evolution, development, and brain organization (e2) Flashcards
maturation of vertebrate brain processes
proliferation
overproliferation
reduced proliferation
migration
differentiation
myelination
synaptogenesis
proliferation (neurogenesis)
production of new cells/neurons in the brain
28 weeks gestations, stops when born
hippocampus does it throughout life
overproliferation
megalocephaly - big brain - correlated with autism
reduced proliferation
microencephaly
migration
chemicals guide neuron migration, guides neurons to where they should be
happens until adulthood
deficit in chemicals leads to decreased brain size and axon growth
environmental factors during pregnancy can contribute
differentiation
cell changes into specialized type of neuron
axons and dendrites form, axons form first
dendrites form after migration when neurons reach their destinations
neurons are called _____ neurons before specialization
primitive
myelination
continues gradually through adolescence to adulthood
impaired adulthood myelination in the prefrontal cortex in socially isolated mice
synaptogenesis
neurons form new synapses and discard old ones
synaptic pruning
synaptic pruning
gets rid of unneeded connections and keeps strong ones
more synaptic pruning in older and schizophrenia people
too little pruning can be seen in autistic people –> neurons are hyperactive
a stimulating environment…
enhances sprouting of axons and dendrites in many species
physical activity is one of the best ways to…
main intellectual vigor in old age
physical activity (aerobic activity) enhances…
both cognitive processes and brain anatomy
prolonged experience of a particular type…
enhances the brain’s ability to perform the same function again, specifically if it starts in childhood
blind people use ____ to help identify what they feel
occipital cortex
practicing music
recognizes the brain to maximize performance of that skill
spinal cord reflexes
communicates with sense organs and muscles
each segment of the spinal cord…
sends sensory information to the brain and receives motor commands
hindbrain
postural support
parts of the hindbrain
pons, medulla, reticular formation, cerebellum
disconnection of hindbrain from the rest of the brain leads to
vegetative state
midbrain
spontaneous and operant movement
reaction to a stimulant, not a motivated behavior
superior (vision) and inferior (hearing) colliculus are responsible for
attack response to moving objects
diencephalon
thalamus, hypothalamus, and pituitary glands
hypothalamus
important for motivated behavior; thermoregulation; 4 Fs - fight, flight, feed, fornicate
pituitary glands
hormones
basal ganglia
self-maintenance
simple sequences of movement
behaviors more biologically adaptive
animals learn how to feed themselves
animals can learn WITHOUT a…
cortex
cortex
more past and future, more proactive
skilled movement and sequences (language)
allows us to extend usefulness of learned behavior of new situations
INTENTIONS
cortical organization
layers: input (sensory) and output (motor) info
columns: interaction (function)
cortex is the…
outermost part of the brain
middle cortical layers (layer IV)
input zone of sensory analysis
temporal, occipital, and parietal
sensory areas have a larger layer IV
layers V and VI
output zone
sends axons to other cortical and brain areas
frontal lobe
motor areas have a larger layer V and smaller layer IV
superior layers (II and III)
receives input from other cortical layers and integrates them with inputs from layer IV
cortical columns
neurons within a column are functionally similar
excited by a particular tactile stimulus in a particular part of the body
most interactions between neurons take place
with cells more than a couple millimeters on either side
more organization in _____ than _____
sensory systems, motor systems
