COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE KEY PASSED
EXAM CORE BRAIN AND COGNITION
CONCEPTS REVIEW 2026
◉ speed of information processing is determined by:
Answer: - diameter of axons
- degree of myelination
- number of synapses (more synapses = slower)
◉ mechanoreceptors
Answer: respond to touch, pressure, vibration, and stretch
◉ chemoreceptors
Answer: respond to chemicals or substances released by cells
- e.g. ATP released by damaged cells, blood pH, etc.
◉ thermoreceptors
Answer: separate types for heat & for cold
◉ adequate stimulus
Answer: the stimulus which a receptor responds most readily to
,◉ nociceptors
Answer: can include any of the other types of receptors, activated by
tissue damage or threat of damage
- stimulation of these will activate pain sensation pathways
◉ peripheral sensory neurons have 2 axons:
- what do they do?
Answer: distal axon: receptor > cell body
proximal axon: cell body > spinal cord/brainstem
◉ classification of sensory axons by axon diameter (large to small)
Answer: Ia, Ib
II (A-beta)
A-delta
C
◉ receptive field
Answer: skin supplied by 1 sensory neuron
- fields overlap
◉ pros & cons to having overlapping receptive fields:
,Answer: pros:
- much better discrimination
- if you lose 1 neuron, other neurons can compensate
cons:
- takes more receptors to cover surface area
◉ receptive fields tend to be smaller ______________________ and larger
______________________
Answer: smaller distally
larger proximally
◉ why do we have smaller receptive fields & greater density of
receptors on our extremities (distal regions)?
Answer: allows us to have greater discriminatory touch (like on
fingertips)
◉ Touch is categorized into:
Answer: fine (discriminative) - includes variety of receptors &
sensations
coarse - free nerve endings
◉ sensory organs in muscle:
Answer: muscle spindles
, - detects phasic & tonic stretch
◉ 2 types of intrafusal fibers:
Answer: nuclear bag fibers and nuclear chain fibers
◉ 2 sensory endings in muscle spindles
Answer: primary endings (phasic & tonic)
secondary endings (tonic)
◉ why do we have alpha & gamma fibers in muscle spindles?
Answer: so intra & extrafusal muscle fibers contract together &
muscle spindle maintains sensitivity to any further stretch
◉ GTO are activated by:
Answer: tension
- stretch
- muscle contraction
◉ if you activate muscle spindle, what does the muscle do? what
about GTO?
Answer: muscle spindle > muscle contraction
GTO > muscle relaxes
EXAM CORE BRAIN AND COGNITION
CONCEPTS REVIEW 2026
◉ speed of information processing is determined by:
Answer: - diameter of axons
- degree of myelination
- number of synapses (more synapses = slower)
◉ mechanoreceptors
Answer: respond to touch, pressure, vibration, and stretch
◉ chemoreceptors
Answer: respond to chemicals or substances released by cells
- e.g. ATP released by damaged cells, blood pH, etc.
◉ thermoreceptors
Answer: separate types for heat & for cold
◉ adequate stimulus
Answer: the stimulus which a receptor responds most readily to
,◉ nociceptors
Answer: can include any of the other types of receptors, activated by
tissue damage or threat of damage
- stimulation of these will activate pain sensation pathways
◉ peripheral sensory neurons have 2 axons:
- what do they do?
Answer: distal axon: receptor > cell body
proximal axon: cell body > spinal cord/brainstem
◉ classification of sensory axons by axon diameter (large to small)
Answer: Ia, Ib
II (A-beta)
A-delta
C
◉ receptive field
Answer: skin supplied by 1 sensory neuron
- fields overlap
◉ pros & cons to having overlapping receptive fields:
,Answer: pros:
- much better discrimination
- if you lose 1 neuron, other neurons can compensate
cons:
- takes more receptors to cover surface area
◉ receptive fields tend to be smaller ______________________ and larger
______________________
Answer: smaller distally
larger proximally
◉ why do we have smaller receptive fields & greater density of
receptors on our extremities (distal regions)?
Answer: allows us to have greater discriminatory touch (like on
fingertips)
◉ Touch is categorized into:
Answer: fine (discriminative) - includes variety of receptors &
sensations
coarse - free nerve endings
◉ sensory organs in muscle:
Answer: muscle spindles
, - detects phasic & tonic stretch
◉ 2 types of intrafusal fibers:
Answer: nuclear bag fibers and nuclear chain fibers
◉ 2 sensory endings in muscle spindles
Answer: primary endings (phasic & tonic)
secondary endings (tonic)
◉ why do we have alpha & gamma fibers in muscle spindles?
Answer: so intra & extrafusal muscle fibers contract together &
muscle spindle maintains sensitivity to any further stretch
◉ GTO are activated by:
Answer: tension
- stretch
- muscle contraction
◉ if you activate muscle spindle, what does the muscle do? what
about GTO?
Answer: muscle spindle > muscle contraction
GTO > muscle relaxes
