2.1 Flashcards
What are the two types of brain plasticity?
- Developmental Plasticity
- Neural Plasticity
Developmental plasticity refers to the development and consolidation of neural pathways in babies, children, and adolescents, while neural plasticity is the ability of the brain’s synapses to be modified.
What is brain plasticity?
The brain’s ability to modify and make new neural pathways in response to environmental stimulation.
Brain plasticity allows for learning throughout a person’s entire lifespan.
List the stages of development in developmental plasticity.
- Proliferation
- Migration
- Circuit Formation
- Synaptic Pruning
- Myelination
These stages describe the processes involved in the development of the nervous system.
What is synaptic pruning?
The elimination of excess neurons and synapses that have not established connections.
Occurs in infancy and childhood, with a second wave in early adolescence.
What is myelination?
The process where axons of neurons become insulated by myelin, finalizing brain maturation.
Myelination begins before birth and continues until about age 23.
What changes occur in the cerebellum during adolescence?
An increase in the number of neurons and synapses, affecting balance, muscle tone, and motor skills.
This explains coordination differences between teenagers and adults.
How does the amygdala change during adolescence?
It becomes more active, playing a key role in emotions.
The amygdala is a part of the limbic system.
What happens to the corpus callosum during adolescence?
It thickens and increases the number of connections between the cerebral hemispheres.
This development enhances communication between the two sides of the brain.
What is the role of the pre-frontal cortex in brain development during adolescence?
Responsible for problem-solving, complex planning, impulse control, and critical thinking.
It is one of the last brain structures to fully develop.
Fill in the blank: The environment a person is exposed to has an impact on brain _______.
[plasticity]
What are critical periods in brain development?
Times of special sensitivity to factors that shape an individual’s capacity for future development.
Critical periods are linked to exposure to toxic substances during pregnancy.
What are teratogens?
Environmental agents capable of harming the embryo or fetus.
They can significantly affect development during critical periods.
What distinguishes sensitive periods from critical periods?
Sensitive periods are optimal times for psychological development that begin and end gradually.
They allow for some development even under deprived conditions.
Define structural plasticity.
The ability of the brain to be modified and shaped by learning and experience throughout life.
This contrasts with functional plasticity, which compensates for brain injury.
What is functional plasticity?
The ability of the brain to alter the location of functions to compensate for brain injury.
Involves sprouting and rerouting of neurons.
What is aphasia?
The impairment of language caused by brain damage, usually due to stroke.
It can affect talking, reading, writing, and understanding but not intelligence.
Differentiate between Broca’s Aphasia and Wernicke’s Aphasia.
- Broca’s Aphasia: Difficulty in speech production
- Wernicke’s Aphasia: Difficulty in understanding language
Both types of aphasia result from damage to specific areas of the brain.
How can Broca’s aphasia patients recover language skills?
Through therapy that focuses on relearning language rules, as other brain areas can take over communication tasks.
Recent studies indicate some recovery is possible even after significant damage.
