Neuroplasticity and Sensory Processing

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms and concepts discussed in the lecture on neuroplasticity, sensory processing, and related research.

Neuroplasticity

A change in the brain that occurs in response to experience throughout life.

Cochlear Implant

A device that replaces damaged hair cells in the cochlea with electrical activity to permit hearing.

Sensory Substitution

The process of replacing one sensory system with another, such as using touch to perceive visual information.

Phantom Limb Sensation

The perception that sensations are occurring in a missing limb due to reorganization of the brain's neural map.

Topographical Organization

The orderly spatial representation of neural receptors relating to the organization and function in sensory regions of the brain.

Transduction

The process of converting sensory energy from the environment into electrical signals in the nervous system.

Specialized Receptor Endings

Cells that receive environmental energy and convert it into electrical signals; examples include rods and cones in the visual system.

Unipolar Neuron

A neuron with a single process extending from its cell body, commonly involved in sensory transmission.

Dorsal Root Ganglia

Clusters of sensory neuron cell bodies located in the dorsal root of spinal nerves.

Action Potential

An electrical impulse that travels down a neuron when it becomes excited by a signal.

Medulla

The part of the brainstem that transmits sensory information from the body to the thalamus.

Thalamus

The brain structure that relays sensory information to the appropriate regions of the cortex.

Sensory Cortex

The area of the brain that processes sensory information; referred to as S1 for somatosensory and V1 for visual.

Mechanoreceptors

Specialized receptor cells that respond to mechanical stimuli such as pressure, touch, and vibration.

Research Resistance

The reluctance in the scientific community to accept new ideas or findings that challenge established understanding.