PSY 274 1st Edition Lecture 4Chapter 2Outline of Last Lecture I. The 1st Cognitive PsychologistsII.The Rise Of BehaviorismIII.The Decline of BehaviorismIV.Studying the mindV.The Cognitive RevolutionVI.Researching the mindVII.Cognitive ScienceOutline of Current Lecture – Cognitive NeuroscienceI.Building blocks of the nervous systemII.How neurons communicate & Process InformationIII.Lobes of the Cerebral CortexIV.Localization of Function (LOC)V.Distribution processing in the brainVI.Method: Brain ImagingVII.Method: Event-Related Potential (ERP)VIII.Representation of the brainCurrent LectureI.Building blocks of the nervous systema.Neurons: cells specialized to receive and transmit information in the nervous system. Each neuron has a cell body, an axon, and dendritesb.Cell Body: metabolic center of the neuron; it contains mechanisms to keepcell alivec.Axon (nerve fibers): tube filled with fluid that transmits electrical signal to other neuronsi.A Myelin Sheath forms around the axon to improve transmissiond.Dendrites: multiple branches reaching from the cell body, which receives information from other neurons. i.Sensory receptors: specialized to respond to information received fromthe sensese.Synapse: space between the neuronsThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.II.How neurons communicate & Process Informationa.Neurons communicate through things called Action Potentials. A neuron will receive a signal from the environment; send that information down the axon of that neuron to the dendrites of another neuron. These action potentials are always the same along the length of the cell.b.To measure action potentials you measure the rate of firing. Size is not measured, that stays consistent. Its measuring how fast or how often it is firing. i.Low intensities: slow firingii.High intensities: fast firingiii.In class example: measuring the frequency of sound.c.Synapse: space between axon of one neuron and dendrite of another.i.When the action potential reaches the end of the axon, synaptic vesicles open and release chemical neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters cross the synapse and bind with the receiving dendrites. What’s left off are picked up by dendrites of another neuron.d.Neurotransmitters: chemicals that affect the electrical signal of the receiving neuroni.Excitatory: increases chance neuron will fireii.Inhibitory: decreases chance neuron will firee.The interaction of excitation and inhibition determine if information is processed. Not all signals received lead to action potential. The cell membrane processes the number of impulses received.i.An action potential results only if the threshold level is reached. In other words, until the action potential reaches that threshold, the nextneuron will not do anything.III.Lobes of the Cerebral Cortex (*KNOW WHAT HAPPENS THERE*)The Cerebral Cortex contains mechanisms responsible for most of our cognitive functions. It is where higher level functioning takes place. It is a 3-mm thick layer that covers the brain.a.Frontal Lobe: higher level functioningi.This is where your brain processes planning and reasoning as well as language, thought, memory, and motor functioningb.Parietal Lobe: Touch, temperature, pain and pressure processingc.Temporal: behind ears- deals with facial recognitioni.This is where auditory and perceptual processing takes place as well as language, hearing, memory, and perceiving formsd.Occipital: back of headi.Visual processingIV.Localization of Function (LOC): specific functions are served by specific areas of the brain. Some neurons are specialized. Cognitive functioning breaks down in specific ways when areas of the brain are damaged. a.Limbic System: higher functioning areasi.Hippocampus: forming new memoriesii.Amygdala: emotions and emotional memoriesiii.Thalamus: processing information from vision, hearing, and touch sensesb.Perception:i.Primary receiving areas for the senses:-Occipital lobe: vision-Parietal lobe: touch, temperature, pain-Temporal lobe: hearing, taste, smellii.Coordination received from all senses:-Frontal Lobe: planning, problem solving, decision makingiii.Optic nerve: when you look at a flower, the image leaves the back of the eyeball, travels through the ocular nerve, into the occipital lobeiv.Fusiform face area (FFA) responds specifically to faces. It lies in the temporal lobe and if there is damage to this area it causes prosopagnosia (inability to recognize faces.)v.Parahippocampal place area (PPA) responds to places (indoor/outdoor scenes). This also lies in the temporal lobevi.Extrastriate body area (EBA) responds specifically to pictures of bodies and parts or bodies. It effects the way body images are processedc.Language:i.Language production is impaired by damage to Broca’s area in the frontal lobe. The person can understand and process language but cannot produce itii.Language comprehension is impaired by damage to the Wernicke’s area in the temporal lobe. The person can produce speech but the comprehension of speech is lostiii.Double Dissociation: occurs if damage to one area of the brain causes function A to be absent while function B is present, and damage to another area causes function B to be absent while function A is present.V.Distribution processing in the braina.In addition to localization of function, specific functions are processed by many different areas of the brain. Many different areas may contribute to one function. i.Example. Watching a red ball roll down a slab of wood. Your brain processes shape, color, motion, depth, and location of the ball.VI.Method: Brain Imaginga.PET: Positron Emission Tomographyi.A radioactive tracer is injected into a person’s bloodstream. Blood flow increases in areas of the brain activated by a cognitive task. The scan measures signal from tracer at each location of the brain. Higher signals indicate higher levels of brain activity. ii.This form of brain imaging is a greater risk because of it being invasive, it is more expensive, and is much more equipment.iii.The benefit of a PET over a fMRI is that a person can actually be moving and speaking during the scan versus having to lie perfectly still.iv.Using a Subtraction Technique helps measure brain activity before and during stimulation presentation. The Difference between activation determines what