Lecture 9

Question 1

The evolution of grasping behaviors in infants

2 months

Answer 1

hands orient toward object and gropes to hold

Question 2

The evolution of grasping behaviors in infants

4 mo

Answer 2

grasps with entire hand

Question 3

The evolution of grasping behaviors in infants

6-8 mo

Answer 3

“mature grasp using fingers individually

Question 4

The evolution of grasping behaviors in infants

10 mo

Answer 4

fine pincer grasp for holding small objects

Question 5

The development neural changes associated with language development in young children

Answer 5

1. increased cortical thickness in speech areas of cortex for the language the child is hearing and speaking may represent
2. increase in glial cell
3. myelination
4. pruning and synapses in speech sound areas of other languages not heard or spoken chidren who are raised bilingual will keep around more sound synapses

Question 6

4 stages of Piagetain development

Answer 6

sensorimotor stage (birth-2 years old) 
preoperational stage (2-6 years old)
concrete operations (7-11 years old)
formal operations (11-

Question 7

sensorimotor stage

Answer 7

object permanence , cause and effect

Question 8

peroperational stage

Answer 8

form mental, word and drawing representation of things

Question 9

concrete operations

Answer 9

mentally manipulate dimensions mathematics, conservation of mass, dis have rigid adherence to rules

Question 10

formal operations

Answer 10

abstract reasoning when kids start to learn things like strategy

Question 11

neural changes that are associated with being raised in an enriched environment with being raised in an enriched environment in rats

Answer 11

cortical hippocampal neurons from rats raised in enriched environments are larger, have more complex dendritic branching and more synaptic connections than cortical neurons from rats raised in poor environments

Question 12

Adult neurogenesis

Answer 12

new neuron formation in the hippocampus

Question 13

The symptoms associated with Autism

Answer 13

Reduced ability to interpret emotions and intentions of others
reduced capacity for social interaction and communication
preoccupation with a single object or activity
mental retardation and epilepsy
some have cognition abilities that are superior

Question 14

undergrowth/under connectivity: some brain regions are smaller or less well connected in autistic brains

Answer 14

1) the hippocampus and amygdala ( emotion processing)
2) the insular cortex (social processing)
3) some brainstem nuclei (hearing and facial expressions)

Question 15

overgrowth/over connectivity

some brain regions are larger or overly connected than autistic brains

Answer 15

1) basal ganglia and motor cortex (repetitive movements)

2) frontal cortex (immersion in own thoughts)

Question 16

Symptoms of mental retardation

Answer 16

decreased brain growth

decreased dendritic spines and branches

Question 17

decreased brain growth

Answer 17

reduced neuronal number due to decreased proliferated during prenatal development