Brain Plasticity & Brain Injury Flashcards

Flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture notes on brain plasticity, brain injury, and related neurological topics.

Brain Plasticity

The capacity of the brain to change in response to experience and brain trauma.

Neuron

Cell that sends and receives information in the form of neural impulses.

Sensory Neurons (Afferent)

Neurons that transmit messages to the central nervous system.

Motor Neurons (Efferent)

Neurons that transmit messages from the central nervous system to muscles or glands.

Interneurons

Neurons found in the central nervous system that link sensory and motor neurons.

Axon

Carries the neural impulse from the cell body to the axon terminals.

Dendrites

Receives neural information from other neurons.

Soma

Cell body of a neuron; controls maintenance and metabolism.

Synapse

Junction between two neurons, including axon terminals, synaptic gap, and dendrites of an adjacent neuron.

Axon Terminal

The end of an axon; releases neurotransmitters.

Myelin

Improves speed of transmission of the electrical impulse down the axon.

Neurochemicals

Chemicals released by axon terminals that travel across the synaptic gap to communicate with the next neuron.

Neural Synapse

Point of communication between neurons.

Presynaptic Neuron

Neuron that releases neurochemicals via the terminal buttons.

Postsynaptic Neuron

Contains receptor sites that bind with neurochemicals.

Neuroplasticity

The brains ability to alter and restructure itself by changing and making new connections.

Structural Plasticity

Brain's ability to change and adapt.

Functional Plasticity

Brain functions move from damaged area to undamaged area.

Developmental Plasticity

Neural changes which occur in the brain during its growth and development.

Synaptogenesis

Formation of the neural synapse.

Synaptic Pruning

Unused synapses pruned to make way for other synaptic connections.

Myelination

Development of the white fatty substance that surrounds the axon in order to speed up neural transmission.

Brain Trauma

Damage to the brain caused by external force.

Adaptive Plasticity

The process whereby brain functions can be relocated to other areas of the brain in order to compensate for the loss of function sustained.

Sprouting

Takes place within the actual neuron, results in the development of new structures.

Rerouting

Establishment of a new neural pathway.

Mental Stimulation

Involves completing activities that stimulate connections between neurons.

Diet (for brain function)

Ensuring daily nutritional requirements are met in order to maintain brain functioning and to slow cognitive decline.

Social Support

Shown to increase resistance to brain damage, reduces/slows down cognitive decline.

Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)

Brain injuries that occur after birth.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Damage to the brain caused by an external force.

Non-Traumatic Brain Injury

Damage to the brain caused by internal factors, such as a lack of oxygen or a tumor.

Spatial Neglect

Ignoring the left or right side of the environment (or body).

Wernicke’s Aphasia

Inability to comprehend speech.

Broca’s Aphasia

Difficulty producing fluent speech.

Neurological Disorders

Conditions that affect a person’s brain and nervous system functioning.

Parkinson’s Disease

Progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects the nervous system due to a loss of dopamine-producing neurons.

Epilepsy

Abnormal electrical activity in the brain which results in seizures.

Machine Learning (in neurology)

Use of artificial intelligence to diagnose/look for patterns.

Gut-Brain Axis

Emerging research which suggests that communication between the gut and brain is bi-directional.

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)

A progressive and fatal brain disease associated with repeated head injuries and concussions.