Psych Review Exam #1

09/11/2014

50 multiple-choice questions. 90% on review sheet. Diagrams will

be exact from lecture.
Anatomy
Axon - create more area space for synapses to perform
Synapses where 2 neurons come together
Synaptic cleft - chemicals released and then bind
Neurons transmission
Glia support cells that help neurons do their job
Astrocyte structural/metabolic support that carry away waste
Oligodendrocyte - create myelin sheath that wraps around axon
so when the axon has to go a long distances the myelin provides
insulation improving speed and accuracy of transmission
Node of Ranvier opening in the myelin sheath that allows ion
flux and AP transmission. Close enough together so that depolarization
and repolarization at one node triggers it at the next.
White matter appears light in visual observation and in CAT/MRI
scan because its denser. It is the portion of neural tissue that contains
myelin. White because it is fatty substance. Made up Oligodydrecit,
myelin, axon passage
Grey matter parts of brain that are just neuron bodies or
dendrites and portion of axon unmyelinated. Cerebral cortex largest grey
matter in the brain.
Presynaptic neuron = sending signal
Post synaptic neuron = receieving signal

Central nervous system (CNS) = brain and spinal cord only

Blood brain barrier PROTECTS CNS - vessels in CNS are very
tight. Walls to keep out virus, poisoin, bacteria etc.
Peripheral nervous system (PNS) nerves that come in and out
of brain. Not as well protected as CNS
12 cranial nerves dont need to identify them in figure. Dont
need to memorize numbers. Know name, whether it is exclusively
sensory or motor or does both.
- 3 motor systems to control eye because precision of eye
movement very important to us
- Facial nerve responsible for ability to have expression. Facial palsy
if this nerve damaged.
- Vagus nerve is the only nerve that controls something other than
the head. Part of parasympathetic nervous system.
4 classes of spinal nerves cervical (ventral & dorsal), thoracic,
lumbar, sacral
Need to know 4 sections of spinal cord. Nerve pairs
Vertebral cross section of the spine
Ventral roots axon bundles going out = motor
Dorsal roots axon bundles going in = sensory
Horns (ventral and dorsal) = where the spinal nerves synapse
inside the spinal cord.
Autonomic nervous system (3 parts) Sympathetic = involved in fight or flight response. Adrenaline,
increased heart rate, pupils dilate etc.

If this is constantly activated = chronic stress. Problems with

weight/gain loss associated with this chronic stress
Parasympathetic calms everything back down to get back to
homeostasis
Sympathetic = ganglia inside spinal cord, nerves are largely thoracic
and lumbar
Parasympathetic = nerves largely cranial and sacral. These ganglia
are outside the spinal cord
Developmental subdivisions emerge in embryonic development
from neural tube
Forebrain - includes cortex, basal ganglia, limbic system,
thalamus, hypothalamus. Considered higher structure because
literally sit above hindbrain structures.
Hindbrain - cerebellum, poms. Lowest structure in brain before
you get to spinal cord itself.
As you move up structures get more complex. Most evolution
occurred at higher levels of cortex.
Identify planes of section. Need to be able to identify plane if given
a picture.
Horizontal
Coronal
Sagittal
Brain understand that lower functions are controlled by lower
structures
Be able to locate parts of the brain (see study guide)
Fiber tract = bundle of axons (usually mylelinated). Best example =
corpus collosum
Most structures have left and right side. True for almost all brain
structures except pineal and a couple of others.

These two sides dont always function exactly the same. Language = left
side, right hemisphere no language ability. Can literally lose language
ability if left side damaged in stroke.
Crossed (contralateral) sensory pathways information from right
side go to left and vice versa. If you take someone with split brain and put
an object in their right hand cant say it.
Development and Evolution
Phylogeny - comparing across species (evolution).
Different ways of ranking species = relative measures
Best ranking seems to be forebrain/hindbrain ratio. Goes down
as we go down species ladder.
Neurogenesis - When neurons are being born. Giving birth to new
cells that will become neurons. After neurons are born they migrate
outwards to cortex forming lamina or layers.
Ventricular zone is where neural progenitors are born and start
their migration (derived from stem cells). At core of neural tube,
bordering CSF.
Neuroblastoma a form of cancer mainly in infants and children
because neurons proliferate pre natally, and cancer is a disorder of celldivisoin. neurons in childs brain (runaway mystosis more likely because
not long since neurogenesis ended)
Radial glia a developmental form of glia (transient) used by
migrating neurons for guidance. Transient = not permanent. Present only
for this one phase.
Stem cells cluster of cells in embryo. Can pretty much become
anything. Start at very beginning. This is why they are used for research,
application for stem cell use in spinal injuries, Parkinsons disease etc.
because they can become the same as those around them so they can
replace these damaged cells in injury.
Lamination layering seen in cerebral cortex, migration of
neurons outward. Layers 5 and 6 project downwards. Layers have
functional distinctions (dont need to know this)
Neurotrophic - Protein signals produce that promote growth (e.g.
synapses and dendrites)

Apoptosis programmed cell death, part of development process

because brain overproduces
Necrosis injury induced cell death. Happens when membrane of
cell damaged/punctured and the filling spills out. Inflammatory factors or
physical trauma.
Sequential process (know relative order)
1) Neurogenesis (neural proliferation)
2) Neuronal migration
3) Neuronal differentiation
4) Synaptogenesis
5) Myelination
5) Pruning - in early childhood is a huge part of early learning and
development. Children can get injury to the brain from over pruning. As
babies are able to hear and distinguish all the sounds between different
languages, adults can never learn these distinctive acoustic sounds
Neurons, Synapses and Transmission
Axon hillock action potential starts. Ionic change at point of
hillock which will determine if action potential will start or not.
Synaptic Vesicles contain chemicals that fuse with synaptic
membrane and go into the cleft
Synaptic Cleft space between pre and post synaptic cells
Apical and basilar dendrite depend on relationship with axon.
Basilar = base means its on the side of the axon.

EPSP - Post synaptic sell made more positive sends a positive

signal to the neuron it communicates with making it more likely to fire
action potential. Produced by excitatory neurotransmitter
IPSP - Post synaptic cell made more negative sends a negative
signal to the neuron it communicates with making it less like to fire.
Produced by inhibitory neurotransmitter
GABA inhibitory neurotransmitter calms brain down. GABA
levels go up when you drink alcohol and sleep.
Diffusion charged ions flow back and forth in a fluid. Passive.
Permeability whether or not ions can get through membrane
Transport - Can actively move ions with energy whether its
permeable or not. Not passive
Hyperpolarization goes below resting state (stage 4 on
diagram)
Cation = positively charge ion. E.g. Na+ or K+
Anion = negatively charged ion. E.g. CIequation?? = way of calculating differential between inside and outside of
the cell
MRI magnetic resource imaging. Measures atomic
resonance/energy release
CAT computerized axial tomography. Measures tissue density by
x-ray
MEG magneto encephalogram. Electromagnetic fields at surface
of skull resulting from neural (ionic flux) activity
PET positron emission tomography. Measures radioactive glucose
consumption.
fMRI functional magnetic resonance imaging. Measures atomic
resonance plus BOLD signal (oxygenation)

TMS transcranial magnetic stimulation

Neuroimaging and Experimental Methods
Experiment need to have control group, at least one
independent variable (what you choose)
Dependent variable = what you measure
Significant difference = mean difference too big to happen by
chance. The independent variable has a real effect on the dependent
variable
Case study one subject in a unique situation. Descriptive only
and results are limited because they cannot be generalized.
Hollow brain = 0 activity in cortex
Coma person is unconscious. Usually not for very long, either
wake up or go into vegetative state.
Vegetative state everything reflective (e.g. smiling nodding
etc.) not in a response to you. Dont know what they are doing. Some
low-level brain activity, NO CONSCIOUSNESS.
Locked in syndrome - Brain activity as if they were awake, but
paralyzed preventing them from responding.