LEC 16: Neurodevelopment & Plasticity

Question 1

Neurulation

Answer 1

process by which neural plate of growing embryo fold up and fuses to form hollow tube that will later become brain + spinal cord

Question 2

Neurogenesis

Answer 2

• the formation of new neurons
• occurs next to ventricles

Question 3

glial cells

Answer 3

• cells in nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons (many types)

Question 4

synaptogenesis

Answer 4

• dramatic inc in number of connection (synapses) that neurons make w other neurons
• increases abt 10 fold in first yr of life
• (more dendritic trees)

Question 5

synapse proliferation

Answer 5

• followed by elimination of synapses
• (blooming than pruning_ USE IT OR LOS IT
• earliest in sensory and motor regions
• latest in frontal cortex

Question 6

what inc in development and what decreases

Answer 6

• increases: white matter & cerebrospinal fluid
• decreases: grey matter & brain volume

Question 7

white matter development is correlated w

Answer 7

• things like reading comprehension
• (although white matter development has individual variability)

Question 8

experience-expectant systems

Answer 8

• develop in response to experiences common to nearly all members of species
• neural systems develop normally when expected input is received but are seriously affected when expected experiences is absent

Question 9

experience-dependent systems

Answer 9

• develop in response to experiences that are not universal
• (learning it ride a bike)

Question 10

Bucharest Early intervention project

Answer 10

• a longitudinal study investigating effects of institutionalization & later adoption of orphaned children
• showed that developmental quotient (w/in first 2 yrs) is likely caused by lack of attachment to caregiver in infancy or early childhood)

Question 11

sensitive period

Answer 11

• a pt in development when organisms are particularly susceptible to certain kinds of stimuli in their environments
• but absence of those stimuli doesn’t always rpodduce irreversible consequences
• ex: visual system needs visual stimuli w/in first few months of life

Question 12

phoneme

Answer 12

in language, smallest distinctive sound unit that can alter meaning

Question 13

voice onset time (VOT)

Answer 13

length of time btwn when air passes thru lips and when vocal cords start vibrating

Question 14

Infant categorical perception

Answer 14

infants sucking on pacifier will inc when hearing new phoneme and dec w habituation

Question 15

what happens to children at 12 months in regard to phonemes

Answer 15

infants lose ability to distinguish btwn non-native phonemes

Question 16

brain plasticity

Answer 16

capacity for brain to alter its structure and function

Question 17

what can boost neurogenesis

Answer 17

aerobic exercise

Question 18

phantom limb sensation

Answer 18

may occur when neurons that used to code for lost limb are now being stimulated by input from diff body part

Question 19

necrosis

Answer 19

tissue death

Question 20

transneuronal degreneration

Answer 20

• cell loss can extend to more distal neurons
• can occur across more than one synapses
• having domino-like effect

Question 21

angiogenesis

Answer 21

new blood vessel growth

Question 22

axonal sprouting

Answer 22

connecting regions that had not previously been connected

Question 23

what can slow effect of brain aging

Answer 23

• aerobic exercise
• remaining intellectually active (produces elaboration of dendritic trees allowing more connections)