Chapter 6.2 Flashcards
Pruning
After a period of rapid increase in the number of synaptic connections, the ones that are not used to deteriorate and disappear in a process called pruning.
The term “use it or lose it”
Synapses that are more active are strengthened, and synapses that are less active are weakened and ultimately pruned. The process of removing the irrelevant synapses during this time is referred to as synaptic pruning. Early synaptic pruning is mostly influenced by our genes.
Lateralization
is when a function is located primarily in one hemisphere. The motor cortex on the right side of the brain controls motor movements on the left side of the body while the left side controls movement on the right side.
-It would be incorrect to say someone is “left-brained” or “right-brained” because both halves of our brain are involved in complex ways in almost everything we do.
Neuron
send and receive signals from your brain
Dendrites
receive information and sends it to cell body
Axon
sends information from cell body to axon terminals
Myelin
a mixture of proteins and phospholipids forming a whitish insulating sheath around many nerve fibers, increasing the speed at which impulses are conducted
Synapse
a junction between two nerve cells, consisting of a minute gap across which impulses pass by diffusion of a neurotransmitter
Neurotransmitter
a chemical substance that is released at the end of a nerve fiber by the arrival of a nerve impulse and, by diffusing across the synapse or junction, causes the transfer of the impulse to another nerve fiber, a muscle fiber, or some other structure
What is myelination and how does it impact neural messages? How does myelination progress starting with infancy? What role does experience play in myelination?
-For messages to be sent successfully, axons need to be coated with a fatty substance known as myelin. The process of laying down the coating is known as myelination. In a similar way to an electrical cord, the axons that connect neurons are insulated with myelin so that the message the neurotransmitter sends will be received most efficiently.
-When babies are born, the myelin sheath does not yet cover all the axons in the nervous system.
Describe infants’ visual acuity and infants’ visual preferences. Why might eye contact be adaptive for babies?
-Visual acuity is the ability to see things in sharp detail. One can estimate the at birth, acuity is about 20/400 to 20/800, meaning the infant can see at 20 feet what an adult with normal vision can see at 400-800 feet.
-Think about how you would feel when holding a baby who looks you directly in the eye. Many parents respond with the feeling that their baby “knows me”. This is an adapted way babies attract others to interact with them.
Hearing
infants prefer speech to other sounds in their environment and singing over speech.
Smell
babies are born with a functioning sense of smell and prefer some smells over others. (Example: knowing their mother’s smell from very early in their lives)
Taste
Sweet taste has also been used to calm infants and reduce their pain response when they must undergo a painful procedure. When 14-month-old infants saw two people who were similar in language and accent, one of those people who liked food, the infant expected the other person to also like the food.
Touch
touch effectively soothes babies of all ages but has been found to be especially beneficial for premature infants. BABIES EXPERINCE PAIN!
