Neuroplasticity and Learning

This set of flashcards contains key vocabulary related to neuroplasticity, learning processes, and brain functions.

Neuroplasticity

The brain's ability to rewire itself in response to learning, injury, or trauma.

Phantom Limb

A phenomenon where individuals feel sensations in a limb that has been amputated.

Hemisensory Reorganization

The brain's reorganization of sensory input from adjacent areas when the original area is not receiving input.

S1 Region

Primary somatosensory cortex involved in processing sensory information.

Synaptic Plasticity

Changes in the strength or number of synapses in response to activity or experience.

Hebbian Synapse

A synapse whose strength is increased when the presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons are activated simultaneously.

Inotropic Receptors

Receptors that are ion channels; upon activation, they allow specific ions to enter the neuron.

Nitric Oxide (NO)

A gaseous neurotransmitter that acts as a retrograde signaling molecule in the brain.

Retrograde Neurotransmitter

A type of neurotransmitter that is synthesized in the postsynaptic neuron and affects the presynaptic neuron.

Vesicular Storage

The process by which neurotransmitters are stored in vesicles within neurons.

Glutamate

The main excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, involved in synaptic plasticity.

Postsynaptic Neuron

The neuron that receives the neurotransmitter signal from the presynaptic neuron.

Presynaptic Neuron

The neuron that releases neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft.

Active Learning

Learning that involves critical thinking and problem-solving, leading to more robust neural connections.

Synaptic Connections

The links between neurons that allow for communication and signaling.

Gaseous Neurotransmitter

A neurotransmitter that exists in gaseous form and diffuses across membranes.

Functional Changes

Alterations in neuron activity and synaptic strength resulting from learning or experience.

Structural Changes

Physical alterations in the brain's structure following learning, trauma, or injury.

Brain Rewiring

The process by which the brain forms new neural connections in response to learning.

Neuronal Compensation

The brain's ability to adapt functions to compensate for lost functions or damage.

Learning Experience

An event or activity that enhances knowledge or skills through practice.

Sensitivity Increase

The increased responsiveness of neurons due to learning or experience.

Trauma Response

The brain's adjustments following an injury, potentially involving neuroplasticity.

Long-term Potentiation (LTP)

A long-lasting increase in synaptic strength following high-frequency stimulation.

Dendritic Growth

The process of increase in the size and number of dendrites in response to learning.

Cortex Adaptation

Adaptations in cortical areas of the brain related to sensory and motor functions.

Animal Studies

Research conducted on animals to draw conclusions applicable to human neuroplasticity.

Neurofasticity

The observable changes in the brain’s structure and function as a result of learning.

Check and Balance in Research

A process ensuring ethical standards and scientific rigor in research practices.

Research Euthanization

The process in which animals are humanely killed to study their brain after experiments.

Primary Somatosensory Region

The area of the brain that processes sensory information from the body.