Cognitive Neuroscience Lecture 2 PDF

Cognitive Neuroscience PSY 25300, Fall 2024 Cognitive Psychology: Thinking, Knowing, and Remembering  Cognitive Neuroscience vs. Cognitive Psychology Cognitive neuroscience focuses on brain (neural) mechanisms to understand cognition. It involves measuring signals (e.g.,...

Cognitive Neuroscience PSY 25300, Fall 2024 Cognitive Psychology: Thinking, Knowing, and Remembering  Cognitive Neuroscience vs. Cognitive Psychology Cognitive neuroscience focuses on brain (neural) mechanisms to understand cognition. It involves measuring signals (e.g., electrical) to study cognition. Cognitive neuroscience is a newer discipline compared to cognitive psychology. Who is this?  Prosopagnosia Comes from prosopon meaning "face" and agnosia meaning "not knowing" or "ignorance." Prosopagnosia is a condition where a person cannot recognize faces. Congenital Prosopagnosia vs. Acquired Prosopagnosia Apperceptive Prosopagnosia vs. Associative Prosopagnosia Linked to damage or dysfunction in the brain's face recognition areas (e.g., fusiform face area, occipital face area, superior temporal sulcus). Who is this? Violent Behaviors and Neural Function Seemingly purposeful acts of violence are considered culpable. Seemingly accidental acts of violence are more tolerated. Brain disorders and brain injuries can alter behavior, raising ethical questions about culpability. Neuroethicists examine the moral questions that arise from advances in our understanding of the brain and nervous system Flow of Information Between Neurons Direction of flow: Presynaptic neuron -> Synapse -> Postsynaptic neuron. Information flows across synaptic cleft (i.e., space) between neurons. – The axon terminal of one neuron releases neurotransmitters that cross the synaptic cleft and bind to receptors on the dendrites of the adjacent neuron. Figure 2.1 Schematic of two neurons and a synapse (Part 2)  Synaptic Plasticity Synapses can change their strength based on experience. This is called “plasticity” and it allows learning and memory formation. Synapses are dynamic and can be strengthened or weakened (i.e., synaptic weight change).  Interactions of glial cells with neuronal synapses, from astrocytes to microglia and oligodendrocyte lineage cells Glia, Volum e: 71, Issue: 6, Pages: 1383-1401, First published: 17 February 2023, DOI: (10.1002/glia.24343)  Glial Cells Ratio of glial cells to neurons in the brain is often cited as approximately 1:1, but can vary across regions. Many roles for glial cells: 1. Structural support (scaffolding) 2. Nutritional support (oxygen and nutrients) 3. Insulation (myelin) 4. Homeostasis (regulate ions and neurotransmitter levels) 5. Immune Defense (microglia remove pathogens and debris) 6. Synaptic Modulation (release modulatory sigaling molecules) 7. Repair and regeneration (form scar tissue and guide regrowth)