chapter 2,6 easy questions

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What is the main function of dendrites in a neuron?

To produce neurotransmitters

To support tissue repair

To send information to other neurons

To receive information from other neurons (correct)

What is the term for the small gap between the terminal buttons of one neuron and the dendrites of another?

Synapse (correct)

Neurotransmitter

Dendrite

Action potential

What is the main function of the white matter in the brain?

To process information

To produce neurotransmitters

To store information

To transmit information through axons (correct)

What is the term for the outer regions of the brain?

Lateral Signup and view all the answers

What is the main function of the basal ganglia in the brain?

Motor control and skill learning Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the folded sheets of gray matter in the brain?

Gyri Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the collection of gray matter that lies under the white matter in the brain?

Subcortex Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the part of the brain that is involved in emotional regulation and motivation?

Limbic system Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for cortical blindness restricted to one half of the visual field?

Hemianopia Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the inability to report perceiving visual stimuli even though performance suggests otherwise?

Blindsight Signup and view all the answers

What is the region of extrastriate cortex associated with color perception and color constancy?

V4 Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a failure to perceive color due to damage to V4?

Achromatopsia Signup and view all the answers

What is the region of extrastriate cortex associated with motion perception?

V5 Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a failure to perceive visual motion due to damage to V5?

Akinetopsia Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between rod cells and cone cells?

Intensity of light Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of the fovea in the eye?

To provide high visual acuity Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the geniculostriate pathway?

To transmit visual information from the eye to the brain Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the primary visual cortex (V1)?

To construct complex visual information from simple information Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of simple cells in V1?

Respond to single points of light and orientation Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN)?

To transmit visual information from the eye to the primary visual cortex Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the organization of the receptive fields of neurons in V1?

Retinotopic organization Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the cortical and non-cortical routes in visual processing?

To provide information about time of day Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of the case of LM?

Can detect direction of movement but cannot detect biological motion Signup and view all the answers

What is the second stage of object recognition?

Grouping physical elements Signup and view all the answers

What is object constancy?

The understanding that objects remain the same despite changes in viewing conditions Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of apperceptive agnosia?

A failure to recognize objects due to a deficit in object perception Signup and view all the answers

What is the parahippocampal place area (PPA) responsible for?

Responding to scenes more than objects Signup and view all the answers

What is the fusiform face area (FFA) responsible for?

Responding to faces more than objects Signup and view all the answers

What is prosopagnosia?

The inability to recognize previously familiar faces Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of associative agnosia?

A failure to recognize objects due to a deficit in semantic memory Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Introducing the Brain

Neurons are cells that make up the nervous system, consisting of a cell body (soma), dendrites, and axon.
The cell body contains the nucleus and organelles.
Dendrites receive information, while the axon sends information.

Neural Communication

Terminal buttons of a neuron and dendrites of another neuron communicate through a small gap called a synapse.
Presynaptic neuron is the information giver, while postsynaptic neuron is the information receiver.
Action potential electrically charges the presynaptic neuron, inducing the release of informative chemicals called neurotransmitters.

Terms of Directional References

Lateral: refers to the outer regions of the brain.
Medial: refers to the central regions of the brain.

Gross Organization of the Brain

Gray matter consists of cell bodies.
White matter consists of axons and glia (support cells involved in tissue repair and myelin formation).

Cerebral Cortex

Folded sheets of gray matter.
Raised surfaces are called gyri (gyrus).
Folds are called sulci (sulcus).
The folded structure helps to increase area/volume ratio (efficiency in packaging of the brain).

4 Main Parts of the Cerebral Cortex

No specific information provided about the 4 main parts.

Subcortex

Lies under the white matter.
Consists of a gray matter collection.
Includes basal ganglia, limbic system, thalamus, and hypothalamus.

Basal Ganglia

Responsible for motor control and skill learning.
Disorders associated with poverty or excess of movement (e.g., Parkinson's and Huntington's).

Limbic System

No specific information provided about the limbic system.

Diencephalon

Includes thalamus and hypothalamus.

Midbrain and Hindbrain

No specific information provided about midbrain and hindbrain.

Sensation & Perception

Sensation: Effects of stimulus on sensory organs
Perception: Interpretation of stimulus based on prior experience
The brain actively constructs the visual representation of the world

From Eye to Brain

Rod cells: Specialized for low intensity of light and movement
Cone cells: Specialized for high intensity of light and color information
Fovea: Entirely made of cones, responsible for visual acuity
Blind spot: Where the optic nerve leaves the eye

Geniculostriate Pathway

Optic nerve → Optic chiasm → Optic tract → Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (LGN) → Primary visual cortex (V1)

Primary Visual Cortex (V1)

Located in the occipital lobe, responsible for visual processing
V1 is the first stage of processing in the cortex
Simple cells: Respond to particular orientation and single points of light
Complex cells: Combination of simple cells, larger receptive fields, respond to movement of orientation, do not respond to single points of light
Hypercomplex cells: Just outside V1, built from responses of complex cells, respond to orientation and length

Cortical & Non-Cortical Routes

Geniculostriate pathway is the best understood and makes the largest contribution to human visual perception
Other routes are evolutionary older
Pathway to suprachiasmatic nucleus in the hypothalamus provides information about time of day
Pathways via superior colliculus and inferior pulvinar are important for orienting stimuli

Problems with Primary Visual Cortex

Retinotopic organization: Layout of the receptive fields of neurons in V1 reflect the spatial organization of the retina
Hemianopia: Cortical blindness restricted to one half of the visual field
Quadrantanopia: Cortical blindness restricted to a quarter of the visual field
Scotoma: A small region of cortical blindness

Blindsight

Inability to report perceiving visual stimulus even though performance suggests otherwise
Case of DB: Reported not seeing stimuli but oriented his eyes correctly toward stimuli

Extrastriate Areas in Vision

V4: Associated with color perception and color constancy
Achromatopsia: A failure to perceive color due to damage to V4
V5 (or MT): Associated with motion perception
Akinetopsia: A failure to perceive visual motion due to damage to V5

Dual Stream Visual Processing

No specific information provided

Object Recognition

1. Perception of basic elements (e.g., edges of various lengths, contrasts & orientations)
1. Grouping physical elements (depth cues and divide surfaces)
1. The viewer-centered description is then matched onto stored 3D descriptions of the structure of objects
1. Meaning is attributed to the stimulus

Agnosia

Failure in object recognition
Apperceptive agnosia: A failure to recognize objects due to a deficit at the level of object perception
Associative agnosia: A failure to recognize objects due to a deficit at the level of semantic memory
Case of HJA: Seeing the part but not the whole, impaired at deciding if objects are real or made up and naming objects

Categorical Perception

Category specificity: The brain represents different categories in different ways (and/or different regions)
Parahippocampal place area (PPA): Area of the brain that responds to scenes more than objects
The extrastriate body area (EBA): Area of the brain that responds to the human body more than to faces, scenes or objects

Face Recognition

Fusiform face area (FFA): An area in the inferior temporal lobes that responds more to faces than other visual objects
Prosopagnosia: Inability to recognize previously familiar faces

Studying That Suits You

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

Description

Introduction to cognitive neuroscience focusing on neurons and neural communication. Learn about the structure and function of neurons, including dendrites, axons, and cell bodies.