NROC69H3 Chapter Notes -Postsynaptic Density, Edge Detection, Motor Cortex
Document Summary
Human brain: contains approximately 1011 - 1012 neurons. How to study the human brain: 1) defining the levels of organization. 2) identifying mechanisms and structures within these levels so that generalizations can be made. Serial organization: information that flows sequentially through different brain structures. Sensory receptors thalamus primary sensory cortex polymodal association cortex prefrontal cortex premotor cortex motor cortex spinal motor neurons. Parallel organization : information that is broken down / segregated into "channels" and transmits information in parallel with other distinct aspects of information. Hierarchy: cortical regions assert a top down control over "subcortical" structures. Lower centers of the brain is still capable of functioning independently. In this way, ventral striatal regions influence more dorsal striatal regions via spiraling sns projections. Topography: sensory receptors located close together project to neurons in the thalamus and cortex that are physically close together.
