Wiring the Brain - Principles of Neuroscience

A collection of vocabulary flashcards on concepts related to brain wiring and neurodevelopment.

Neurogenesis

The process through which new neurons are generated.

Synaptogenesis

The formation of synapses between neurons.

Pathway formation

The developmental process of neurons establishing routes and connections.

Radial glial cells

Cells that provide a scaffold for the migration of neurons during brain development.

Neural stem cells

Undifferentiated cells that have the potential to become various types of neurons or glial cells.

Neuroblast

An immature neuron that is in the process of differentiation.

Cell cleavage

The process during cell division that determines the fate of daughter cells.

Symmetrical cell division

A type of cell division where both daughter cells remain in the same zone to divide again.

Asymmetrical cell division

A form of cell division where one daughter cell migrates to become a neuron while the other stays behind and continues to divide.

Ocular Dominance Columns

Vertical columns of neurons in the visual cortex that respond predominantly to stimuli from one eye.

Chemoaffinity Hypothesis

Theory that chemical markers guide growing axons to their correct targets.

Filopodia

Thin spikes extending from growth cones that probe the axon's environment.

Lamellipodia

Flat sheets of membrane at the tip of a growth cone essential for axon direction.

Hebbian modifications

A principle of synaptic plasticity where coincident activity strengthens synapses.

Apoptosis

Programmed cell death that helps in eliminating excess neurons.

Necrosis

Accidental cell death usually caused by injury.

Critical period

A phase in development during which the plasticity of neural connections is at its peak.

Retinotopy

Mapping of visual input from the retina to neurons in the visual cortex.

Axon guidance

The process by which growing axons find their targets using various cues.

Monocular deprivation

A condition where one eye is deprived of vision, affecting its development.

Neural precursor cells

Cells that have the potential to develop into neurons or glial cells.

Synaptic capacity

The total number of synapses a neuron can maintain on its dendrites and soma.

Activity-dependent plasticity

Changes in synaptic strength or organization as a result of activity in the nervous system.

Excitatory synaptic transmission

The process by which neurotransmitters increase the likelihood of a postsynaptic electrical impulse.

Inhibitory interneurons

Neurons that inhibit the activity of other neurons within the brain.

Differentiation

The process by which a neuroblast becomes a specific type of neuron.

Selective cell death

A process where specific populations of neurons are eliminated during development.

Trophic factors

Nutrients and signals needed to support neuron growth and survival.

Visual cortex

The part of the brain that processes visual information.

Pioneer axons

The first axons to establish a pathway to their target during development.

Synaptic rearrangement

The process of changing the proportion of synapses from different presynaptic neurons.

Amblyopia

A disorder where vision in one eye is reduced because the eye and brain are not working well together.

Strabismus

A condition where the eyes do not properly align with each other.

Cortical plate

The layer of the developing brain where neurons migrate to form the cerebral cortex.

Neural differentiation

The process by which neural precursor cells develop into mature neurons and glia.