Brain plasticity and brain injury

Neurons

Nerve cells that receive, process and transmit neural messages

Dendrites

receive neural messages from previous neuron

Myelin sheath

Insulates neurons and prevents disturbance from other neuron activity

Axon terminals

Sends neural messages to the next neuron

Synapse

Region that includes the axon terminals of the presynaptic neuron, the synaptic gap and the dendrites of the post synaptic neuron

Presynaptic neuron

Neuron that comes before the synaptic gap. sends messages to the next neuron

Synaptic gap

Microscopic space between neurons

Postsynaptic neurons

Comes after the synaptic gap. Receives the message from the previous neuron

Neuroplasticity

Ability of the brain to change in response to experience and activity

Neurons, pathways

The brain changes as a result of ________ communicating and forming _________.

Developmental plasticity

Changes in the brain that occur in response to ageing and maturation

Factors of myelination

Synaptogenesis, synaptic pruning, myelination

Synaptogenesis

Formation of synapses between neurons as axon terminals and dendrites grow

process of synaptogenesis

When an individual learns something, axon terminals grow and form connections with nearby neurons, creating synapses to retain information.

Infancy

synaptogenesis is most intense during ________.

Synaptic pruning

The elimination of unused synapses

Process of Synaptic pruning

unused synapses are cut off to free up space in the brain

Myelination

Formation and development of myelin around the axon of a neuron

Infancy and adolescence

Two periods with significant neuronal change due to developmental plasticity

Infancy, synaptogenesis

During ________ the number of connections increases through ___________.

Adolescent, synaptic pruning

________ connections are refined and reduced greatly through ___________.

Function of Myelination

essential for higher-order thinking as complex thought requires communication