Chapter 4.2: Developmet of the Brain Flashcards
In early brain development, what is the relationship between the sensory systems and muscle movements?
The first muscle movements occur before the sensory system develop
Which parts of the cerebral cortex are most likely to deteriorate in Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions?
The areas that mature at the latest age, such as the prefrontal cortex
In which areas of the human brain do some new neurons develop during adulthood?
The hippocampus and the basil ganglia
When Sperry cut a newt’s optic nerve and turned the eye upside down, what happened?
Axons of the optic nerve grew back to their original targets?
In the sympathetic nervous system, which of the following prevents apoptosis?
Nerve growth factor
Why does the spinal cord have the right number of axons to innervate all the muscle cells?
The spinal cord makes an excess of neurons, but those that fail to innervate a muscle die
At what age does a person have a the largest number of neurons?
Before or shortly after birth
If a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, alcohol harms the brain of the fetus not only while it is in the system, but also while it is washing away after drinking. What is the danger with alcohol is washing away?
Overstimulation at glutamate synapses can poison the mitochondria
In the ferret study, what evidence indicated that visual input to the auditory portions of the brain actually produced a visual sensation?
Ferrets that learned to turn one way in response to light in the normal eye turned the same way to light on the rewired eye.
An enriched environment including social interactions promotes growth of axons and dendrites in laboratory rodents. What else can produce the same effect?
Physical activity
According to most research, what are the effects of computerized programs to practice memory skills?
Temporary improvement of the skills that were practiced
If a person is born blind, what happens to the occipital (“visual”) cortex?
Its cells become responsive to touch or hearing
In people who practice violin or other stringed instruments for many years, what change in the cerebral cortex?
A larger than average portion of the cortex responds to fingers of the left hand
What causes musician’s cramp?
Rewiring of the cerebral cortex
What is the most likely biological explanation for increasing risky behavior among adolescents?
Increased activity in the brain areas that anticipate reward
