Plasticity after brain damage and Research methods Flashcards
What causes brain damage?
Blows to the head, blood flow obstruction, or ruptured vessels.
What is a cerebrovascular accident?
Another term for a stroke.
What is a closed head injury?
A sharp blow to the head without puncturing the brain.
What is edema?
Accumulation of fluid in the brain.
What is a hemorrhage?
A stroke from a ruptured artery.
What is an ischemia?
Stroke from a blood clot or obstruction.
What is tPA?
Tissue plasminogen activator; breaks up blood clots after stroke.
When is tPA most effective?
Within the first few hours after an ischemic stroke.
What is diaschisis?
Decreased activity of surviving neurons due to input loss.
What are collateral sprouts?
New axon branches that occupy vacant synapses.
What is denervation supersensitivity?
Increased synaptic response due to loss of input.
What causes phantom limb?
Axons from another area activate the brain region of the lost limb.
What does “deafferent” mean?
Loss of sensory input to a neuron.
What does recovery usually involve?
Learning to better use spared abilities.
What is ablation?
Removal of a brain area using a surgical knife.
What is a lesion?
Any type of brain damage.
What is a stereotaxic instrument?
Tool used to precisely place electrodes in the brain.
What is a stereotaxic atlas?
A map of the brain used with the stereotaxic instrument.
What is a sham lesion?
A control procedure using the same steps without the actual lesion.
What’s the problem with electrical lesions?
They destroy both target neurons and passing axons.
What’s a better alternative?
Chemical lesions that target specific neurons.
What is a gene-knockout approach?
Mutation that disables specific genes affecting certain cells or receptors.
What is transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)?
Magnetic pulses turn neurons on/off via the scalp.
How are electrodes used in stimulation?
Electrical currents are applied to stimulate multiple neurons.
