Brain biology Flashcards
How many genes are on the largest chromosome?
8000 gens
Does nature or nurture determine development?
Both. Genes can be influenced by the environment.
What is a pre-disposition?
Multiple genes that increase the likelihood of certain characteristics.
What do neurons do?
Store and transmit electrical impulses through axons
What does the myelin sheath do?
Insulates and protects axons. The more an experience is repeated the more insulation leading to faster response times.
What is white matter?
The myelin covering axons
What do other glial cells do>
Other tasks like filtering and attacking.
How many neurons are we born with?
All of them. 100-200 billion
If we do not grow neurons throughout our life, why does our brain increase in weight?
White matter insulates axons through repeated experience. The brain creates more white matter as we move through life.
Which part of the brain is well developed at birth?
Midbrain
What does the midbrain control?
Vital reflexes like breathing and sleeping
What is grey matter?
The cells in the cerebral cortex
What does the cerebral cortex do?
Governs all forms of
VOLUNTARY ACTIONS
INTELLIGENCE
PERCEPTION
Is the brain cortex solely influenced by genetics?
No, the environment is a strong influence
What happens if we do not use parts of the brain?
They can lose their ability to function. Eg. Wearing an eyepatch can lead to loss of sight.
Which is the last organ to reach maturation? At what age does this happen?
The brain. 25 to 30 years
What age group has the most synapses? How does this impact learning?
Adolsescents.
More synapses leads to greater plasticity or ability to learn.
Which is the last part of the brain to myelinate and what 4 things is it responsible for?
Frontal lobe connects last. Responsible for
- judgement,
- impulse control,
- decision making
- empathy
What are the 4 lobes of the brain?
Frontal
Occipital
Parietal
Temporal
What does the parietal lobe do?
Processing sensory information for the body. eg touch, pain, temperature and limb position
What are the 5 functions of temporal lobe ?
- Understanding language
- Memory acquisition
- Face recognition
- Object recognition
- Perception and processing auditory information
What does the frontal lobe do?
- Voluntary movement
- Expressive language
- High level executive functions
What does the occipital lobe do?
Responsible for visual perception including colour, form and motion
