Spacing Effect 2: Neuroscience and the Brain
Neural Structure
1.
Dendrite: bushy extensions that receives impulse
2. Soma: cell body, nourishes the cell
3. Axon: passes the impulse through the cell and transmits to another neuron
4. Electrochemical: electrical impulse in the neuron and chemical between the neurons
5. Synapatic gap: space between neurons
6. Synapse: communication between neurons (release of neurotransmitter)
7. Action potential: when impulse reaches threshold and is fired down axon (depolarization)
8. Resting potential: neuron at rest/ recharging (during refractory period) (polarization)
9. neurotransmitters
a. serotonin: mood /depression
b. dopamine: perceptual awareness (schizophrenia)
c. norepinephrine: alertness / arousal (bipolarism)
d. Glutamate: excitatatory
e. Gaba: inhibitory
f.
Acetylcholine (Ach): muscle control, learning, memory (Alzheimers)
g. Endorphins: pain / pleasure (“morphine within”)
10. Agonists: excites or mimics a neurotransmitter (blocks reuptake)
11. Antagonist: blocks or inhibits a neurotransmitters signal
12. Glial cells: protects, nourishes the neuron
Nervous System
13. Central Nervous System: brain and spinal cord
14. Peripheral system: connects the CNS to the body’s sense receptors
a. Somatic NS: voluntary movements
b. Autonomic
i. Sympathetic: fight or flight, arousal
ii. Parasympathetic: calms down
15. Sensory neuron (Afferent): neurons that carry incoming information from the sense receptors to the
central nervous system
16. Motor neurons (Efferent): carries info from the CNS to the muscles, glands
17. Interneurons: transmits impulses between brain and CNS and connect to sensory and motor neurons
18. Spinal reflex: from sensory neuron to interneuron to motor neuron (without the brain!)
Endocrine System
19. Glands: secrete hormones in to bloodstream (“snail mail”)
20. Pituitary gland: master gland / growth hormone
21. Adrenal glands: arouses sympathetic nervous system (epinephrine, norepinephrine, adrenaline,
noradrenaline)
The Brain
22. Lesion: tissue damage to the brain
23. Neuroimaging techniques:
a. CAT: structure only (tumors etc.)
b. MRI: Soft tissue
c. PET: Traces glucose levels in brain (blood flow)
d. EEG: Detects brainwaves (electrical activity)
e. FMRI: Soft tissue plus glucose levels
24. Parts of Brain
a. Medulla: heartbeat, breathing, blood pressure
b. Pons: Coordinate facial expressions, active in dream state
c. Cerebellum: balance, fine motor skills
d. Reticular Formation: arousal, sleep
e. Limbic System (emotions, drives, memory)
i. Amygdala: emotions of fear, anger
ii. Hypothalamus: drives (sexual, thirst, hunger) (regulates Pituitary gland!)
iii. Hippocampus: processes new memories (stores memories in Cerebral Cortex)
f.
Thalamus: Sensory switchboard (all but smell!) Routes stimuli to different parts of brain.
g. Brain hemispheres
i. Left hemisphere: language, logic, literal , sequential, analysis
ii. Right hemisphere: Spatial, Intuitive, creative, synthesis
h. Lobes of Brain
i. Frontal Lobe: Logic, judgement, speaking. Planning (Prefrontal Cortex: decisions,
emotional control)
ii. Occipital Lobe: vision
iii. Temporal Lobe: hearing
iv. Parietal Lobe: Sensory center
i.
Cerebral Cortex: consists of lobes and Sensory and Motor Cortex
i. Motor Cortex: voluntary movements (located in back of frontal lobe)
ii. Sensory Cortex: Sensory center (touch!) located in front of Parietal lobe
iii. Association areas: complex, abstract thought processes (75% of Cortex)
j.
Language and the Brain
i. Broca’s Area: Motor speech
ii. Werniche’s area: Language comprehension
k. Aphasia: Language impairment
l.
Corpus Callosum: bridge between the two hemispheres (neural impulses shared)