Brain maturing and aging

Question 1

Neonatal brains are relatively underdeveloped, especially in what type of neonates?

Answer 1

Altricial

Question 2

What is development learning?

Answer 2

Learning based on environment and experiences

Question 3

What is neuronal plasticity?

Answer 3

The brain’s ability to change throughout life

Question 4

What happens during brain development?

Answer 4

Mitosis and apoptosis of neurones
Development and pruning of synapses
Increased myelination
Strengthening of connectivity

Question 5

What are sensitive periods?

Answer 5

Times where the brain is more susceptible to developmental learning

Question 6

Some animals can only during specific time periods. What are these periods called?

Answer 6

Critical periods

Question 7

What happens during adolesence? Multiple things

Answer 7

Significant brain development (non-linear, region specific)
Significant synapse pruning
Higher degree of plasticity
Increased myelination

Question 8

When are the sensor and motor cortex fully developed?

Answer 8

After sexual maturity

Question 9

How long do long term and short term memory last?

Answer 9

Short - second to hours

Long - days to years

Question 10

What type of memory trace is present in long and short term memory?

Answer 10

Long = physical memory trace
Short = electrical memory trace

Question 11

What is the difference in capacity of long and short term memory?

Answer 11

Long term = infinite capacity

Short term = limited capacity (7-10)

Question 12

How is short term memory converted into long term memory?

Answer 12

Rehearsal and consolidation

Question 13

Why is long term memory constantly refined?

Answer 13

Due to new short term memories

Question 14

If not rehearsed, what happens to short term memory?

Answer 14

Easily forgetton

Question 15

Is long term memory forgotten permanently?

Answer 15

No - impermanent forgetting

Can take longer to retrieve information

Question 16

What physical change happens when a short term memory becomes long term? Where does this take place?

Answer 16

Growth of dendrites
Forming of new synapses

Hippocampus and other limbic structures

Question 17

Why does more learning enable more learning?

Answer 17

More branched dendrites

More potential for synaptic connections

Question 18

What are the two types of learning?

Answer 18

Non-associative

Associative

Question 19

What happens during non-associative learning?

Answer 19

Forming short term memory

Question 20

What happens during associative learning?

Answer 20

Short term memorys processed to become long term

Question 21

What are two types of non-associative learning?

Answer 21

Habituation

Sensitisation

Question 22

What is habituation?

Answer 22

Natural response to stimulus reduces over time

Question 23

What is sensitisation?

Answer 23

Natural response to stimulus increases over time

Question 24

What decides whether sensitisation or habituation occurs?

Answer 24

Physiological and emotional state of animal when encountering stimulus

Question 25

What are two examples of associative learning?

Answer 25

Operant conditioning | Classical conditioning

Question 26

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 26

Animal learns to associate 2 stimuli (one conditioned, one not) that produce a desirable behaviour

Question 27

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 27

Animal learns to associate behaviour with an outcome

Question 28

What is an example of operant conditioning?

Answer 28

Cat meows and gets fed | Vocalises more

Question 29

What is an example of classical conditioning?

Answer 29

Dog associates verbal command (conditioned stimulus) with treat (unconditioned stimulus - would normally react to )

Question 30

What is incentive learning?

Answer 30

Motivation to learn on the basis that we get rewards

Question 31

What are the 3 causes of 'apparent' loss of learning (most never truly forgotten)

Answer 31

Constant presenting of the conditioned stimulus without the unconditioned Conditions not the same as when they were learnt Conflicting information during testing

Question 32

As the brain ages, what % of neurones are lost between youth and old age?

Answer 32

10%

Question 33

Age is not a disease, but does increase the likelihood of some disease. Give an example of a degenerative disease

Answer 33

Canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CCDS)

Question 34

What is canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome?

Answer 34

Degenerative disease in brain tissue

Question 35

What is dysfunction?

Answer 35

Loss of the ability to think and process information using learning, memory and planning

Question 36

What is the most obvious sign of CCDS? Which animals is it more obvious in?

Answer 36

Change of behaviour | Highly trained/working animals

Question 37

What are the clinical signs of CCDS?

Answer 37

Loss of learning DISHA Aggression

Question 38

What is DISHA?

Answer 38

``` Disorientation Interaction and social behaviour changes sleep - wake cycle change House soiling Activity level change ```

Question 39

What neuropathology (4 things) is associated with CCDS?

Answer 39

Brain atrophy Senile plaques Oxidative damage Neurofibrillary tangles

Question 40

What happens with brain atrophy?

Answer 40

Reduced neuronal density | Widening of sulci, thickening of the gyri

Question 41

What are senile plaques?

Answer 41

Protein plaques around the neurones