Extensive notes from the lectures for Developmental Neuropsychology. Useful to prepare yourself for the exam and the assignment. Also includes the most important images used in the lectures.
Lecture 1 (26-11-2021): Introduction to neuroscience
How is the brain organized?
Brain structure and function:
- Brain structure (connectoom) refers to the separate brain areas, the connection between
these areas (nerve tracts) and their cellstructure.
- The whole brain can be divided into subarea’s.
o Each of the brainarea’s can be distinguished because they are build on different
types of cells.
▪ All neurons, but many different types of neurons.
- Brain function refers to the role fo the separate brain areas and to the communication
between and within these area’s
o A global level (organization of brain networks), local level (function of a brain area)
and the micro level (neurophysiology)
o We have to recognize that each brain part has it’s own function, but that is not the
whole truth.
▪ Our brain can only function if all the different parts collaborate
▪ They form brain networks
o Microlevel: how do neurons communicate with each other.
Terminology
- Subcortical and cortical
o Cortical = in de hersenschors
o Subcortical = onder de hersenschors
- Neocortex:
o Frontal
o Parietal
o Temporal
o Occipital
- Left and right hemisphere
o Left controls the right half of the body
o Right controls the left part of the body
- Anterior and posterior
o Anterior is the frontal part
o Posterior is the part at the back
- Dorsal and ventral: direction of the brain area’s
o Dorsal: Top, back-side
, 2
o Ventral: Down, front-side
-
Projection areas and association areas
- Projection areas: areas of the brain with a direct connection with the outside of your body
(senses) = specialized in receiving or sending specific information
o Contains neurons specialized in dealing with specific information
o Primary somatic context: pain
- Association areas: domain-general
o Integrating all the information of, for example, the projection areas.
o F.e. prefrontal cortex
Brain structure:
- Cerebral cortex: higher cognitive functions
o Functions we have conscious control of
o We can recall what we see, what we heard, think of early memories, talking to
someone
- Gyri (windingen) and sulci (groeven)
- Layered cell structure (6 cell layers)
o Every part of the cortex has this structure
o Thickness of each of the cell layers can be different in different parts of the cortex
- Gray matter: cell bodies and dendrites
- White matter: myelinated axons
o Bundle of axons: white nerve track
The nervous system:
, 3
- The total nervous system: central nervous system + peripheral nervous system
o Central nervous System (CNS)
▪ Brain
▪ Spinal cord
o Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
▪ Divided into:
• Somatic nervous system
o Controls the muscles
o Information receiving from your senses
• Autonomic nervous system – you are not conscious of this
o Sympathetic nervous system (arousing)
o Parasympathetic nervous system (calming)
Peripheral nervous system:
- Contains all neural structures outside the brain
o The ability to sense what is going on outside and inside the body
▪ Afferent (rising) nerve tracts
▪ From senses to the brain
o The ability to respond with our muscles and glands
▪ Efferent (descending) nerve tracts
- You are not aware of this
The somatic nervous system
- Is composed of
o The sensory (afferent) neurons
▪ That carry messages from outside the body to the central nervous system
▪ Specialized in transmitting messages from the eyes, ears, and other sensory
receptors
o The motor (efferent) neurons
▪ That carry messages from the central nervous system to the skeletal muscles
of the body
▪ Send messages from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles that control
voluntary movements
- Every deliberate action a person makes involves neurons in the somatic nervous system
Autonomic nervous system
- Regulates the internal environment of the body, such as respiration, circulation and digestion
- It senses the body’s internal functions, control the glands and the smooth (involuntary)
muscles of the heart, blood vessels, stomach, etc.
- Also involved in aspects of motivation, emotional behaviour and stress responses
Difference between somatic and autonomic nervous system
, 4
Autonomic nervous system:
- Sympathetic nervous system: activation or arousal, flight-or-fight response
- Parasympathetic nervous system: slows down body processes and maintains a state of
tranquility
Central nervous system:
- Spinal cord
o Functions:
▪ Contains motor and sensory nerves (neurons)
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