OCCTH 585- Neuro Questions And Answers
How do we know the brain is capable of being changed? 1. Skill acquisition: our brain
layout must change to allow for the acquisition of new capabilities
2. nervous system develops as you grow
3. aging: after age 21 we start to lose neurons so the neurons left over will adapt to pick up the
slack
4. Nervous system changes following injury or disease
5. Recovery: the brain will go through neuroplasticity to optimize what it has left
The main communicating cells of the nervous system are: neurons
In what ways does neuroplasticity occur? 1. change in the properties of neurotransmission
via a change in PSP size or shape and/or a change in the transmitter released
2. changing the cell properties by changing the size/shape of the cell, it's electrical
properties/resistance and/or leakiness of the membrane
3. structural changes in the cell
Describe the process of unmasking the process of exposing present synapses that were
previously silent
, OCCTH 585- Neuro Questions And Answers
You're working on reducing a recent lower limb amputee's phantom limb pain when they ask you
the reason for why they still feel sensation in a limb that is no longer there. What phenomenon is
the likely cause and how would you explain it? They are experiencing unmasking. I would
inform them that while they are no longer getting sensory input from that limb, there are neurons
in that cortical area of the brain that have now been exposed. These neurons receive inputs from
other areas of the body which result in the the sensation felt by the amputated limb.
Describe the process of dendritic pruning If a neuron loses inputs from a cell following
disease or injury and the vacant spots are not filled, the dendrites will begin to retract causing
changes to the cell's shape/size and thus its behaviour
compare and contrast unmasking vs dendritic pruning unmasking occurs immediately and
results in functional changes to the cells that influence its behaviour
dendritie pruning occurs over time and results in a loss of SA, brain mass, and changes to the
shape/size of the cell which leads to changes in behaviour
Simply put, collateral sprouting is... growth of new synapses onto a cell
, OCCTH 585- Neuro Questions And Answers
When a neuron has vacant real estate, this space will emit a chemical signal and nearby cells will
begin to form synapses towards those vacancies, what is this process called? collateral
sprouting
Provide characteristics of collateral sprouting - requires time to grow new tissue
- may or may not fill vacant space in the nervous sytem
- is activity dependent (more active neurons= more collaterals)
- produces functional changes as they provide more inputs leading to domination of a cell
Neurogenesis growth of new neurons
T/F: Adults can't generate new neurons in the central nervous system. Explain False.
Adults can generate new neurons in very limited anatomical regions such as the hippocampus,
lateral ventricle, and cortex
How are neurons involved in learning and memory we change the structure of synapses to
retain memory and go through new learning when we want to forget memories
- cells only live for a couple months before they get turned over
How do we know the brain is capable of being changed? 1. Skill acquisition: our brain
layout must change to allow for the acquisition of new capabilities
2. nervous system develops as you grow
3. aging: after age 21 we start to lose neurons so the neurons left over will adapt to pick up the
slack
4. Nervous system changes following injury or disease
5. Recovery: the brain will go through neuroplasticity to optimize what it has left
The main communicating cells of the nervous system are: neurons
In what ways does neuroplasticity occur? 1. change in the properties of neurotransmission
via a change in PSP size or shape and/or a change in the transmitter released
2. changing the cell properties by changing the size/shape of the cell, it's electrical
properties/resistance and/or leakiness of the membrane
3. structural changes in the cell
Describe the process of unmasking the process of exposing present synapses that were
previously silent
, OCCTH 585- Neuro Questions And Answers
You're working on reducing a recent lower limb amputee's phantom limb pain when they ask you
the reason for why they still feel sensation in a limb that is no longer there. What phenomenon is
the likely cause and how would you explain it? They are experiencing unmasking. I would
inform them that while they are no longer getting sensory input from that limb, there are neurons
in that cortical area of the brain that have now been exposed. These neurons receive inputs from
other areas of the body which result in the the sensation felt by the amputated limb.
Describe the process of dendritic pruning If a neuron loses inputs from a cell following
disease or injury and the vacant spots are not filled, the dendrites will begin to retract causing
changes to the cell's shape/size and thus its behaviour
compare and contrast unmasking vs dendritic pruning unmasking occurs immediately and
results in functional changes to the cells that influence its behaviour
dendritie pruning occurs over time and results in a loss of SA, brain mass, and changes to the
shape/size of the cell which leads to changes in behaviour
Simply put, collateral sprouting is... growth of new synapses onto a cell
, OCCTH 585- Neuro Questions And Answers
When a neuron has vacant real estate, this space will emit a chemical signal and nearby cells will
begin to form synapses towards those vacancies, what is this process called? collateral
sprouting
Provide characteristics of collateral sprouting - requires time to grow new tissue
- may or may not fill vacant space in the nervous sytem
- is activity dependent (more active neurons= more collaterals)
- produces functional changes as they provide more inputs leading to domination of a cell
Neurogenesis growth of new neurons
T/F: Adults can't generate new neurons in the central nervous system. Explain False.
Adults can generate new neurons in very limited anatomical regions such as the hippocampus,
lateral ventricle, and cortex
How are neurons involved in learning and memory we change the structure of synapses to
retain memory and go through new learning when we want to forget memories
- cells only live for a couple months before they get turned over
