test Flashcards
(24 cards)
gray matter
holds most of the brains neurons
responsible for thought, perception, motion, and control of bodily functions.
send processes through white matter
white matter
composed of nerve fibre called axons
they connect nerve cells and are covered in a fat called myelin
wiring that helps information flow efficiently through parts of the brain
cerebellum
Coordinates movements such as balance, coordination, and speech.
occipital lobe
visual processing centre of brain.
parietal lobe
Processes sensory information regarding location of parts of the body such as touch
temporal lobe
auditory processing section of the brain
frontal lobe
the cognitive part of the brain that deals with things such as emotions and decision making. This is the part which is developing in teenagers the most.
limbic system
deals with three key main functions: emotions, memory, and arousal.
involves our behavioral and emotional responses.
it involves our survival instincts, feeding, reproduction, and fight or flight.
hippocampus
keeps memories and allows us to associate certain memories with senses such as smell.
amygdala
plays a main role in emotional responses such as pleasure, fear, anxiety, and anger. This also has a role in determining how strong our memory is.
makes us react to hormones
executive function of brain
allows us to self-regulate and perform many different basic tasks. It allows us to plan, focus, listen to instruction, and multitask efficiently. It allows us to get rid of distractions and be able to work towards our end goal.
order of brain development
brain develops from front to back meaning the frontal lobe in teenagers isn’t fully developed until they’re 25.
neuron
transmits nerve impulses
axon
component of neuron that conveys information to other neurons
astrocytes
Regulate transmission of electrical impulses within the brain. Defend the neuron by helping nourish it and cleaning up the unwanted chemicals around it.
microglia
Clear cellular debris and dead neurons from the nervous tissue. They are tiny cells that move around the neuron and active when there is inflammation or infection. They move through brain tissue to be ready to fight these injuries.
oliodendrocytes
Provides support and insulation to axons in the central nervous system of some vertebrates. They create the myelin that goes around the axon. They are tightly packed in the white matter.
aborization
Process in which neurons form new dendritic trees and branches to create new synapses. The opposite of this is pruning.
myelin
Fatty tissue that protects nerve cells. It increases the speed at which electrical impulses spread along the myelinated fiber.
excitation
If a particular pathway of cells and their synapses are activated repeatedly, they strengthen. It is important to learning because it peaks in the early childhood and is essential for an adolescents education.
Neuroplasticity
Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to eliminate gray matter and shed neurons. it is also the ability to bounce back after injury
pruning
Pruning is the process of fine-tuning and turning off neuronal connections that may have been made in childhood but are no longer needed. It is most common in mid-to late adolescence when unneeded synapses are removed.
why are memories easier for adolescence
Learning is much more abundant in adolescence because the brain is being exercised much more with school and homework, which therefore leads to a better memory. LTP is extremely robust in teenagers which means that memories are easy to make and last much longer.
why are adults less cognitively flexible
The myelin in adults allows certain brain signals to speed their way to the frontal lobe, there it is then stopped. Pruning happens more as myelin growth increases. It gives teenagers a short window of opportunity to better understand themselves and create longer lasting memories.
