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Physiological Psych 3
Senses
128
Psychology
Undergraduate 4
10/21/2014

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Term
CMR1
Definition
It is a free skin nerve ending with Unmyelinated fibers. It is slow and deals with cool temperature and dull pain.
Term
TRPV1
Definition
It is a free skin nerve ending with Unmyelinated fibers! It is slow and deals with cool temperature and dull pain.
Term
TRP2
Definition
It is a free skin nerve ending with Mylelinated Fibers. It deals with sharp pain and high temperatures/ burns!
Term
Pain and Temp Nerve Endings
Definition
This is made up of 3 types of nerve endings, two which are unmyelinated (CMR1 and TRPV1), and one myelinated (TRP2). It deals with temperature and pain!
Term
Nociceptor
Definition
This is another name for pain receptor!
Term
4 types of Touch Receptors
Definition
4 types!
-pacinian corpuscle
-Ruffini's ending
-Meissner Corpuscle
-Merkel's Disks
Term
Pacinian Corpuscle
Definition
This is one of the types of touch receptors. It deals with vibration, large receptive field, and fast adapting!
Term
Ruffini's Endings
Definition
This is one of the 4 types of touch receptors. It deals with stretch, it has a large border, and it is slow adapting!
Term
Meissner Corpuscle
Definition
This is one of the 4 types of touch receptors. It deals with touch specifically, it has small receptive fields, and its fast adapting.
Term
Merkels Disks
Definition
This is one of the 4 types of touch receptors. It deals with touch, it has a small receptive field, and it is slow adapting.
Term
Skin Differential Thresholds
Definition
Cutaneous, or skin, stimulus is coded via differential receptor thresholds. This means that as we increase the intensity of the touch stimulus (aka pleasure, pain, temperature) the more neurons are depolarized! (AKA the more that we "feel it"
Term
Somatosensory Pathway
Definition
Touch information is ascended up the dorsal column of the spinal cord, into the medulla, which CROSSES the mid line just before reaching the thalamus to the thalamus nucleus (VPN Nucleus), which sends the message up to the somatosensory cortex!
Term
Topographic Mappy in the Somatosensory Cortex
Definition
The Somatosensory cortex has "1-1" map betweeen the body and the brain. In other words, each part of the bodies touch sense has a different part on the Somatosensory Cortex!

Note that the map isn't exactly 1-1! Some parts are bigger than others, meaning we get a higher touch reception from different parts of the body (EX hands are a large part of the somatosensory cortex)
Term
Somatosensory Cortex
Definition
This is the part of the brain that deals with touch receptors. It has a 1-1 Mapping that takes in different touch information from the body! Each part of it deals with a different part of the body!

Note: It is broken up into the Primary Somatosensory Cortex (S1) and the Secondary Somatosensory Cortex (S2)
Term
S1
Definition
This is also known as the primary somatosensory cortex. It deals with everything in the body that's not in the mouth!
Term
S2
Definition
This is also known as the secondary somatosensory cortex. It deals with the Throat, tongue, teeth, jaw, and gum touch messages!
Term
The homunculus
Definition
This is the little guy whose body is proportional to the sensory receptor populations in our Somatosensory Cortex! It shows that we have the most touch sense receptors in the brain on our hands and lips!
Term
Somatosensory Plasticity
Definition
Our brain can adjust the amount of cortical representation in the brain! You can increase it if you are taught to use some fingers more than others, which makes those fingers regions bigger! You can decrease it when you lose a digit or hand! The other parts of the body take over those somatosensory receptors
Term
Phantom Limb Sensation
Definition
When someone is amputated or loses a limb, the other parts of the body take over those somatosensory receptors! So, if someone loses their hand, if they stimulate the part of the face where they lost their hand, they will feel stimulation in the hand that isnt there anymore!
Term
Laminar Organization of Somatosensory Cortex
Definition
The somatosensory Cortex is organized into layers! Each "Lamina" is formed by migrating neurons early in development!

EX: Layer 4 of the SM Cortex deals ONLY with input from the thalamus. 5 and 6 Project Downward!

AKA our Somatosensory Cortex is divided into layers!!
Term
Ascending Pain Pathway
Definition
This is when we receive pain signals! Pain messages are recieved from the free nerve endings/ receptors, and they project to the anterolateral thalamic system (like touch info), but this time it CROSSES the spinal cord and goes to the front of the spinal column, which then goes to the reticular formation, the periaduaductal grey, and then EITHER to the frontal cortex, cingulate cortex, or Primary Somatosensory Cortex, depending on the pain!
Term
Why is the pain pathway different than the normal touch somatosensory pathway?
Definition
-The pain pathway is "older", we developed the touch one later in "evolution
AND
-pain is 2 ways (descends) so it takes a different pathway than normal touch
Term
Descending Pain Pathway
Definition
This is the bodies response to pain reception. The periaquaductal grey releases opiates, which go to the raphe nucleus. The raphe nucleus then triggers serotonin inhibition of the ascending pain pathway. The creation of raphe serotonin helps people with the pain, to get it to stop!
Term
DIfferences in Somatosensory Pathway and the Pain Pathway
Definition
The pain pathway crosses the midline inside of the spinal cord, and goes up the spinal column from the front. This leads to the reitcular formation, the periaquaductual grey, and then it goes to 3 parts of the brain, frontal, cingulate, and primary somatosensory cortex!
-Normal touch instead crosses IN the brain right before it reaches the thalmus nucleus, which is then sent up to the somatosensory cortex
Term
3 ways on How we PERCEPT Pain
Definition
Because pain moves up the front of the spinal cord, it goes to the reticular formation, to the periaquaductal grey, it goes to 3 parts of the BRAIN! Each part gives us a different way we perceive pain
-Frontal Cortex gives us our cognitive thought on the pain
-Cingulate part of the brain gives us our emotional/ motivational response to the pain
-The sensory motor cortex tells us where the pain is coming from!
Term
Cognitive Perception of Pain
Definition
This is our thoughts on the pain that is occuring to us. This response is done when pain messages go up the reticular formation and to the periaquaductal grey, it goes to the frontal cortex! this helps us Percept pain cognitively
Term
Motivational Perception of Pain
Definition
AKA Motivational perception of pain. When pain messages go up the reticular formation, and into the periaquaductal grey, it goes into the CINGULATE cortex of the brain (specifically the hypothalmus). This then follows with an emotional response to the pain, or how we feel about it
Term
Location Perception of Pain
Definition
The "Sensory-Discriminative" system of pain is from the SM cortex. This is when pain goes from the front of the spinal cord, to the reticular formation, to the periaquaductal grey, it sends the message to the SM cortex! This allows us to location where the pain in the body is!
Term
Periaquaductal Grey
Definition
This is a part of the brain that is in the pain pathway. It is in BOTH the ascending (receiving) and descending (response) pathways of pain. In ascending, as the grey the pain neural message will go to either the frontal, cingulate, or SM cortex to be perceived. In the descending response to pain, the periaquaductual grey releases opiates! This causes the raphe nucleus (other part of the brain) to send serotonin down, which inhibits pain messages!
Term
Reticular Formation
Definition
This is a part of the brain that deals with the ascending pain pathway. When pain messages are sent up the front of the spinal cord, they are met by the reticular formation, which sends them to the periaquaductal grey
Term
Epidural Anesthesia
Definition
Epidurals work by blocking Neural transmission in BOTH Directions of the spinal column. This blockage causes lack of motor control from the injection down the spinal cord, by inhibiting sodium channels in the spinal cord (prevent Action potential!)
Term
Central Pain Killers
Definition
Like Opiates (codeine, oxycontin) the good stuff! They act by HELPING the bodies descending pain inhibition. They boost inhibitory serotonin levels, help our body feel less of the ascending pain message!
Term
Peripheral Pain Killers
Definition
AKA Periphery nervous system pain killers. There are many types of peripheral pain killers, which have different effects of dealing with pain.
EX: Aspirin and NSAIDS reduce prostoglanins. lidocaine deactivates neural receptors
Term
Chronic Insensitivity to Pain with Anhidrosis (CIPA)
Definition
This is the disease where you dont feel any pain!! Think of the boy who could bite on his tongue
Term
Exogenous Opioids
Definition
These are painkillers that act as narcotics! EX: morphine and heroin
Term
Endogenous Opioids
Definition
These are painkillers that are Neuropeptide Opioids! Or ones made from poly peptides. EX: Endorphins, Enkephalins, and Dynorphins
Term
How different painkillers effect body different ways!
Definition
They effect different receptors! EX: endorphins effect the delta opinoid receptor, while heroin and morphine effect the Mu opinion receptor! Both opinions, but different receptors
Term
Olfactory Transduction
Definition
Fancy words for the process of smelling! When a olfactory hair cell, a tiny cell in our nose, one of their receptors is bound by a matching odor particle, it depolarizes the hair cell! This excites the mirtal neuron and it fires, which sends it to the olfactory bulb! This causes the smell to be sent to the amygdala and hippocampus, and we perceive smell!
Term
Why does smell trigger strong memories?
Definition
The mitral neuron from the depolarization of hair cells sends a message to the Olfactory bulb, which sends messages to the amygdala and hippocampus! The association with the hippocampus and memory is why smell and memory have such strong connections
Term
Proustian Memory
Definition
A smell memory that unleashes an intense memory from the past based on a smell. This occurs because of the relationship between the hippocampus, amygdala, and olfactory bulb
Term
Sound Amplitude
Definition
This is known as a sounds "loudness", or sound pressure. It is measured in decibels (dB)
Term
Sound Frequency
Definition
This is how often a sound wave occurs. It is also known as pitch or tone. It is measured in hertz (cycles per second)
Term
Frequency of Sound Amongst Species
Definition
Humans can hear up to a certain frequency, but dogs and cats have a higher frequency capacity than humans! They can hear sounds we cant
Term
3 Division of the Ear
Definition
-External (ear and ear drum)
-Middle (Bones and air)
-Inner Ear (cochlea and inner fluid)
Term
Tympanic membrane
Definition
The tympanic membrane is part of the outer ear, and it is the last part of the outer ear. It takes sound waves and vibrates according to those sound waves, sending those vibtrations to the middle ear (the bone structure)
Term
Bony Structure
Definition
This is part of the middle ear, it also known are the bony stapes. When the tympanic membrane takes sound air waves from the outer ear, it vibrates and sends those vibrations to the bony stapes. This focuses and intensifies the vibrations from the tympanic membrane and transmits it to the oval window of the cochlea! This transfer and intensification makes it easier to transfer the vibrations from air (middle ear) to the fluid (inner ear). Fluid is harder to vibrate than air
Term
Oval Window
Definition
This is the part that separates the middle ear bony structure and the inner ear! It allows the vibrations from the bony stapes to reach the fluid filled middle ear.
Term
Perilymph
Definition
This is the fluid that is in our ears! It is located in the cochlea of our inner ear. The vibrations from the bony stapes send vibrations to the oval window and into the perilymph! This causes the Basilar (and the Reissners, but not as important) membrane to vibrate!
Term
Reissner's Membrane
Definition
This is the membrane that is atached to the "scala Vestibuli" or the higher of the sections of perilymph. When perilymph vibrates it causes the reissners membrane to vibrate! However, it is attached to the scala media, which does not move. So unlike the basilar membrane, the ressiners membrane does not send vibrtation signal (THIS IS WHY THE TECTORIAL DOESN'T MOVE)
Term
Reissner's Membrane
Definition
This is the membrane that is atached to the "scala Vestibuli" or the higher of the sections of perilymph. When perilymph vibrates it causes the reissners membrane to vibrate! However, it is attached to the scala media, which does not move. So unlike the basilar membrane, the ressiners membrane does not send vibrtation signal (THIS IS WHY THE TECTORIAL DOESN'T MOVE)
Term
Basilar Membrane
Definition
This membrane is attached to the "scala tympani" or the lower part of the perilymph. The basilar membrane recieves vibrations from the perilymph fluid (FROM THE BONY STRUCTURES) and it causes the basilar membrane to vibrate as well! This causes the organ of corti's hair cells to vibrate on the basilar side, while remaining steady on the tectorial side. This causes depolarization of the hair cells and transduction of sound occurs
Term
Tectorial Membrane
Definition
Because the vibrations in the reissner's membrane reach the scalia media, which does not move, the tectorial membrane does NOT vibrate. This non-vibration is key, as it holds the tectorial side constant while the basilar side of the basilar membrane in the cochlea moves! This diagonal movement of the haircells causes the depolarization
Term
Organ of Corti
Definition
This is what makes up most of the inner ear! It is also where the hair cells are located! This is imporatnt because as the basilar membrane moves the organ of corti's hair cells, and the tectorial membrane keeps them steady, this bending causes depolarization! This sends messages down the spiral neurons to the brain
Term
Inner Hair Cells
Definition
The bending of these in the organ of corti from the moving basilar and the constant tectorial membranes cause depolarization of the hair cell to occur (Opens K+ channel). The depolarization causes Action Potential to be sent to the spiral neurons to the brain!
Term
Outer Hair Cells
Definition
Outer hair cells are hair cells that their depolarization and AP triggers vibrations of the hair cells themselves. This leads to having more sensitive hearing in mammals, as more vibration leads to more vibration of any hair cell, which depolarizes and sends its messages to the spiral neurons
Term
Spiral Neurons
Definition
These can be found in the inner ear in the cochlea. Once the basilar and tectorial membranes have bent the hair cells, they depolarize and cause a graded depolarization in the spiral neuron. This then sends hearing messages to the brain!
Term
Tonotopy in hearing
Definition
Tonotopy is the way hearing occurs in the basilar membrane. Higher frequencies go to the base of the membrane, where as lower frequencies go to the tip. The difference in frequencies makes the corresponding hair cells and spinal neurons to have preferred frequencies. So each of our hair cells has preferred frequencies!!

AKA This low to high frequency organization leads to TONOTOPY. It is organized throughout the hearing system
Term
Type 1 Spiral Neurons
Definition
These neurons have just ONE single hair cell. Therefore type 1 spiral neurons exhibit much more 'preferred frequencies' cuz they need a specific hair cell to be depolarized. They have a higher "Tuning Curve"
Term
Type 2 Spiral Neuron
Definition
These type of spiral neurons contact many hair cells, usually in a row, so they have a higher range of frequencies to activate them!
Term
Base of Basilar Membrane
Definition
This is the part of the membrane that prefers higher frequencies, so it vibrates to higher frequency sounds
Term
Apex of Basilar Membrane
Definition
This is the part that prefers lower frequency sounds
Term
Encoding Frequency
Definition
This is how many cycles of sound wave can be encoded and transduced per second in our brain! This brings of an issue that spiral neurons cant fire fast enough to encode higher frequencies. This is Solved by 2 ways!
-Spatial Segretation
-Phase Locking
Term
Spatial Segregation
Definition
This is the idea of tonotopy, or the organization of the basilar membrane from high to low frequency. By organizing it in this way and creating preferred hair cells, it allows for efficient depolarization and helps solve the encoding frequency speed problem of single spiral neurons
Term
Phase Locking
Definition
This is one of the ways to help solve the single spiral neuron encoding frequency problem. Because neurons cannot fire fast enough, by spatiall segreating them through tonotopy, and PHASE LOCKING, which is collectively firing neurons together with the same frequency rate, it solves this problem. EX Volley ball team firing together!
Term
Encoding Amplitude
Definition
This is how loud or intense a sound is and how loud/ intense we encode it into our brain
This helps determine
-neural firing rate
-spatial spread
Term
Neural Firing Rate in hearing
Definition
This is determined by our encoding amplitude! The more intense a sound is, the more likely a neuron will fire!
Term
Spatial Spread
Definition
This is determined by our encoding amplitude. This is the idea that louder sounds activate a more distributed network of hair cells. The louder a sound is the more hair cells depolarized!
Term
Cochlea
Definition
This is the part of the ear where transduction occurs the organ of corti in the cochlea have hair cells that when are bent from sound vibration cause depolarization of those sends and action potentials to be sent down the spiral neurons
Term
Cochlear Nuclei
Definition
Two collections of neurons in the brainstem that recieve input from the cochlear nerve from the two cochlea
Term
Olivary Nucleus
Definition
A part of the auditory pathway structure. It receives messages from the cochlear nucleus and sends it to the inferior colliculus
Term
Inferior Colliculus
Definition
The inferior colliculus is a part of the auditory pathway system. It takes messages from the olivary nucleus and sends it to the medial geniculate nucleus, or MGN
Term
Medial Geniculate Nucleus (MGN)
Definition
This is part of the auditory pathway system. It takes messages from the inferior Colliculus and sends it either to the primary Auditory Cortex (A1) or the Secondary Auditory Cortex (A2) depending on what needs to be percieved
Term
Primary Auditory Cortex (A1)
Definition
This is also known as the primary auditory cortex. It receives messages from the Medial Geniculate Nucleus, or MGN. It deals with depicting where a sound is that we heard
Term
Secondary Auditory Cortex (A2)
Definition
This is a part of the auditory pathway (last one). It receives messages from the MGN, or medial geniculate nucleus, and the secondary auditory cortex deals with how he process the sound we hear. It is what we think/ know about a sound
Term
Wernickes Area is in the _______ Cortex
Definition
A2, or secondary auditory cortex. This is where sound is processed (understood like in wernickes area). This is connected to brocas area, which is in the frontal/ motor cortex, and this allows speech production
Term
Auditory Pathway Structures
Definition
The Auditory Pathway Structures are:

Cochlea
Cochlear Nucleus
Olivary Nucleus
Interior Colliculus
Medial Geniculate Nucleus (MGN)
A1 or A2

CCOIMA/A

(koy-mah)
Term
Congenital Hearing Loss
Definition
When someone is born with either abnormalities in the hearing apparatus (ears, etc), or abnormalities in their audiotory nerve/ brain
Term
Progressive Hearing Loss
Definition
Hearing loss due to degeneration of hair cells!
Term
Injury Induced Hearing Loss
Definition
An injury that leads to loss of hearing
Term
Age related Hearing Loss
Definition
Over time, the loss of tympanic membrane flexibility (doesnt vibrate as fluidly) causes hearing loss
Term
Hearing Aids
Definition
Hearing Aids boost the ability of a signal (ex create more intense easier to detect vibrations in the ear), but they cannot fix a problem with the ear itself! ONLY enhance sound messages
Term
Cochlear Implant
Definition
Will be used if hearing loss is profound and cannot be boosted by hearing aids. The cochlear implant has several limitations, as it only really works in those who had recent loss
Term
Light Frequency
Definition
Light Frequency waves determine the color of the wave. EX: higher frequencies mean close to blue/ purple color
Term
Pupil
Definition
This is a part of our eye. It opens and closes in response to the amount of light we take in, to make sure our eyes dont get overexposed
Term
Lens
Definition
The lens is a part of out eye. It adjusts its conformation based on what we are focused on seeing. It's like the telescope part of our eyes!
Term
Optic Disk
Definition
This is the "hole" in the back of the eye that the optic nerve exits out of. This causes a blind spot in our vision! The blind spot is fixed however, as our brains make up for the visual difference
Term
Retina
Definition
It is the light sensitive tissue that outlines the inner surface of the eye. It is composed of the eyes photoreceptors (light Receptors), rods and cones, as well as bipolar cells ans ganglion cells, all used to take in light and transduce it into neural messaging

NOTE: the ganglion and bipolar cells are infront of the rod and cone photorecpetors. This crossing is because of the inverted design of the eye, which allows light to pass over the receptors and then crossed back into the ganglion cells to be passed into the optic nerve
Term
Fovea
Definition
This is the part of the eye with the highest visual detail! it is our best spot in the eye for sight. It has the most photoreceptor cells!
Term
Optic Nerve
Definition
This is a collection of the retina's ganglion cells to form a large nerve circuit that carries visual imaging out of the optic disk (blind spot) and into the brain!
Term
Acuity
Definition
This is also known as visual accuracy! how well we see something
Term
Nearsightedness
Definition
This is caused from when the vision is focuses in front of the retina
Term
Farsightedness
Definition
This is caused from when the visual image is focused outside or behind of the retina
Term
Ganglion Cells
Definition
These are cells that are attached to the bipolar cells in the retina, which are attached to the light photoreceptors call rods and cones. Ganglion cells take these messages from photorecpetors and send them down into the optic nerve, a large collection of ganglion cells
Term
Opsin
Definition
This is a protein found in rods and cones! It is sensitive to light, and when it absorbs a photon (particle of light), it changes its configuration! This changing causes a reduction of cGMP, which starts the phototransduction process!
Term
cGMP
Definition
This is a protein messenger that is vital in phototranscution. When Ospin is introduced to photons, it changes and causes cGMP to reduce. The reduction in cGMP causes a hyperpolarization in the cell, which starts the phototransduction process!

cGMP regulates Na/Ca channel, and when reduced, the cell becomes highly negative and hyperpolarized
Term
Phototransduction Process
Definition
First Light sends photons to the retina, which passes into the rods and cones. Then the rods and cones ospin, a protein, changes formation in response to the photon. This causes a reduction in cGMP due to the ospin change. This makes the rods and cones hyperpolarize, and produce less transmitter. This loss of transmitter is sent to the bipolar cells in between the rods and cones and the ganglion cells. Bipolar cells invert the signal, so less transmitter makes that cell depolarize. This depolarization of that cell leads to an action potential in the ganglion cell, whose message is sent down the optic nerve.

AKA light, to rod and cone, to opsin change, to less cGMP, to hyperpolarization rod and cone, to depolarization of bipolar cell, to AP in ganglion cell
Term
Rods
Definition
They are one of the two types of photorecpetors. They encode blue/green light which is generally perceived as grey, so they deal with NON COLOR VISION. They are low acuity, but deal with lower levels of light. They are therefore used for night vision when light isnt as prominent.

They also have 1 ospin protein called rhodospin
Term
Rhodospin
Definition
This is the ospin protein found in rods. Rhodospin, when exposed to light, changes its formation and causes a decrease in cGMP, which causes phototransduction
Term
Cones
Definition
one of the two types of photo receptors. Cones are high acuity and are found mainly in the fovea. There are 3 types of cone, each with a preferred wavelength of light and its own Ospin, which allows for the seeing of the array of colors. The 3 wavelengths are red, blue, and green
Term
Color Blindness
Definition
This occurs when someone is missing one of the 3 kinds of cones in their retina! Because of this, they are unable to see whichever wavelength those cones prefer
Term
Visual Detail by frequency
Definition
Visual detail levels can be described by its frequency. High frequency = HD TV, or lots if info per inch. Low Frequency = simple, low detail per inch
Term
Vidual Detail by Contrast
Definition
The level of contrast can be used to describe visual detail as well. (Black/White = high contrast, shades of grey = low contrast). Higher contrast is viewed as better visual detail
Term
Organization of the Primary Visual Cortex (V1)
Definition
Organization of the V1 is laminar, or uses layers and columns like the S1 and A1!
-It also is retinotopic! or sounding areas of the retina correspond to different preferred visual areas! (like tonotopic, but instead of touch like in vibrations, it is what the retina prefers at a given spot)
Term
Response Intensity in Visual System
Definition
The Visual System responds to increasingly complex information as you ascend up the phototransduction pathway.
EX: Rods and cones go from point to point, while ganglion cells see visual field to visual field, while the primary Visual cortex binds the information with meaning and memories for a deeper meaning
Term
Critical Period in vision
Definition
People who are blind and get their vision back do get it back, but never on the same level/ acuity as other people. This proves there is a visual crtical period (think of the blind cats)
Term
Visual Blindness brain Plasticity
Definition
People who are born congentially blind instead learn how to read braille. This causes some of the visual field in our brain to adapt more to somatosensory information!
Term
Striated Skeletal Muscle
Definition
Controlled via brain and pyramidal system. They are voluntary muscles that contract and relax in short bursts
Term
Striated Cardiac Muscle
Definition
Controlled via the brain and sympathetic/ parasympathetic nervous system. They are involuntary muscles that contract and relax in short bursts
Term
Smooth (non striated muscle)
Definition
They are controlled via the brain and the enteric, sympathetic, parasympathetic, and autonomic nervous systems. They are very involuntary muscles, such as enervating the gut, and they are more sustained muscles contractions
Term
Muscle Contraction
Definition
This occurs at the neuromuscular junction, where acetylcholine excites the muscles and leads to sliding of actin and myosin protein molecules. This sliding over eachother causes contractions and relaxations of muscles!
Term
Actin
Definition
The "outside part" protein in muscles. They bind with myosin and slide over on another, to cause contraction and relaxation at the neuromuscular junction when acetlycholine is exposed
Term
Myosin
Definition
This is the "inside part" of the muscle contraction protein process. At the neuromuscluar Junction, when acetylcholine is present it activates the cells ion channels, leading to myosin and actin binding together and contracting the muscle
Term
Neuromuscular Junction
Definition
This is the part of the body where the nervous system and muscular system meet. More specifically, if acetlycholine is produced and exposed to muscles, it will cause the cells ion channels to change and lead to myosin and actin binding, which causes muscle contraction
Term
Pyramidal Motor System and pathway
Definition
Controls all voluntary movement! It is direct and fast to its descending output (telling the body what to do).

Its pathway mirrors the SM Map, but backwards! (goes from motor cortex, down into thalamus VPN (posterior nucleus), down the dorsal spinal column to the body! This pathway contains very long axons, and crosses at the medulla!
Term
Extra-Pyramidal Motor System
Definition
This is an involuntary "stabilizing" system that takes in feedback from the cerebellum and basal ganglia from the body (and other parts), which projects this body feedback to the motor cortex to move accordingly! It is the bodies middle man for its next movement
Term
Extra-Pyramidal Motor Pathway
Definition
First the SM pathway is established by having the body get sensory input, to the VPN, to the SM, to the motor system. Then the body gets proprioceptive feedback from this movement from the basal ganglia and cerebellum, which projects this to the VAN in the thalamus, which tells the motor system to adjust!
ALSO, vestibular input through PLN to the audiotory cotex and cerebellum to motor is another way it adjusts
Audiotry and visual orientation are done through the MGN and LGN to A1 and V1, and the nback to the motor stimulus,

All in all it is the bodies way of making movement adjustments
Term
Proprioception
Definition
This is the sensory feedback we get (part of the touch system) regarding muscle status and posture. This is projected to the cerebellum and basal ganglia, which project this feedback of how the motion is going to the VAN Thalamic nuclues, which projects back to the motor cortex. It is the process of making motor adjustments
Term
Relfexes
Definition
Specific motor impulses generated withing the spinal horn stimuli, AKA impulses that dont even pass up to the brain! They are used for our survival
Term
ALS
Definition
AKA amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and lou gehrigs disease. It is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord! (AKA A motor disease caused by degenerating neurons in CNS)
Term
Sensory Transducters
Definition
Physically altered by a specific stimulus that translates this physical external energy into a neural signal via ion flow!
Either through
-specialize neurons (SM system)
-Photo receptors (Vision)
-Hair Cells (Hearing and smell)
Term
Graded Potential Sensory Receptors
Definition
These senses have graded potentials that over multiple activations and depolarization cause AP to fire representing neural messaging of the external stimulus
Smell Via Olfactory hair cell
Sound via Cochlear hair cell
Vision Via Photoreceptor and Bipolar cell
Term
Non graded sensory action potentials
Definition
In touch, and prioprioepctive (feedback) receptors, they are part of the neurons themselves! So activation is instant action potential in the touch sense
Term
Thalamus
Definition
This is a major way station to the Cortex! IN Touch, it receives input from the spinal column and medulla and it goes to the VPN in the thalamus, which goes to the cortex. The MGN nucleus in the thalamus projects auditory info, the LGN or visual nucleus projects visual info. Motor feedback pathways use the VAN Nucleus in the thalamus to project back to the motor cortex! The only sense that DOES NOT use a thalamus nucleus is smell, which goes from the olfactory bulb right to the amygdala and hippocampus
Term
Sensory Pathway and its corresponding Thalamus Nucleus
Definition
SM - VPN
Auditory - MGN
Visual - LGN
Motor (feedback) - VAN
Taste - also uses VPN
Smell - none (uses olfactory bulb)
Term
Crossing in brain
Definition
In sensory info perception, all info crosses the midline of the brain at somepoint. This is part of the brain/ bodies contralaterality. WHERE is crosses depends on the sensory pathway. In regular touch reception, it crosses right before entering the thalamus in the brain. But with pain, it crosses right after entry into the spinal cord!
Term
Topographic
Definition
The idea that there is a 1-1 mapping between sensory input and brain response. This is most like the SM system. Although it is not perfectly 1-1 in that some touch receptors are more represented, each part of the body has a different section of the SM cortex
Term
Tonotopic
Definition
This is the idea has to do with the sense of sound. The basilar membrane in the cochlea is organized tonotpically, or that different parts of it prefer different frequencies. The apex or tip preferes low frequencies, and as you go down the membrane the base prefers higher ones. This idea of spreading out the high to low in order in tonotopic organization
Term
Retinotopic
Definition
This type of organization is the idea that different areas at of the area prefer different visual stimuli, color, and movement. It is organized in that a different section of the retina will be more likely to fire if given the preferred color/ movement in its visual field
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