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
  10. serotonin: mood /depression
  11. dopamine: perceptual awareness (schizophrenia)
  12. norepinephrine: alertness / arousal (bipolarism)
  13. Glutamate: excitatatory
  14. Gaba: inhibitory
  15. Acetylcholine (Ach): muscle control, learning, memory (Alzheimers)
  16. Endorphins: pain / pleasure (“morphine within”)
  17. Agonists: excites or mimics a neurotransmitter (blocks reuptake)
  18. Antagonist: blocks or inhibits a neurotransmitters signal
  19. Glial cells: protects, nourishes the neuron

Nervous System

  1. Central Nervous System: brain and spinal cord
  2. Peripheral system: connects the CNS to the body’s sense receptors
  3. Somatic NS: voluntary movements
  4. Autonomic
  5. Sympathetic: fight or flight, arousal
  6. Parasympathetic: calms down
  7. Sensory neuron (Afferent): neurons that carry incoming information from the sense receptors to the central nervous system
  8. Motor neurons (Efferent): carries info from the CNS to the muscles, glands
  9. Interneurons: transmits impulses between brain and CNS and connect to sensory and motor neurons
  10. Spinal reflex: from sensory neuron to interneuron to motor neuron (without the brain!)

Endocrine System

  1. Glands: secrete hormones in to bloodstream (“snail mail”)
  2. Pituitary gland: master gland / growth hormone
  3. Adrenal glands: arouses sympathetic nervous system (epinephrine, norepinephrine, adrenaline, noradrenaline)

The Brain

  1. Lesion: tissue damage to the brain
  2. Neuroimaging techniques:
  3. CAT: structure only (tumors etc.)
  4. MRI: Soft tissue
  5. PET: Traces glucose levels in brain (blood flow)
  6. EEG: Detects brainwaves (electrical activity)
  7. FMRI: Soft tissue plus glucose levels
  8. Parts of Brain
  9. Medulla: heartbeat, breathing, blood pressure
  10. Pons: Coordinate facial expressions, active in dream state
  11. Cerebellum: balance, fine motor skills
  12. Reticular Formation: arousal, sleep
  13. Limbic System (emotions, drives, memory)
  14. Amygdala: emotions of fear, anger
  15. Hypothalamus: drives (sexual, thirst, hunger) (regulates Pituitary gland!)
  16. Hippocampus: processes new memories (stores memories in Cerebral Cortex)
  17. Thalamus: Sensory switchboard (all but smell!) Routes stimuli to different parts of brain.
  18. Brain hemispheres
  19. Left hemisphere: language, logic, literal , sequential, analysis
  20. Right hemisphere: Spatial, Intuitive, creative, synthesis
  21. Lobes of Brain
  22. Frontal Lobe: Logic, judgement, speaking. Planning (Prefrontal Cortex: decisions, emotional control)
  23. Occipital Lobe: vision
  24. Temporal Lobe: hearing
  25. Parietal Lobe: Sensory center
  26. Cerebral Cortex: consists of lobes and Sensory and Motor Cortex
  27. Motor Cortex: voluntary movements (located in back of frontal lobe)
  28. Sensory Cortex: Sensory center (touch!) located in front of Parietal lobe
  29. Association areas: complex, abstract thought processes (75% of Cortex)
  30. Language and the Brain
  31. Broca’s Area: Motor speech
  32. Werniche’s area: Language comprehension
  33. Aphasia: Language impairment
  34. Corpus Callosum: bridge between the two hemispheres (neural impulses shared)