chapter 12,13,14,15 bio psych

• Alzheimer’s Disease


  A disorder characterized by progressive brain deterioration and impairment of memory and other mental abilities; the most common cause of dementia.
• Anterograde Amnesia


  An impairment in forming new memories
• Associative Long-Term Potentiation


  Strengthening of a weak synapse when it and a strong synapse on the same postsynaptic neuron are active simultaneously.
• Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)


  A protein that contributes to neuron growth and survival.
• Consolidation


  The process in which the brain forms a permanent representation of a memory.
• Declarative Memory


  The memory process that records memories of facts, people, and events that the person can verbalize, or declare.
• Dementia


  Substantial loss of memory and other cognitive abilities usually, but not necessarily, in the elderly.
• Dendritic Spines


  Outgrowths from the dendrites that partially bridge the synaptic cleft and make the synapse more sensitive.
• Hebb Rule


  The principle stating that if an axon of a presynaptic neuron is active while the postsynaptic neuron is firing, the synapse between them will be strengthened.
• Korsakoff Syndrome


  A form of dementia in which brain deterioration is almost always caused by chronic alcoholism.
• Long-Term Depression (LTD)


  Weakening of a synapse when stimulation of presynaptic neurons is insufficient to activate the postsynaptic neurons.
• Long-Term Potentiation (LTP)


  An increase in synaptic strength that occurs when presynaptic neurons and postsynaptic neurons are active simultaneously.
• Neurofibrillary Tangles


  Abnormal accumulations of the protein tau that develop inside neurons and are associated with the death of brain cells in people with Alzheimer’s disease and Down syndrome.
• Nondeclarative Memory


  Non-statable memories that result from procedural or skills learning, emotional learning, and simple conditioning.
• Place Cells


  Cells in the hippocampus that increase their firing rate when the individual is in a specific location in the environment.
• Plaques


  Clumps of amyloid, a type of protein, that cluster among axon terminals and interfere with neural transmission in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease and Down syndrome.
• Reserve Hypothesis


  The hypothesis that individuals with greater cognitive or brain capacity are able to compensate for brain changes due to aging, brain damage, or disorders such as Alzheimer’s.
• Retrieval


  The process of accessing stored memories.
• Retrograde Amnesia


  The inability to remember events prior to impairment.
• Working Memory


  A form of short-term memory that provides a temporary “register” for information while it is being used.
• Cells in the hippocampus that increase their rate of firing when an individual is in a specific location

  Place cells
• Persistent strengthening of synapses that accompanies learning

  Long-term potentiation
• Most common cause of dementia

  Alzheimer's disease
• The single brain structure most associated with learning is

  hippocampus
• cells in the hippocampus increase their rate of firing when an individual is in a specific location in the environment.

  place
• The persistent strengthening of synapses that accompanies learning is called what?

    long-term potentiation
• All the following parts of the brain are involved in normal aging effects on memory EXCEPT for the ______.

   cerebellum
• Each of the following ways has been demonstrated to reduce the effects of aging on memory EXCEPT ______.

  cognitive training games
• Longer-term storage of memories is often best enhanced during

   sleep
• Consolidation is just one phase of how a memory is made.

  true
• The hippocampus is the permanent storage site for memories.

  false
• Confabulation


  Fabrication of stories and facts, which are then accepted by the individual, to make up for those missing from memory.
• Consolidation


  The process in which the brain forms a permanent representation of a memory.
• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)


  A disorder that develops during childhood and is characterized by impulsiveness, inability to sustain attention, learning difficulty, and hyperactivity.
• Autism Spectrum Disorder


  A set of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by social deficits, communication difficulties, and repetitive behaviors.
• Autistic Savant


  An individual with autism with an isolated exceptional capability.
• Default Mode Network


  Portions of the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes that are active when the brain is at rest or focused internally; its activity is thought to represent preparedness for action.
• Down Syndrome


  Intellectual disability characterized by IQs in the 40 to 55 range, usually caused by the presence of an extra 21st chromosome.
• Fragile X Syndrome


  A form of intellectual disability caused by excessive CGG repeats in the FMR1 gene; IQ is typically below 75.
• Intellectual Disability


  Limitation in intellectual functioning (reasoning, learning, problem solving) and adaptive behavior that is developmental in origin.