Brain Basics and Myths

Vocabulary flashcards summarizing key concepts, structures, and myths about the brain discussed in the lecture.

Neuroplasticity

The brain’s ability to reorganize and physically change its structure and function in response to experience, learning, or injury.

Neurogenesis

The creation of new neurons throughout life, notably in the hippocampus, though at a slower rate with age.

Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)

The fluid that cushions the brain and allows it to ‘float’ inside the skull, protecting it from impact.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Damage to the brain caused by external force (e.g., collision, sports impact) that can disrupt normal function.

Hippocampus

A brain structure central to forming explicit memories and spatial navigation; one site of adult neurogenesis.

10 Percent Brain Myth

False belief that humans use only a small fraction of their brains; in reality we use 100 %, just not all regions at once.

Left-Brain/Right-Brain Myth

The misconception that people are strictly ‘analytical’ (left) or ‘creative’ (right); both hemispheres cooperate in most tasks.

Caloric Cost of the Brain

Although only ~2 % of body mass, the brain consumes about 25 % of daily calories, making it an energy hog.

Binge Drinking and Brain Cells

Occasional bouts do not kill neurons, though long-term heavy alcohol use can cause permanent brain damage.

Chronic Alcoholism

Prolonged excessive alcohol consumption that leads to neuronal loss and cognitive impairment.

Placebo (Expectation) Effect

Improvement produced by belief in a treatment’s efficacy, even when the treatment is inert.

Consciousness as Information Filter

The view that conscious awareness selects and simplifies vast incoming data so we can function effectively.

Implicit Memory

Unconscious memory processes that influence behavior without deliberate recollection (e.g., conditioning).

Explicit Memory

Conscious, intentional recollection of facts and events stored in declarative memory.

Split-Brain Surgery

Severing the corpus callosum to control severe epilepsy, resulting in two hemispheres that can show separate behaviors and desires.

Physical Exercise and Brain Health

Regular aerobic activity boosts blood flow, supports neurogenesis, and helps maintain cognitive function.

Sleep and Brain Health

Adequate sleep is critical for memory consolidation, toxin clearance, and long-term cognitive vitality.

Smoking and Brain Health

Nicotine addiction and tobacco use markedly accelerate cognitive decline and reduce overall brain health.

Marijuana Use and Cognition

Long-term heavy adolescent use can impair cognition, but cognitive declines often rebound after sustained abstinence.

Supplements and Brain Performance

Many over-the-counter ‘brain boosters’ lack scientific support; perceived benefits are often placebo driven.

Mozart Effect

Debunked claim that listening to classical music permanently raises IQ; no reliable evidence supports it.

Subliminal Messages

Stimuli presented below conscious awareness; research shows they do not measurably influence behavior.

Gut-Brain Axis

The relationship between gut microbiota and brain function, indicating that mind is affected by more than just neurons.

Learning Styles Myth

Unsupported idea that individuals learn best only through specific modalities (visual, auditory, etc.); preference ≠ performance.