NEURONOTES
Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience
Passed by:
Leona Marie Irinco
Block:
PCAS 06 301E
Fun Facts about
the Human Brain
Signs of successful brain surgeries go as far back as the Stone Age.
Known as TREPANATION (7000 yrs ago).
It is the earliest surgery.
Involves removing bone from the skull.
Uses sharp edges of stone to bore a hole.
The ancient people believed that it releases someone from demon
possession.
About 75 percent of the brain is made up of water. This means that
dehydration, even in small amounts, can have a negative effect on the
brain functions.
CEREBRAL SPINAL FLUID (CSF) surrounds the brain and spinal
cord to protect them from injury. It also washes away toxicity.
Another layer of protection is the MENINGAL LAYER that contains
the CSF.
An adult brain weighs about 3 pounds.
The reason we don't feel its weight is because it floats in the CSF.
The largest brain of any animal is that of the sperm whale. It weighs
about 20 pounds.
The sperm whale's head comprises 25 to 35 percent of its entire
body length
It can grow to be nearly 500 cubic inches in size.
The human brain will grow three times its size in the first year of life. It
continues to grow until you’re about 18 years old.
It keeps growing to about 80% of adult size by age 3 and 90% –
nearly full grown – by age 5.
The brain can’t feel pain. It interprets pain signals sent to it, but it does
not feel pain.
There are no nociceptors in the brain tissue.
NOCICEPTORS are pain receptors.
Headaches are caused by a chemical reaction in your brain combined
with the muscles and nerves of your neck and head.
Migraine pain happens due to waves of activity by groups of
excitable brain cells.
The brain of a human contains approximately one hundred billion
neurons.
It has 100 billion neurons and 10- to 50-fold more glial cells.
During the mummification process, Egyptians would usually remove
the brains through the nose.
Carefully inserting special hooked instruments up through the
nostrils in order to pull out bits of brain tissue.
It is a myth that humans only use 10 percent of our brain. We
actually use all of it. We’re even using more than 10 percent when
we sleep.
More than 10 percent are used for all sorts of activity, from
seemingly simple tasks like resting or looking at pictures to more
complex ones like reading or doing math.
Cholesterol is key to learning and memory. However, high
cholesterol has different effects depending on your age and other
factors.
High cholesterol level may increase the risk of developing
Alzheimer disease (AD).
Dreams are believed to be a combination of imagination,
phsychological factors, and neurological factors. They prove that
your brain is working even when you are sleeping.
Our visual cortex called the OCCIPITAL LOBE is the reason why
dreams are vivid.
The HYPOTHALAMUS is responsible for sleep and arousal.
Introduction to Neuroscience
Brain
"Our brain is a
learns and adapt
thinking machine"
surpasses functionality of a
computer. ~ Fredrich Herbart
it repairs itself through sleeping.
Why is Nueroscience important?
Neuroscience examines the STRUCTURE and FUNCTION of
the human brain and nervous system.
Neuroscientists use cellular and molecular biology, anatomy
and physiology, human behavior and cognition, and other
disciplines, to map the brain at a mechanistic level.
Studying neuroscience helps us understand our basic
functions.
Through it we can prevent and treat injuries and illnesses.
Biology impacts emotions and vice versa.
Molecular Neuroscience
is a branch of neuroscience that examines the biology of the
nervous system with MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, molecular genetics,
protein chemistry and related methodologies.
CELLS/HUMAN BODY - another unexplored world for scientists.
MOISAIC - is a Swiss Army Microscope
- used to shed functions misunderstood or not understood at
all.
Historical Highlights
in Neuroscience
Mesolithic (7000 BCE)
drilling holes in skulls
try to release demons and pressure.
Egyptian (3000 BCE)
Edwin Smith discovered the PAPYRUS
unique treatise containing the oldest known description of signs and
symptoms of injuries of the spinal column and spinal cord.
SIGNS - objective and can be observed.
SYMPTOMS - subjective and can be declared by the body.
Hippocrates (460-379 BCE)
begun neuroscience
" The brain is the seat of cognition"
Renee Descartes DUALISM (1600-1800)
Stated that the mind is not tangible
This philosophy states that the mental can exist outside of the body, and
the body cannot think.
The mind is neither physical no accessible to study through the natural
science.
MONISM - maintains that both mental and corporeal phenomena are merely
different manifestations of what is really one and the same Reality.
Light Microscopy (1600)
Invented by Anthon Ban Livenhawk
used to have detailed analysis of biology.
Phrenology (1800)
Proposed by Franz Josef Gall
Stated that the field of thought is based on the idea of logical traits.
Neuron One Direction (1855)
Neuron impulses process simple and complex information
throughout the nervous system.
Nerve impulse travels in one direction because nerve cells
(neurons) connect to each other by synapse.
Research M ethod in Neuroscience
Microscopic Methods
Microscopy
roscopical level.
The method that study the cells and tissues at mic
.
Scientist discover the eccentric behavior of the cell
μm - micrometer symbol
rons reacting to a brain injury.
ECCINTRICALLY PLACED - It is an indication of neu
Histology
roscopical level
The method that study the cells and tissues at mic
.
Scientist discover the eccentric behavior of the cell
Types of Microscope
Fluoroscence Microscope
Highly sensitive
Labelling
Light from this can kill specimen.
A con of this is that you have to work quickly.
Electrone Microscope
Phosphorescent screen
Most powerful microscope
gh for light to pass
Specimen must be sectioned, its tissues must be thin enou
through.
Treatment is needed for some specimen.
Freeze/ dehydrate/ use formalin to harden specimen.
MICROTOME - slices/ sections tissues.
a specimen it is stained.
SPECIALIZED STAINS - to have a better visualization of
EXAMPLES OF STAINS:
Golgi Stain
Nissl Stain
Myelin Stain
Horseradish Peroxidase
Neuroimaging Techniques
SPATIAL - anatomical/ structural
TEMPORAL - functional/ brain activity
Computerized Tomography Scan (CT SCAN)
Can detect bone/joint, bone fracture and tumor
Most common scan
Cannot distinguish a living/dead brain.
Positron Emission Tomography (PET SCAN)
Examines how tissues and organs are functioning.
Uses radioactive drug tracer.
Used for brain disorder.
RED/YELLOW LIGHT - most active
BLUE/DARK LIGHT - least active
SPECT SCAN - less expensive PET SCAN
Electroencephalogram (ECG SCAN)
Examines the changes in brain activity.
Uses small discs called ELECTRODES.
The more electrical signals means more brain activity.
Cannot see spatial.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Used for disease or injury.
Shows anatomical but not functional.
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FMRI)
Used to examine brain's functional anatomy.
Temporal resolution.
Blood oxyganation is slow to change.
Data collected slows down.
Undermines 1st response.
Brain Recording Techniques
Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Anisotrophy and direction diffusion
Used to measure water molecules in the brain.
Examines brain streamline of white matter.
FA VALUE
0 - non-directional
1+ - highly directional (more preferable)
*Denrdrites resides in the gray matter.
Event-Related Potential (ERPS)
Is the measured brain response of cortical neuron activity/ electric
activity.
Magnetoencephalograhy (MEG)
Maps brain activty by recording magnetic fields produced by electric
currents.
More electrical activity means neurons are interacting.
More electrical impulse, more magnetism.
SQUID - Super Quantum Interference Device
Single Cell Recording
Monitors activity of a single neuron.
Can be planted.
Observes voltage or currents in a neuron.
Brain Stimulation
Should be used in caution.
Involves activating or inhibiting the brain directly with electricity.
The electricity can be given directly by electrodes implanted in the
brain, or noninvasively through electrodes placed on the scalp.
The electricity can also be induced by using applied to the head.
BRAIN LESSION
LESSION - area of a tissue that has been damaged through injury/ disease.
ABLESSION - surgically removed.
Biochemical Methods
Psychoactive Effects
Alters brain function, resulting in temporary changes in mood, perception,
and behavior.
Different Administration of Drugs
Inhalant
Injectibles
Oral
Tropical
Challenges of Treating Brain Diseases
Genetic Methods
Twin Studies
The natural comparison between monozygotic (identical) and dizygotic
(fraternal) twins provides some insight into the relative contributions of
heredity and environment.
FRATERNAL TWINS - Develop from 2 sets of egg and sperm. Same sex or
one of each.
IDENTICAL TWINS - Develop from same egg and sperm. Same sex.
Concordance Rate
Type of statistical probability
If one identical twin has disorder, the other has as much as a 90 percent
likelihood of also being diagnosed with the disorder.
Adoption Studies
Correlates heredity and environment to intelligence and criminality.
HERITABILITY - the environment continues to have an impact on heritability,
which is the degree of genetic variation in a trait among a population.
GENOTYPE - recessive
PHENOTYPE - highly observable
