Lecture 1 14-11-2017
Summary cognitive neuroscience
Study methods to measure and manipulate the brain and study the cognitive functions. Define the
steps and networks in information processes by using neuroscientific methods.
Things to know for the exam:
- Cognitive domains
- Terminology of brain locations and navigation
- Psychological tasks
Cognition is more about the things a brain can do
- Perception
- Motor coordination
- Attention and controlling it
- Memory
- Emotion and social skills
- Language
- Executive functions
- Decision making
Humans can receive a stimuli, extract information from it and hold it in the memory, and ultimately
to generate thoughts and actions that help to reach the desired goal. The mind consists of our
subjective, conscious experiences. Cognitive science: Researchers look for the underlying mental
processes that stand between the stimuli and the outcoming behavior. They focus on information
processing associated with cognitive functions.
Neuroscience is the study of those functions of the brain, so more the measurements. This field is
concerned with how the nervous system of humans and other animals are organized and function.
- EEG/ MEG
- fMRI/ DTI / MRS
- electrophysiology
- physiology
- gene expression
- food supplements and pharmacology
- TMS / TDCS
- Optogenetics
Cognitive neuroscience works at the intersection of cognitive science and neuroscience. They must
relate the cognitive processes and behavior to the underlying brain function. It seeks to create
biologically grounded models of cognitive function.
A single experiment cannot uniquely identify a cognitive function.
Phrenology
This contains instinct for reproduction, love for offspring, affection and friendship etc. Mapping the
functions of the brain. Nowadays, functions are defined by thorough experimentation and
multidisciplinary research. It is not just the size of brain areas that matters.
,Behaviorism
How someone feels can be extracted from his behavior. Behavior is explained by stimuli and
responses, while ignoring the references to underlying mental processes. Not necessarily the denial
of those mental processes, but they could not be defined independently of experimental operations.
Brain anatomy
There are many different types of cells, connections and neurotransmitters. Brodmann was the first
to map the cortex based on cell types. The structure of the brain defines the function.
Neuron
A: motorneuron
B: inter neuron
C: sensory neuron
D: sensory neuron
Signals are transmitted long distance along neurons axons by action potentials. Dendrites receive
information from synapses with other nerve cells. Neurotransmitters are released by the terminals of
neuronal axons at synapses, where the transmitters then bind to receptor molecules on target
neurons and other cells, so they change the membrane potential of the contact cell.
The 4 main aspects:
1. Input
2. Modulator
3. Transfer
4. Output
Neurons are different from normal cells. Axons and dendrites have specialized structures to transmit
and receive information through action potentials. They tend not to reproduce after birth and their
connections do alter. Each cell type has its own specialized function.
, 1. The motor neurons are important for movement, in the spinal cord.
2. The pyramidal neuron has something to do with cognition, the forebrain
3. The Purkinje cell does something with coordination, in the cerebellum.
4. The retinal neuron is important for the vision, in the retina.
5. The olfactory neuron is important for the smell, olf. Bulp.
6. The unipolar neuron has something to do with sensation, also in the spinal cord.
7. The anaxonic neuron is important for the inhibitory and can be found in the retina and the
brain.
Searching for the right area that matches the function: brain perturbation
Damage to anatomy clinical neuropsychology
If damage to the brain area or systems disrupts a cognitive function, it is likely that this region is
involved in some critical way in the performance of that function. A limitation is that the brain
damage is the results of many factors that are not in control of the experimenter. It also varies
among individuals so it is difficult to generalize results. The region at overlap among a group of
patients more accurately defines the part of the brain relevant to the cognitive function at issue.
- Stroke
A medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain results in cell death, so lack of
blood flow or an internal bleeding.
, -
- Tumor or infections or insects
- Trauma
An external force injures the brain.
- Epilepsy and lesions
- Genetic manifestation
Summary cognitive neuroscience
Study methods to measure and manipulate the brain and study the cognitive functions. Define the
steps and networks in information processes by using neuroscientific methods.
Things to know for the exam:
- Cognitive domains
- Terminology of brain locations and navigation
- Psychological tasks
Cognition is more about the things a brain can do
- Perception
- Motor coordination
- Attention and controlling it
- Memory
- Emotion and social skills
- Language
- Executive functions
- Decision making
Humans can receive a stimuli, extract information from it and hold it in the memory, and ultimately
to generate thoughts and actions that help to reach the desired goal. The mind consists of our
subjective, conscious experiences. Cognitive science: Researchers look for the underlying mental
processes that stand between the stimuli and the outcoming behavior. They focus on information
processing associated with cognitive functions.
Neuroscience is the study of those functions of the brain, so more the measurements. This field is
concerned with how the nervous system of humans and other animals are organized and function.
- EEG/ MEG
- fMRI/ DTI / MRS
- electrophysiology
- physiology
- gene expression
- food supplements and pharmacology
- TMS / TDCS
- Optogenetics
Cognitive neuroscience works at the intersection of cognitive science and neuroscience. They must
relate the cognitive processes and behavior to the underlying brain function. It seeks to create
biologically grounded models of cognitive function.
A single experiment cannot uniquely identify a cognitive function.
Phrenology
This contains instinct for reproduction, love for offspring, affection and friendship etc. Mapping the
functions of the brain. Nowadays, functions are defined by thorough experimentation and
multidisciplinary research. It is not just the size of brain areas that matters.
,Behaviorism
How someone feels can be extracted from his behavior. Behavior is explained by stimuli and
responses, while ignoring the references to underlying mental processes. Not necessarily the denial
of those mental processes, but they could not be defined independently of experimental operations.
Brain anatomy
There are many different types of cells, connections and neurotransmitters. Brodmann was the first
to map the cortex based on cell types. The structure of the brain defines the function.
Neuron
A: motorneuron
B: inter neuron
C: sensory neuron
D: sensory neuron
Signals are transmitted long distance along neurons axons by action potentials. Dendrites receive
information from synapses with other nerve cells. Neurotransmitters are released by the terminals of
neuronal axons at synapses, where the transmitters then bind to receptor molecules on target
neurons and other cells, so they change the membrane potential of the contact cell.
The 4 main aspects:
1. Input
2. Modulator
3. Transfer
4. Output
Neurons are different from normal cells. Axons and dendrites have specialized structures to transmit
and receive information through action potentials. They tend not to reproduce after birth and their
connections do alter. Each cell type has its own specialized function.
, 1. The motor neurons are important for movement, in the spinal cord.
2. The pyramidal neuron has something to do with cognition, the forebrain
3. The Purkinje cell does something with coordination, in the cerebellum.
4. The retinal neuron is important for the vision, in the retina.
5. The olfactory neuron is important for the smell, olf. Bulp.
6. The unipolar neuron has something to do with sensation, also in the spinal cord.
7. The anaxonic neuron is important for the inhibitory and can be found in the retina and the
brain.
Searching for the right area that matches the function: brain perturbation
Damage to anatomy clinical neuropsychology
If damage to the brain area or systems disrupts a cognitive function, it is likely that this region is
involved in some critical way in the performance of that function. A limitation is that the brain
damage is the results of many factors that are not in control of the experimenter. It also varies
among individuals so it is difficult to generalize results. The region at overlap among a group of
patients more accurately defines the part of the brain relevant to the cognitive function at issue.
- Stroke
A medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain results in cell death, so lack of
blood flow or an internal bleeding.
, -
- Tumor or infections or insects
- Trauma
An external force injures the brain.
- Epilepsy and lesions
- Genetic manifestation
