Damage Responses and Brain Hemispheres

Vocabulary flashcards covering core terms related to neuroplasticity, brain damage response, split-brain research, and hemispheric specialization.

Neuroplasticity

The brain's ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience.

Neurogenesis

The formation of new neurons.

Stem cells

Special cells that can develop into different types of cells, including brain cells.

Lateralization

The differentiation of functions across the left and right cerebral hemispheres.

Corpus callosum

The wide band of axon fibers connecting the two cerebral hemispheres and carrying messages between them.

Split brain

A condition resulting from the surgical separation of the brain's two hemispheres by severing the fibers, mainly those in the corpus callosum, connecting them.

Left Hemisphere

The cerebral hemisphere typically responsible for speech, language, reading, writing, arithmetic reasoning, quick literal interpretations, and controlling the right side of the body.

Right Hemisphere

The cerebral hemisphere that excels at perceptual tasks (such as recognizing facial emotion), making inferences, moderating speech to clarify meaning, orchestrating self-awareness, and controlling the left side of the body.

Interpreter (Left Hemisphere Role)

The mental functionality of the conscious left hemisphere that instantly constructs explanations and rationalizes actions or reactions it does not understand.