space (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following imaging techniques is primarily used for structural imaging?

<p>Computed Tomography (CT) (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Reflex Arc

A neural pathway that controls a reflex action, involving sensory neurons, interneurons in the spinal cord, and motor neurons.

Medulla

Part of the hindbrain controlling vital functions like heart rate and respiration.

Cerebellum

Part of the hindbrain responsible for fine motor control, like coordinating movement and speech.

Substantia Nigra

Midbrain structure crucial for movement and reward, containing dopaminergic neurons.

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Limbic System

A forebrain structure controlling emotions, motivation, and memory, including the hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus, and amygdala.

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Primary Visual Cortex

Brain area responsible for processing visual information, organized based on visual space (retinotopic).

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Functional Neuroimaging

Brain imaging techniques measuring brain activity by monitoring blood flow changes.

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Neural Subtraction Method

Functional activation technique that identifies active brain areas by comparing brain activity during different tasks.

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Pons

A part of the hindbrain that acts as a relay center between the cerebellum and the rest of the brain.

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'Locked-in' Syndrome

A condition resulting from damage to the pons, typically caused by a stroke, where patients are fully conscious but paralyzed except for eye movement.

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Amygdala and Emotion Regulation

The amygdala, a part of the limbic system, plays a key role in processing emotions, particularly fear and aggression. Serotonin levels within the amygdala are associated with aggression and impulse control.

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Primary Motor Cortex

The brain area responsible for planning and executing voluntary movements. The size of the cortical representation is not directly proportional to the size of the body part it controls.

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Primary Somatosensory Cortex

Brain area responsible for processing sensory information from the body, including touch, temperature, and pain.

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Retinotopic Organization

The arrangement of neurons in the primary visual cortex based on their corresponding areas in the visual field. Neurons representing neighboring locations in the visual field are located close to each other.

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Orientation Selective Cells

Specialized neurons in the primary visual cortex that respond selectively to specific orientations of lines or bars in the visual field.

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Tonotopic Organization

The arrangement of neurons in the primary auditory cortex based on their corresponding frequencies in the auditory field. Neurons representing neighboring frequencies are located close to each other.

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Diffusion Weighted Imaging

A type of MRI that measures the movement of water molecules in the brain to reveal the structure of white matter tracts - pathways of nerve fibers connecting different brain regions.

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Study Notes

Spinal Cord and Reflex Arc

  • Spinal cord facilitates reflex actions through interneurons.

Hindbrain

  • Medulla: Controls vital functions like heart rate and respiration. The reticular formation within the medulla regulates wakefulness and alertness.
  • Cerebellum: Important for fine motor control, including speech movements.
  • Pons: Acts as a relay station between the cerebellum and other brain areas.
  • "Locked-In" Syndrome: Results from pons damage (often stroke-related). Individuals are completely paralyzed, but cognitively aware, with only eye movements possible.

Midbrain

  • Substantia Nigra: Appears darker due to high dopamine neuron concentration. Crucial for reward and movement control.

Forebrain

  • Limbic System: A complex system involved in emotion, motivation, and memory regulation. Comprises the hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus, cingulate gyrus, and amygdala.
  • Amygdala and Emotion Regulation: Serotonin levels in the amygdala influence aggression and threat response.

Cortex

  • Primary Motor and Somatosensory Cortices: Control voluntary movement and sensory input. Their size isn't directly proportional to the size of the body part they control.
  • Primary Visual Cortex: Arranged in a retinotopic manner, meaning neurons are organized based on their corresponding visual field locations. It also contains orientation-selective cells which respond to specific line orientations.
  • Primary Auditory Cortex: Features tonotopic organization, wherein neurons are organized based on the frequencies of sounds they process.

Studying the Brain

  • Structural Imaging: Early study methods were based on autopsies. Modern methods include CT and MRI scans for visualizing brain structure. Diffusion weighted imaging tracks water movement to reveal neural pathways.
  • Functional (Metabolic) Neuroimaging: Measures brain activity by detecting changes in blood oxygen levels. Neural activity increases blood flow and oxygen consumption. The hemodynamic response function shows a delayed response in blood flow to neural activity. The neural subtraction method finds differences in brain activity based on tasks (a control group is used). Functional connectivity studies measure co-activity of different brain areas. The brain has remarkable plasticity and reorganization potential. A significant loss of brain matter does not always result in total loss of function.
  • fNIRS (Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy) is a non-invasive neuroimaging technique used to measure brain activity. It works by detecting changes in blood oxygenation and blood flow in the brain using near-infrared light.
  • EEG (Electroencephalography) is a technique used to measure electrical activity in the brain.
    • Scalp EEG is non-invasive and widely used for general brain monitoring.
    • Intracranial EEG is invasive and provides more precise data for clinical or advanced research purposes.

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