Biological approaches

Question 1

neuroplasticity

Answer 1

adaptive structural and functional changes that occur in the brain - due to changes in body/environment-> absorb information and evolve to adapt to them

Question 2

neurons

Answer 2

basic cellular unit of brain and nervous system - transmit via electric impulses (have dendrites that r the treeish extensions of neurons) — cells that recieve sensory input from surroundings

Question 3

Branching (of branching and pruning)

Answer 3

neurons develop new dendrites(aka connections) (DENDRITIC ARBORIZATION)-> increases num of synapses enabling more complex actions

Question 4

Long-term potentiation

Answer 4

long-lasting improvement in signal transmission between neurons–via repetition->repeated interactions between neurons

Question 5

synaptic pruning

Answer 5

less we do something less good we are -> brain prunes neural connections we don’t use -> frequently used neural networks work better

Question 6

neurotransmitter

Answer 6

chemical messengers produced by neurons-> different neurotransmitters associated with certain behaviors

Question 7

neurotransmission

Answer 7

process of sending neurotransmitters from one neuron to another -> behavior influenced by this

Question 8

process of neurotransmission

Answer 8

neurotransmitter released from axon terminal buttons of pre-synaptic neuron through synapse and to post-synaptic neuron’s dendrites (receptors) -> bind neurotransmitters

Question 9

Agonists

Answer 9

increase neuron activity -> increase effects of e.g. dopamine by mimicking neurotransmitters & binding to receptors

Question 10

antagonist

Answer 10

limit neurotransmissions -> block receptors