Basics Flashcards
How many neurons does the human brain have?
86 billion
Do we use all of our neurons?
yes
How many people face neurological or psychiatric conditions?
1/4
In order to communicate, the _____ is transformed into a chemical message, which crosses the gap, called a ____. The release of chemical messengers can trigger a second action potential in the neuron on the other side of the synapse, conveying the message onward or, when the action potential triggers the release of a chemical messenger that blunts the transmission of a signal, quelling the message.
action potential, synapse
_____ carry signals from sense receptors to your
brain.
Sensory circuits
____ sends commands to your muscles
Motor circuits
____ carry out automatic reflexes
Simple circuits
____ are required for higher level activities like memory, decision making, and perceiving the world around you
Complex circuits
When do circuits arise?
Before birth
Experiences make simple circuits to ____ circuits
Complex
Most of those will stick around for the rest of your life, yet your brain is constantly changing.
Plasticity
Learn a new skill or language and your brain reacts by strengthening or weakening the connections between ____.
neurons
Early in life, the brain eliminates those extra cells, keeping only those connections you need in a process.
synaptic pruning
Compared with other animals, the human brain possesses an enormous _____ that is brimming with neural circuits dedicated to language.
cerebral cortex
3 lobes of the brain dedicated to interpreting language
temporal, parietal, frontal
