Brain Development and Plasticity Quiz
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Questions and Answers

What is the primary reason it is difficult to study the impact of type of rearing environment on the brain development and cognitive skills of human children?

  • The need for long-term studies that span multiple decades
  • Due to the complexity of the human brain
  • The difficulty of isolating environmental variables in human studies (correct)
  • The lack of funding for research on human development
  • What is the main conclusion that can be drawn from the Bucharest Early Intervention study?

  • That the effects of early intervention are limited to cognitive skills
  • That sensitive periods are critical for intervention to be effective (correct)
  • That early intervention can fully reverse the effects of early deprivation
  • That early intervention has no lasting impact on brain development
  • What is the term for the period of heightened sensitivity to environmental stimuli in brain development?

  • Sensitive period (correct)
  • Neuroplasticity
  • Cross-modal plasticity
  • Critical period
  • What is the primary region of the brain where neurogenesis occurs in adult humans?

    <p>Dentate gyrus</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the reorganization of brain function following sensory loss or brain damage?

    <p>Cross-modal plasticity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary factor that affects a person's ability to recover function following brain injury?

    <p>Prior cognitive function</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the typical change in cognition that occurs with normal aging?

    <p>Decreased cognitive flexibility</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the phrase that relates to the changes in the brain seen in the aging process?

    <p>Last in, first out</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary reason aerobic exercise has been found to slow the effects of aging in the brain?

    <p>Increased production of neurotrophic factors</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the evidence that remaining intellectually active slows the effects of aging in the brain?

    <p>Longitudinal studies of cognitive training</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of glial cells during the process of cell proliferation and migration?

    <p>To facilitate the migration of neurons to their target locations</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the characteristic shape of the synaptogenesis curve in the various regions of the cortex?

    <p>Inverted U-shaped</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the proposed functional value of the inverted U-shaped synaptogenesis curve?

    <p>To allow for the refinement of neural circuits</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the outcome of the myelination process in the brain?

    <p>Improved neural insulation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is it challenging to make cause-effect conclusions between specific changes in the brain and the acquisition of specific cognitive processes during infancy and childhood?

    <p>Because of the Correlation between brain changes and cognitive processes does not imply causation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary distinction between adolescence and both childhood and adulthood according to the dual-systems model?

    <p>Imbalanced development of reward and control systems</p> Signup and view all the answers

    During which stage of brain development does the process of synaptogenesis primarily occur?

    <p>Infancy and early childhood</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of neurogenesis in early brain development?

    <p>The production of new neurons</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the characteristic of the timing of synaptogenesis in the brain?

    <p>It progresses from primary sensory and motor regions to association regions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the example given in the textbook regarding the link between brain changes and cognitive processes?

    <p>The link between white matter and reading ability</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary difference between animals raised in impoverished versus enriched environments?

    <p>Brain development is slowed in impoverished environments.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is it challenging to study the impact of type of rearing environment on the brain development and cognitive skills of human children?

    <p>It is difficult to control for all environmental factors.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary conclusion of the Bucharest Early Intervention study?

    <p>Early intervention significantly improves cognitive skills.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a 'sensitive period' in brain development?

    <p>A period of heightened sensitivity to environmental stimuli.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is 'cross-modal plasticity'?

    <p>The process of neural reorganization following sensory loss.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the detrimental physiological consequences that occur immediately at the site of a brain lesion?

    <p>Disruption of neural connections.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary factor that affects a person's ability to recover function following brain injury?

    <p>Neuroplasticity.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the typical change in cognition that occurs with normal aging?

    <p>Decreased cognitive skills.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary explanation for the global pattern of activation across the brain seen in the aging process?

    <p>Reorganization of neural function.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary reason aerobic exercise has been found to slow the effects of aging in the brain?

    <p>Increased neuroplasticity.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of glial cells during the process of cell migration?

    <p>Guiding neurons to their final destination</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the characteristic of the timing of synaptogenesis in the primary sensory and motor regions of the brain?

    <p>It occurs earlier than in association regions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary difference between adolescence and both childhood and adulthood according to the dual-systems model?

    <p>The balance between the emotional and cognitive systems</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the outcome of the myelination process in the brain, particularly in the association regions?

    <p>Increased conduction velocity of neural signals</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary reason why the brain produces the inverted U-shaped function seen in synaptogenesis?

    <p>To optimize neural circuit formation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary factor that affects the link between brain changes and cognitive processes during infancy and childhood?

    <p>The complexity of the rearing environment</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary distinction between neurogenesis and cell proliferation?

    <p>Neurogenesis involves the formation of new neurons, while cell proliferation involves the formation of new glial cells</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of the dual-systems model in explaining adolescent brain development?

    <p>To describe the imbalance between the emotional and cognitive systems</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary challenge in studying the impact of type of rearing environment on brain development and cognitive skills in human children?

    <p>The difficulty in controlling for genetic factors</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary characteristic of brain development during adolescence?

    <p>Imbalanced emotional and cognitive systems</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Environment and Brain Development

    • Rats raised in impoverished environments have impaired brain development and cognitive skills compared to those raised in enriched environments.
    • Studies have shown that rats in enriched environments have:
      • Increased neural connections and synaptic plasticity
      • Enhanced cognitive abilities, such as learning and memory
      • Improved emotional regulation and stress response

    Studying Brain Development in Human Children

    • It is difficult to study the impact of rearing environment on brain development and cognitive skills in human children due to:
      • Ethical limitations on experimental design
      • Complexity of human environmental factors
      • Difficulty in controlling for genetic and socioeconomic influences

    The Bucharest Early Intervention Study

    • The study involved:
      • Randomly assigning institutionalized children to either a foster care or continued institutional care group
      • Measuring brain development and cognitive skills at ages 30, 42, and 54 months
    • Findings:
      • Children in foster care showed improved cognitive skills and brain development compared to those in institutional care
      • The earlier the intervention, the better the outcomes

    Sensitive Periods

    • A sensitive period is a time frame during which the brain is most receptive to specific sensory experiences and learning.
    • Examples of sensitive periods include:
      • Language acquisition in infancy and early childhood
      • Visual development in the first few months of life
      • Social attachment in infancy and early childhood

    Brain Plasticity

    • Adult human brains are capable of reorganizing and adapting in response to new experiences and learning.
    • Examples of brain plasticity include:
      • Increased thickness of the MT cortex in jugglers
      • Reorganization of brain areas following limb loss or amputation

    Cross-Modal Plasticity

    • Cross-modal plasticity refers to the reorganization of brain areas in response to changes in sensory input.
    • Examples include:
      • Blind individuals showing increased activity in visual areas of the brain when listening to sounds
      • Deaf individuals showing increased activity in auditory areas of the brain when watching lip movements

    Brain Lesions and Recovery

    • Detrimental physiological consequences of brain lesions include:
      • Cell death and inflammation
      • Disruption of neural circuits
    • Factors that aid recovery include:
      • Neuroplasticity and reorganization of brain areas
      • Compensatory mechanisms, such as increased activity in unaffected areas
      • Long-term changes in neural connections and synaptic strength

    Factors Affecting Recovery

    • Factors that affect a person's ability to recover function following brain injury include:
      • Age and overall health
      • Severity and location of the lesion
      • Type and intensity of rehabilitation
      • Genetic and socioeconomic factors

    Aging and Cognition

    • Typical changes in cognition with normal aging include:
      • Declines in processing speed, memory, and executive function
      • Changes in brain structure and function, including reduced neural connectivity and synaptic plasticity

    The "Last In, First Out" Principle

    • The "last in, first out" principle refers to the observation that:
      • Newer, more recently developed brain areas are more affected by aging
      • Older, more established brain areas are less affected by aging

    Exercise and Brain Aging

    • Aerobic exercise has been found to slow the effects of aging on the brain by:
      • Increasing blood flow and oxygenation to the brain
      • Promoting neuroplasticity and synaptic growth
      • Reducing inflammation and oxidative stress

    Intellectual Activity and Brain Aging

    • Remaining intellectually active has been found to slow the effects of aging on the brain by:
      • Building cognitive reserve and promoting neural compensation
      • Reducing cognitive decline and dementia risk
      • Increasing neural activity and connectivity in older adults

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    Description

    Test your knowledge of brain development and plasticity, covering topics such as cell proliferation and migration, neurogenesis, synaptogenesis, and the role of glial cells. Answer questions about the development of the brain across time, including the timing of synaptogenesis in different regions of the cortex.

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