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Flashcards

Structure and Function of the Human Brain

Jio Jenassi Biology A-Level English 61 cards

Cards in this deck (61)

  1. 1How is the cerebrum structured?•Divided into two cerebral hemispheres.
    •The two hemispheres are connected by white matter called corpus callosum.
  2. 2What type of activity is the cerebrum associated with?•Advanced mental activity such as language, memory, calculation.
  3. 3How many lobes is the cerebrum divided into? What are their names? HINT: FPOTFour.
    •Frontal lobe
    •Parietal lobe
    •Occipital lobe (Visual cortex)
    •Temporal lobe
  4. 4What is the function of the Frontal lobe?•Advanced brain functions:
    decision making, reasoning, planning
  5. 5What is the function of the Parietal lobe?•Orientation, movement and sensation.
  6. 6What is the function of the occipital lobe?•Concerned with processing information from the eyes, including vision, colour and shape.
  7. 7What is the function of the temporal lobe?It processes auditory information
  8. 8What is a critical window?•Time periods where the nervous system needs specific stimuli in order to develop properly
  9. 9What is the evidence for critical windows?•Newborn kittens can have one of their eyes closed for a minimum of 4 weeks.
    •After opening their eyes after 4 weeks, they were permanently blind.
  10. 10What occurs in the brain during a critical window?•Connections to cells in the visual cortex from the sensory organ such as eye are lost.
  11. 11What occurs in the neurons during the critical window of the eye when light is deprived?•Axons dont pass nerve impulses to cells in the visual cortex.
    •Inactive synapses are eliminated.
    •Eye has no connection with the visual cortex.
  12. 12What would have occurred in the neurons if the eye remained open?•Axons pass nerve impulses to cells in the visual cortex.
    •Synapses used by active axons are strengthened.
    •The synapses will only be present for axons coming from the light stimulated eye.
  13. 13What is the role of nature brain development?Many of our characteristics of the brain develop solely under the influence of our genes with little influence from the environment.
  14. 14What is the role of nurture in brain development?•The brain development is affected by the environment.
  15. 15What are the examples of the roles of nature and nurture in human development?•Abilities of newborn babies.
    •Studies of individuals with damaged brain areas.
    •Animal experiments.
    •Twin studies.
    •Cross-cultural studies.
  16. 16How can the roles of Nature and nurture in brain development be observed in the abilities of newborn babies?•Certain newborns have natural capacities.
    •The capacities suggest that genes help to form the brain and preset some behaviors if the baby is born.
  17. 17How can the roles of Nature and nurture in brain development be observed in individuals with damaged brain areas?•Some brain damaged patients show the ability to recover some of their brain function.
    •This recovery demonstrates that neurons have the ability to change.
  18. 18How can the roles of Nature and nurture in brain development be observed in Animal experiments?•Hubel & Weisel's experiments on critical windows demonstrate the importance of the environment to build connections in the visual cortex/occipital lobe.
  19. 19How can the roles of Nature and nurture in brain development be observed in twin studies?•Even though identical twins have similar genotype, they could change in phenotype or behavior if the twins are grown in two distinct environments.
  20. 20How can the roles of Nature and nurture in brain development be observed in cross-cultural studies?•Different cultural backgrounds result have different visual perception.
  21. 21How does Learning occur within our brain?•For learning to occur, we must have the ability to remember.
    •Remembering can be achieved by changing or establishing new synapses within the nervous system.
  22. 22What is Habituation?•It is a type of learning
    •It involves the loss of a response to a repeated stimulus.
    •This repeated stimulus fails to provide any reinforcement (reward or punishment)
  23. 23What is the advantage of Habituation?•Animals can ignore unimportant stimulus and concentrate on a more rewarding or threatening stimulus.
  24. 24How can habituation be investigated?•Measuring the time a snail spends withdrawn into its shell when you tap the surface it is moving on.
  25. 25How is Habituation achieved in the synapses?•With repeated stimulation, Ca ion channels become less responsive.
    •Therefore, less Ca ions cross the presynaptic membrane.
    •Consequently, less depolarisation of the postsynaptic membrane takes place.
  26. 26What is the consequence of less depolarisation taking place?•The action potential will not be triggered.
  27. 27What is Dopamine?•A neurotransmitter which is associated with the control of movement and emotional responses.
  28. 28What is the name given to the disease to individuals who lack the dopamine secreting neurones?•Parkinson's disease
  29. 29What are the symptoms of Parkison's disease?•Depression
    •Difficulties in speech and breathing.
    •Poor balance and walking problems.
  30. 30How can Parkinson's disease be treated?•By increasing the concentration of Dopamine in the brain.
  31. 31How can the concentration of Dopamine be increased?•Dopamine cannot move into the brain from the bloodstream.
    •However, the molecule used to make Dopamine can be moved.
    •The name of the molecule which makes Dopamine is L-dopa.
  32. 32What is Serotonin?•A neurotransmitter which is associated with feelings of reward or pleasure.
  33. 33What does Dopamine and serotonin have in common?•Both are neurotransmitters
  34. 34How do drugs affect synapses?•Synthesis, storage or release of the neurotransmitter.
    •Inhibiting the enzymes involved in breaking down the neurotransmitter in the synaptic cleft.
  35. 35How do drugs affect the interaction between the neurotransmitter and the receptors on the post synaptic membrane?•Some can stimulate the interaction or inhibit it
  36. 36How does ecstacy (MDMA) affect synapses?•Prevents Serotonin from being reuptaken back into the presynaptic membrane.
    •Consequently, ecastacy users face severe depression since Serotonin is lost from the nerves.
  37. 37What are the imaging techniques of the brain?•Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
    •Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
    •Computerised axial tomography (CT or CAT)
  38. 38How does MRI work?•Use a magnetic field and radio waves make images of soft tissues like the brain.
    •Can be used to diagnose tumours, strokes.
    •Scans can be compared from different periods of time.
  39. 39How foes fMRI work?•It detects the brain activity following the uptake of oxygen in active brain areas.
    •Therefore, we can see the brain in action during live tasks.
    •Useful for diagnosing Parkinson's.
  40. 40Hows does CT or CAT works?•Thousands of narrow X-rays are rotated around the patient.
    •Patient is at risk since x-rays are harmful.
  41. 41In terms of resolution and capturing, compare and contrast CAT with MRI scanning•MRI has a greater resolution compared to CAT scan.
    •Hence, smaller structures in the brain cant be distinguished in a CAT scan.
    •Both methods only capture one moment at a time and look at the damage and structure rather than function.
  42. 42In terms of radiation exposure, compare and contrast CT with MRI•MRI machines do not emit ionizing radiation but CT uses x rays.
    •CT is not recommended for pregnant women or children unless absolutely necessary.
  43. 43Compare the cost and time taken for a complete scan of CT with MRI?•MRI tends to be more expensive than CT
    •CT takes upto 5 minutes
    •MRI can vary from 10 minutes to 2 hours.
  44. 44What is a genome?•All the DNA (or genes) of an organism.
  45. 45What is the human genome project?•It was a multinational project that determined the base sequence of the human genome.
    •The project identified many new genes, including some of those responsible for inherited diseases.
  46. 46How has the Human Genome project contributed to the creation of drugs?•New drug targets have been identified.
    •A drug target is a specific molecule that drugs interact with to have their effects.
  47. 47What else is the Human Genome project used for?•Provides information about evolution.
    •Increases our knowledge on physiology and cell biology.
  48. 48Outline some ethical questions regarding the Human Genome project?•Who owns the information?
    •Who is entitled to know information about our genome?
    •Who will pay for the development of the new therapies and drugs?
  49. 49Outline how Genetically modified (GM) organisms help to produce drugs?•Transgenic animals can be used to produce useful drugs which can be harvested from milk or semen.
    •Liposomes and viruses are vectors used to insert genes into animal cells.
  50. 50What are examples of genetic modification in crop breeding?•Vitamin A enhanced rice/golden rice
    •Herbicide - resistant oil seed rape
    •Insecticide - resistant maize and cotton
  51. 51How is genetic modification used in Vitamin A enhanced rice?•Normal rice grains contain beta-carotene.
    •Beta-carotene is converted into Vitamin A by human cells.
    •Golden rice contains significantly higher levels of beta-carotene compared to normal rice grains.
  52. 52What are the benefits of vitamin A enhanced rice?•Less rice can be consumed since the daily vitamin A requirement can be reached much faster.
    •Researches who have developed GM rice will donate towards developing countries.
  53. 53What are the disadvantages of Vitamin A enhanced rice?•The existence of GM rice lessons efforts to tackle root causes of poverty and poor diet in some parts of the world.
    •Some people argue that changes to genes could have harmful effects on people who eat it.
  54. 54How is genetic modification used in Herbicide - resistant oil seed?Oil seed rape plants contain a gene which gives them resistance to herbicides.
    Therefore, farmers can control unwanted growing plants by spraying the herbicide without killing the oil seed rape.
  55. 55What are the drawbacks of the herbicide - resistant oil seed rape?•Genes from the genetically modified oil seed rape can escape to neighboring plants and make them resistant.
    •However, these hybrids tend to be infertile.
    •Hence, a large resistant population will not be established.
  56. 56How is Genetic modification used in insect-resistant maize and cotton?•Pesticides can kill harmful and beneficial insects.
    •Regardless, the insects gain resistance towards the pesticides.
    •The plant contains a modified protein that kill insects which eat the leaves of the plant.
  57. 57What are the benefits of the insect-resistant maize and cotton?•The toxin only harms the insects which eat the plant.
    •Less loss of crop to insect pests. Hence, greater yields are obtained.
    •If resistance of insects develops, the the crops can be modified again
  58. 58What are the drawbacks of using insect-resistant maize and cotton?•It is possible that some non pest insects can be harmed by the plant.
    •It is expensive for farmers to buy GM seeds compared to non GM seeds.
    •Farmers in developing countries would face more competition from farmers in rich countries.
  59. 59What are the concerns based on the development and use of GMOs?•Genetic pollution through cross pollination.
    •Microogranisms can gain antibiotic resistance from antibiotic bacteria.
    •GM crops may not produce fertile seeds.
    •GM crops may out compete other plants and be resistant to herbicides.
  60. 60How can the impact of GM crops outcompeting other plants be further explained?•The GM crops would damage natural food chains
    •Hence, the environment would be damaged.
  61. 61How can infertile GM seeds be further explained?•Farmers would be unable to collect and replant seeds.
    •Subsequently, they would have to buy new seeds for each planting.
    •This could be expensive for certain farmers.

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A-Level Biology Flashcards on Structure and Function of the Human Brain, created by Jio Jenassi on 16/02/2016.
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