brain damage and plasticity

Question 1

neuroplasticity

Answer 1

the ability within the brain to constantly change both the structure and function of many cells in response to experience or trauma

Question 1

neuroplasticity

Answer 1

the ability within the brain to constantly change both the structure and function of many cells in response to experience or trauma

Question 2

how does the brain adapt when neurons die?

Answer 2

dendrites can grow and new synapses can form as people continually learn new things.

Question 3

stem cells

Answer 3

special cells found in all tissues of the body that are capable of becoming other cell types when those cells need to be replaced, such as due to damage or wear.

can become other cells that are needed by the body (i.e. blood, brain, nerve cells).

Question 4

Damage to the reticular formation

Answer 4

permanent comas in animals and humans

Abnormalities in this area may be involved in ADHD

Question 5

Damage to the cerebellum

Answer 5

Will eventually be unable to walk, stand, or control limbs

Damage can lead to spinocerebellar degradation

Question 6

spinocerebellar degradation

Answer 6

results in tremors, unsteady walk, slurred speech, dizziness, muscle weakness (similar to when someone is drunk)

Question 7

Damage to the thalamus

Answer 7

Damage can lead to loss or partial in physical sensations (hearing, sight, touch, or taste)

Question 8

Damage to the hippocampus

Answer 8

can lead to lower levels of acetylcholine, leading to cognitive decline or Alzheimer’s disease

Can cause difficulty in thinking, or locating things and places (i.e. in elderly)

Question 9

Damage to the amygdala

Answer 9

Damage can lead to decreased fear response in animals and humans, such as in Klüver-Bucy syndrome (can be dangerous because threats aren’t seen as one)

Question 10

Damage to the cingulate cortex

Answer 10

linked to various psychological disorders (ADHD, schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder)

Question 11

Damage to the occipital lobe

Answer 11

Primary visual cortex: loss of vision

Visual association cortex: inability to identify or name objects despite seeing or describing them

Question 12

Damage to the frontal lobe

Answer 12

difficulty performing mental tasks and changes in personality (Getting stuck in one step in a process or repeating it over and over)

Question 13

Damage to Broca’s area

Answer 13

inability to produce fluent speech (leading to mispronunciation, halted or missing speech)

Person may know what to say, but cannot control word production

Question 14

Aphasia

Answer 14

refers to the inability to use or understand written or spoken language.

Question 15

Damage to Wernicke’s area

Answer 15

leads to Wernicke’s aphasia: inability to understand or produce meaningful language

Person can speak fluently, but words or sentences would be wrong or not make sense

Question 16

Damage to parietal and occipital lobes

Answer 16

Spatial neglect: condition produced by damage to association areas in the right hemisphere (parietal and occipital lobes)

resulting in the inability to recognize objects or body parts in the left visual field.