BIOPSYCH MIDTERM 1

directions in the vertebrate nervous system

Anterior (towards front/toward nose end) vs. Posterior (towards back) Also referred to as rostral v. caudal Dorsal (towards surface of the back/top of head) vs Ventral (toward surface of the chest/bottom of the head) Medial (toward midline) vs Lateral (away from midline)

the study of microscopic structure of tissues in the brain

Brain histology

Radial Glia

CNS GLIA- Migration of neurons during embryonic development

Astrocytes

CNS Glial cell, form Glia Limitans structurally support and separate neurons, provide nutrients to neurons, stimulate formation of synapses

function of tegmentum (mesencephalon - midbrain)

Complex motor behavior, motivational behavior, readiness for movement, involved in sleep, arousal, vital reflexes, etc. FLOOR

Which of the following statements defines the tripartite synapse?

Connection between neurons and astrocytes

What is the important function of the spinal cord?

Control of reflex action

Lesion techniques

Destruction of all tissue in given area, Destruction only of cell bodies, Destruction only of certain cell types

Which division of the brain includes the thalamus?

Diencephalon (forebrain)

Immunocytochemistry (concept of visualization of antibody-antigen complex)

For visualizing brain distribution of specific protein Direct labeling: antibody-bound chromogen (I AB conjugated to a chromagen) Indirect labeling: chromogen coupled to a II AB → amplification of the signal with respect to the direct marking

procedures for creating organisms that lack a particular gene under investigation

Gene knockout genetic technique

Studying cell morphology

Golgi method, electron microscopy (EM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)

Neurons

Highly specialized cells Main signaling units Communicate through electrochemical signals

arachnoid and pia together is called:

Leptomeninges

The major structural difference between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system is best described as:

Long post-ganglionic axons in the sympathetic nervous system and short post-ganglionic axons in the parasympathetic nervous system

axonal conduction of action potentials

Once AP is generated it travels passively along axonal membrane--> adjacent voltage-activated sodium channels Electrical signal opens channels and Na+ ions generate AP on membrane. Continues through sodium channels until AP is triggered in all the terminal buttons

Schwann cells

PNS myelinators like oligodendrocytes

What are the 3 main differences between Neuron and Animal Cell?

Processes, Synapse, and Neurotransmitters

Describe the structure of Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF).

Produced by choroid plexus Absorbed into large channels ('sinuses') in dura mater, then back into blood stream

Caveats (warnings) of lesion techniques

Regions of brain are massively interconnected, Change of behavior after does not necessarily indicate role of intact structure

Dorsal Horn of Spinal Cord

Sensory functions. Contains dorsal root ganglia

When someone caresses a puppy, the sensory information will travel through which structures?

Sensory neurons to the dorsal root of the spinal nerve

Immunocytochemistry - cell membrane protein

Shapes of cells can be imaged by labeling protein associated specifically with cell membrane For example, we can label the membrane-associated protein MAP2 and use immunocytochemistry to visualize cell morphology

Golgi Type II Neuron

Short/branched axon: usually interneurons

Pseudo-Unipolar Neuron

Soma close to dendrites. In PNS w/ the ganglia

steps in neurotransmission

Synthesis, Packaging, Release(Exocytosis), Receptor binding, NT Clearance

Describe the microglia:

They swallow cellular debris or the entire cell, They act as the CNS immune system, They can induce controlled cell death

T/F: The right cerebral cortex affects the contralateral muscle activity.

True.

anterograde and retrograde neuroanatomical tracing techniques

Used to trace the paths of axons. Anterograde: tracing path of axons projecting away from cell bodies located in a particular area Retrograde: tracing path of axons projecting into a particular area

parasympathetic nervous system (calming)

Vegetative, non-emergency, Cranial and Sacral, Long pregang axons, Acetylcholine

Studying cell structure

Verifying lesion damage, electrode placement, etc. Studying cell morphology Identifying cell types Labeling neurochemicals or receptors Tracing neural pathways

green fluorescent protein (gFP)

a protein that exhibits bright green fluorescence when exposed to blue light.

Neurons differ according to their functions. What are they?

afferent (sensory) & efferent (motor)

What are the advantages of myelination?

allows faster conduction velocities, space-efficient, energy-efficient

Function of the tectum (mesencephalon - midbrain)

auditory (inferior colliculi) and visual reflexes (superior colliculi) ROOF

What is the choroid plexus?

capillary network lining ventricles, comes from the pia mater, produces CSF

Action potential threshold potential

depolarization sufficient for AP to be initiated

Third Ventricle

diencephalon vertically oriented, tapers into aqueduct

synapses at which the site of neurotransmitter release and the site of neurotransmitter reception are in close proximity

directed synapses

autonomic nervous system

division of the peripheral nervous system - Vegetative system/unconscious control governs functions of the gastrointestinal tract Motor innervation of the heart, smooth muscles, glands and viscera SYMPATHETIC & PARASYMPATHETIC

somatic nervous system

division of the peripheral nervous system - voluntary control of the body's skeletal muscles Motor and sensory innervation of the whole body except viscera, smooth muscle and glands

Role of glia in neurotransmission

each astrocyte coordinates the activity of neurons in its domain astrocyte may coordinate the activity of synapses in its domain tripartite synapse

Microglia

forms the immune system of the CNS, produces anti inflammatory molecules, phagocytosis

Four methods of recording electrical activity

intracellular, extracellular, multiple-unit, invasive EEG

Blood Brain Barrier (BBB)

made of astrocytes and endothelial cells, protective and semipermeable function: Minimize the risk of irreparable brain damage

Glia

main function is to protect neurons. glue that holds the neurons together.

experimental strategy and types of studies that can be done in animals

manipulations, brain, behavior

Microdialysis technique

measures the extracellular concentration of specific neurochemicals in behaving animals can be done in vivo, not very invasive, diffusion of substances

the difference in electrical charge between the inside and outside of a cell

membrane potential

Cerebral Aqueduct

mesencephalon (midbrain)

Fourth ventricle

metencephalon and myelencephalon (hindbrain) on roof of pons and medulla, diamond shaped

chemical synapses

much more flexible than electrical, can be modulated has amplification quality

synapses at which the site of release is at some distance from the site of reception.

nondirected synapses

Which meninge is closest to the brain?

pia

What information does the dorsal horn of the spinal cord carry?

sensory

Longitudinal fissure

separates cerebral hemispheres

Lateral Fissure

separates frontal from temporal lobe

Central Fissure

splits frontal and parietal lobes

Arachnoid Trabeculae

structurally continuous between arachnoid and pia

Acetylcholine synthesis

synthesized in one step from choline

Lateral Ventricles

telencephalon, C shape

A cell structure that controls which substances can enter or leave the cell. semipermeable, analogous to BBB

the cell membrane

A membrane potential is the difference in electrical charge between

the inside and outside of a cell

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

the sensory (afferent) and motor (efferent) neurons that connect the central nervous system (CNS) to the rest of the body. SOMATIC and AUTONOMIC

Which of the following moves Na+ ions out of neurons:

the sodium-potassium pump

There are ____ kind(s) of spatial summation and ____kind(s) of temporal summation

three; two

Giant squid axon and Hodgkin-Huxley model and its contribution

- Giant axon from a squid placed in seawater in a recording chamber - Glass microelectrode inserted into axon - Changes in permeability dependent on membrane potential and not membrane current

Unipolar neuron

1 extension, dendrites in middle, "bush cells"

Movement of the membrane potential towards threshold EPSP= ?

AP subthreshold excitation EPSP = excitatory post synaptic potential

The occipital lobe is ______ to the frontal lobe.

Caudal

Human muscle activity is coordinated by:

Cerebellum

Cerebrum

Cortex, white matter, and basal ganglia

The Metencephalon includes the Pons. What best describes the characteristic of the Pons?

Crossing of axons from left to right, and vice versa

Karl Lashley pioneered experimental work into the cortical basis of learning and discrimination. What is the best description of his Principle of Mass Action?

Deficit in learning is proportional to amount of tissue damage

What part of the nervous system includes motor neurons that lead to skeletal muscle?

Efferent nerves of somatic nervous system (Peripheral Nervous System)

In an action potential, repolarization is due to the _____ of ____ ions.

Efflux; K+

sympathetic nervous system (arousing)

Fight or Flight, Thoracic and Lumbar. Short Pregang axons, Norepinephrine

What is NOT a component of the limbic system? Mammillary bodies Amygdala Cingulate cortex Hippocampus Hypothalamus

Hypothalamus

Acetylcholine function

In CNS- REM sleep, Learning and memory, Muscle contraction

Fluorescence and brainbow (definition and application, advantage over other labeling techniques)

Method by which individual neurons in the brain can be distinguished from neighboring neurons using fluorescent proteins Each neuron is labeled with its own distinctive color, facilitating the tracing of neural axon pathways Major contribution to the field of connectomics

Multipolar neuron

Most common. dendrites attach to soma

The autonomic nervous system controls:

Movement of muscles in the alimentary canal (gastrointestinal, digestive)

Acetylcholine distribution

Neuromuscular junction Autonomic nervous system Many synapses throughout the brain

Acetylcholine receptors

Nicotinic (ionotropic) Muscarinic (metabotropic)

What are the advantages of inactivation techniques over lesion techniques?

No "recovery of function" → function returns to normal as it was before anesthetic No damage to other areas Cell specific

In myelinated axons, ions can only pass through the axonal membrane at the:

Nodes of Ranvier

Meninges

PROTECTS CNS dura mater (outer): tough membrane. Contains sinuses. arachnoid mater (middle): web like, secures dura to Pia, creates subarachnoid space pia mater (inside): delicate, very tight to brain surface

Electron microscopy (EM) - neuroanatomical technique

Provides information about the details of neuronal structure Uses a beam of accelerated electrons as a source of illumination Has a higher resolving power than light microscopes and can reveal the structure of smaller objects

epinephrineadrenaline

Released when in stress(flight or fight), adrenaline

Labeling cell activity (activity-dependent genes)

Some genes are rapidly switched on by cellular activity, e.g., c-fos By labeling c-fos RNA or protein, we can identify activated cells

Bipolar Neuron

Special senses processing and transmission

Golgi stain technique

Staining process that only labels neurons and shows gaps between. Uses TOXIC potassium dichromate. shows random 5% of neurons

What is the function of Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)?

Supports and cushions the brain Reservoir of hormones & nutrition for brain and spinal cord

release of neurotransmitters (exocytosis, role of Ca- ions)

Synaptic transmission is electro-chemical process: AP arrives at terminal --> Voltage-gated Ca2+channels open --> Ca2+enters cell --> Synaptic vesicles fuse with presynaptic membrane --> Exocytosis of NT

Studying brain wiring (anterograde and retrograde markers and tracing)

Tracing efferent connections (neuron inputs): anterograde labels taken up by the cell bodies and transported to axons Tracing afferent connections (neuron outputs): retrograde labels taken up by terminals and transported back to soma

CNS

brain and spinal cord Main function of our nervous system is to make us the most adaptive to the ever-changing environment Neuronal circuits are generally intermingled and perform parallel computations

What is Hydrocephalus?

build-up of CSF: blocks cerebral aqueduct

Action potential arises from:

changes in membrane's selective permeability to Na+and K+

Central canal

connects 4th ventricle to spinal cord

Ventral Horn of Spinal Cord

contains bodies of MOTOR neurons

independent vs dependent variable

independent: manipulations - environmental (reward/punishment, conditioning) or biological (drug, neuromodulation) dependent: brain or behavior

routes of drug administration (chapter 5.4)

ingest: easy, safe. unpredictable effect inhale: (via capillaries in lung)- difficult to regulate dose mucous membrane: (nose, mouth, rectum) damage to membrane!! Inject: large, rapid, predictable effect

Golgi Type I Neuron

long axon and dendrites: projection neurons

What is the function of ventricles?

production, transport, removal of CSF

Oligodendrocytes - Oligodendroglia

provide physical support and form the myelin sheath around axons in the brain, regulate ionic homeostasis, scarce, close to soma

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a valuable research tool because it

provides an image of brain function.

recording resting potential

recording pipet has a very fine tip and is filled with a high salt solution so that the pipet has very low resistance voltage measured by amplifier accurately reflects the voltage across the cell membrane Method not useful in very small cells due to pipet salt poisoning of cells

Electrophysiology

records neuronal activity intracellular vs extracellular

How are action potentials produced, and how are they conducted along the axon?

through the action of voltage-activated ion channels—ion channels that open or close in response to changes in the level of the membrane potential

electrical synapses

transmission is practically instantaneous present on neurons that are involved in some sort of "survival" AP can go both ways: postsynaptic ↔ presynaptic