Cognitive neuroscience
Inhoudsopgave
Cognitive neuroscience ....................................................................................................................... 1
Lecture 1 – Introduction & EEG Methods ........................................................................................................... 1
Lecture 2 – Functional MRI & The visual system .............................................................................................. 14
Lecture 3 – Methods: Single Unit Recording, how does it work? ..................................................................... 29
Lecture 4 – The motor system: control of action .............................................................................................. 41
Lecture 5 – attention: effects on stimulus processing ...................................................................................... 53
Lecture 6 – The control of attention ................................................................................................................. 63
Lecture 1 – Introduction & EEG Methods
Cognitive neuroscience → combination of cognition (psychology) and
neuroscience (methods)
History of neuroscience →
- Franz Joseph Gall suggested that surface of the head depends on mental
skills
- Different areas on the skull each represent a different skill
- Measure enlargements or indentations of the skull
o Instinct for reproduction
o Love for offspring
o Affection & friendship
, o Courage
o Cleverness
o Pride & Vanity
o Language
Modern neuroscience →
- Yes:
o Functional differentiation of the brain
- No:
o Functions are defined by thorough experimentation
o Multidisciplinary research
o Not just size of brain areas:
Measure anatomy & structure
Measure effects of brain damage
Measure development of areas & networks
Measure neural activity
Measure chemical elements in the brain
Model/Simulate brain processes
Brain anatomy
- Many different types of cells, connections, and neurotransmitters
- Brodmann was the first to map the cortex based on cell types (43x)
- More detailed maps followed later
- Each neuron type has a different function
- How a brain area is structured and where it’s placed, says something
about it’s function, what it does
Neuron: four main aspects
,Neurons
- Different from normal cells:
o Axon & dendrites are specialized structures to transmit and
receive information through action potentials
o They tend not to reproduce after birth
o But the connections do alter
o Each cell type has its own specialized function
Types of neurons
, Motor (spinal cord) neuron → this neuron has myelin sheaths around the axons
→ it allows electrical impulses to transmit quickly and efficiently along the nerve
cells. Typically because motor neuron needs to push information over relatively
long distances.
Coordination (cerebellum) neuron → has MANY dendrites allowing it to connect
to lots of different neurons which helps a lot with coordinating signals. Many
input signals.
Cognition (forebrain) neuron → involved in all types of cognition. Has multiple
branches of dendrites which allows the neuron to do multiple tasks on the same
time.
Vision (retina) neuron → one-way information processing system. Input
(light) transferred to output. You don’t need much feedback from other neurons
so not many dendrites.
Damage to anatomy (clinical neuropsychology)
- Stroke → this causes (a part of) your brain to die.
- Tumors or infections (or insects)
o Can damage certain brain areas
- Neural degeneration (multiple sclerosis, Alzeheimer’s)
Inhoudsopgave
Cognitive neuroscience ....................................................................................................................... 1
Lecture 1 – Introduction & EEG Methods ........................................................................................................... 1
Lecture 2 – Functional MRI & The visual system .............................................................................................. 14
Lecture 3 – Methods: Single Unit Recording, how does it work? ..................................................................... 29
Lecture 4 – The motor system: control of action .............................................................................................. 41
Lecture 5 – attention: effects on stimulus processing ...................................................................................... 53
Lecture 6 – The control of attention ................................................................................................................. 63
Lecture 1 – Introduction & EEG Methods
Cognitive neuroscience → combination of cognition (psychology) and
neuroscience (methods)
History of neuroscience →
- Franz Joseph Gall suggested that surface of the head depends on mental
skills
- Different areas on the skull each represent a different skill
- Measure enlargements or indentations of the skull
o Instinct for reproduction
o Love for offspring
o Affection & friendship
, o Courage
o Cleverness
o Pride & Vanity
o Language
Modern neuroscience →
- Yes:
o Functional differentiation of the brain
- No:
o Functions are defined by thorough experimentation
o Multidisciplinary research
o Not just size of brain areas:
Measure anatomy & structure
Measure effects of brain damage
Measure development of areas & networks
Measure neural activity
Measure chemical elements in the brain
Model/Simulate brain processes
Brain anatomy
- Many different types of cells, connections, and neurotransmitters
- Brodmann was the first to map the cortex based on cell types (43x)
- More detailed maps followed later
- Each neuron type has a different function
- How a brain area is structured and where it’s placed, says something
about it’s function, what it does
Neuron: four main aspects
,Neurons
- Different from normal cells:
o Axon & dendrites are specialized structures to transmit and
receive information through action potentials
o They tend not to reproduce after birth
o But the connections do alter
o Each cell type has its own specialized function
Types of neurons
, Motor (spinal cord) neuron → this neuron has myelin sheaths around the axons
→ it allows electrical impulses to transmit quickly and efficiently along the nerve
cells. Typically because motor neuron needs to push information over relatively
long distances.
Coordination (cerebellum) neuron → has MANY dendrites allowing it to connect
to lots of different neurons which helps a lot with coordinating signals. Many
input signals.
Cognition (forebrain) neuron → involved in all types of cognition. Has multiple
branches of dendrites which allows the neuron to do multiple tasks on the same
time.
Vision (retina) neuron → one-way information processing system. Input
(light) transferred to output. You don’t need much feedback from other neurons
so not many dendrites.
Damage to anatomy (clinical neuropsychology)
- Stroke → this causes (a part of) your brain to die.
- Tumors or infections (or insects)
o Can damage certain brain areas
- Neural degeneration (multiple sclerosis, Alzeheimer’s)
