Psychology 2

Front 1

How to see the brain

Back 1

EEG, CT scanning, PET scanning, MRI, fMRI

Hint 1

different methods doctors use for x-raying the brain.

Front 2

EEG (Electroencephalograph)

Back 2

Studies electrical activity of the brain. Excellent for capturing short-lived "conversation" between brain cells (like being startled)

Hint 2

EEG is VERY short- just like the type of conversation this type of scan can capture.

Front 3

CT scanning (computerized tomography)

Back 3

Creates computerized image of the brain from X rays passed through the brain at various angles (detects soft tissue structures- creates static image of the brain)

Hint 3

CT sounds like tissue!

Front 4

PET scan (position emission tomography)

Back 4

Produces and image showing brain activity (not just the structure). Good for tracking the brain's activity.

Hint 4

PET scan shows different colors (blue, red); allowing activity in the brain to be revealed.

Front 5

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

Back 5

Images show brain structure. Shows highly detailed pictures of the brain.

Hint 5

MRI= best kind of "brain picture" there is.

Front 6

fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging)

Back 6

Can distinguish more active brain cells from less active ones. Makes it possible to see the brain actually working.

Hint 6

fMRI= better quality than MRI. f in front means "function"- shows the brain "functioning".

Front 7

Three layers of the brain

Back 7

brain stem, limbic system, cerebrum

Hint 7

B.L.C

Front 8

Brain Stem

Back 8

links the spinal cord to the rest of the brain. serves as pathway to carry messages that travel along the spinal cord.

Hint 8

stem=attachment to the brain

Front 9

Components of Brain Stem

Back 9

Medulla, pons, reticular formation, thalamus
medula= regulates basic body functions (breathing, blood pressure, heart rate)
pons= home to nerve circuits that regulate sleep/dreaming cycle
reticular formation= keeping the brain alert/awake. monitors stream of sensory info.
thalamus= directs brain's incoming/outgoing sensory/motor traffic. receives info from all senses (except smell).

Hint 9

SONG FROM CLASS!

Front 10

Cerebellum

Back 10

works w/ brain stem to control complex movements that we dont have to think about. helps also to keep events in order.

Hint 10

"bellum" sounds like "belly", which regulates digestion- something we dont have to think about.

Front 11

Limbic System (emotions, memories, etc.)

Back 11

gives mammals greatly enhanced capacity for emotions/memory. home to modules that process memories, involved with feelings of pain/pleasure, produces fear/rage.

Hint 11

limbic sounds like limb. all mammals have limbs/emotions! When we eat chocolate, we get very happy!

Front 12

Hippocampus

Back 12

Connects your present to your past and helps remember locations of things

Hint 12

"I have happy memories at camp" (case of H.M.- his hippocampus was removed)

Front 13

Amygdala

Back 13

plays a major role in emotion- involved in agression/fear, plays a role in helping us remember emotionally changed events

Hint 13

mean monkey's amygdala was removed- it became very nice!

Front 14

Hypothalamus

Back 14

primarily serves as the brain's blood-analysis lab. if it detects an imabalance, it responds w/ orders that regulate appetite, thirst, etc. exerts control through pituitary gland. links nervous to endocrine system. messages may tell the pituitary gland to release certain hormones. pituitary regulates endocrine (hormone) response to emotional arousal/stress.

Hint 14

hypothalams sounds like hypothermia, which would cause the body to responde immedietly.

Front 15

Cerebral Cortex: the brain's thinking cap

Back 15

thin gray matter that covers the cortex consists of a 1/4-inch layer of cell bodies of neurons. carries the major portion of our "higher" mental processing- thinking/perceiving

Hint 15

thinking cap!

Front 16

Neuron

Back 16

a cell specialized to receive, process, and transmit info to other cells.

Hint 16

neurons have fingers- fingers are used for touching!

Front 17

sensory neurons, motor neurons, interneurons.

Back 17

sensory: treats brain to sensory experiences; vision, hearing, taste, smell, pain and balance
motor neurons: transport messages away from the brain to muscles, organs, and glands
interneurons: relay messages from sensory neurons to other interneurons to motor neurons

Hint 17

uhh.. connect word with its meaning

Front 18

How Neurons Work

Back 18

"receiver parts"- accept incoming messages (dendrites)- collect messages that are received.

Hint 18

neuron image of "grabbing hand"

Front 19

Soma

Back 19

contains the cell's nmucleus and life support machinery. assesses messages the cell receives from dendrites.

Hint 19

soma is the center part of the neuron.

Front 20

Axon

Back 20

a "transmitter" fiber

Hint 20

kind of like the 'spinal cord' of the neuron

Front 21

Synaptic Transition

Back 21

gap between nerve cells (synapse)acts as an electrical insulator (prevents charge speeding down the axon)

Hint 21

transitions have gaps in them.

Front 22

Reuptake

Back 22

transmitters get intercepted while floating within the synapse

Hint 22

sound out word.

Front 23

Plasticity

Back 23

neurons can change to make new connections or to strengthen old ones- ability to modify itself in result of an experience

Hint 23

plastic=hard. just think about the opposite of 'hard'.

Front 24

Gilal Cells

Back 24

provide structural support for neurons.

Hint 24

cells=structure.

Front 25

Myelin Sheath

Back 25

fatty insulation around many axons in the brain/spinal cord.

Hint 25

sheath=shield.

Front 26

Cerebral Dominance

Back 26

brain damaged patients with right-side damage= speech impediments. speech production happens w/ frontal lobe on left hem.
damage to other areas in left/parietal lobe and temporal lobe commonly produces probs in understanding language.

Front 27

Right Hemisphere

Back 27

right hem. brain injuries dont result in speech probs- rather, they have difficulties w/ spatial orientation (location of themselves)

Front 28

Cerebral Dominance(def)

Back 28

tendancy for hemispheres to take charge of diff. tasks

Front 29

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

Back 29

involves powerful magnetic pulses that can disable parts of the brain temporarily w/ out causing damage. applies to language areas of the brain- proves that ppl process lang. mainly on the right side of the brain.

Front 30

Both sides of brain invovled in language function

Back 30

left side= more dominant (processes content of speech)
right side= processing emotional tone of speech
right frontal lobe= control of neg. emotions
left frontal lobe= reg. of pos. emotions

Front 31

Hemispheres dont compete

Back 31

each hem. has diff. processing styles. left hem. matches objects analytically and verbally. right hem. matches things that look alike/fit together.

Front 32

Split Brain

Back 32

corpus callosum- nerve fibers that transfer info between two hems. purpose of surgery is to prevent abnormal electrical rhythyms from "echoing" between hems (epilepsy)