OCCTH 585- NEURO WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS
How do we know the brain is capable of being changed? - ANSWER-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: - ANSWER-neurons
In what ways does neuroplasticity occur? - ANSWER-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 - ANSWER-the process of exposing present
synapses that were previously silent
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? - ANSWER-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 - ANSWER-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 - ANSWER-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... - ANSWER-growth of new synapses onto a cell
, 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? - ANSWER-collateral sprouting
Provide characteristics of collateral sprouting - ANSWER-- 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 - ANSWER-growth of new neurons
T/F: Adults can't generate new neurons in the central nervous system. Explain -
ANSWER-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 - ANSWER-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
Is it possible to use neurogenesis for long term neurological recovery? - ANSWER-Not
yet. Neurogenesis happens in a fixed pattern and cells go through a lifetime of learning
and experience to get them to where they are. It would be difficult to take a generic cell
and plop it into a system that requires it to do a specific task. May also cause chaos to
the system
when a cell is no longer functioning as it should it leads to degeneration of the pre-
axonal collateral. This process is called what? - ANSWER-retraction of synaptic
terminals
anterograde degeneration - ANSWER-when the axon is disconnected from its life
source; largely Wallerian degeneration
Retrograde degeneration - ANSWER-occurs simultaneously to anterograde
degeneration, cell retracts and we see atrophy/loss of cell body due to lack of
connections
transneuronal degeneration - ANSWER-degeneration of the injured neuron itself
Why are we unable to grow collaterals across a great distance? - ANSWER-the farther
from a target you get, the more diffused and diluted the chemical signals get making it
unnoticeable after a certain point. There are also various barriers and obstacles that get
in the way.
SOLUTIONS
How do we know the brain is capable of being changed? - ANSWER-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: - ANSWER-neurons
In what ways does neuroplasticity occur? - ANSWER-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 - ANSWER-the process of exposing present
synapses that were previously silent
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? - ANSWER-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 - ANSWER-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 - ANSWER-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... - ANSWER-growth of new synapses onto a cell
, 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? - ANSWER-collateral sprouting
Provide characteristics of collateral sprouting - ANSWER-- 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 - ANSWER-growth of new neurons
T/F: Adults can't generate new neurons in the central nervous system. Explain -
ANSWER-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 - ANSWER-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
Is it possible to use neurogenesis for long term neurological recovery? - ANSWER-Not
yet. Neurogenesis happens in a fixed pattern and cells go through a lifetime of learning
and experience to get them to where they are. It would be difficult to take a generic cell
and plop it into a system that requires it to do a specific task. May also cause chaos to
the system
when a cell is no longer functioning as it should it leads to degeneration of the pre-
axonal collateral. This process is called what? - ANSWER-retraction of synaptic
terminals
anterograde degeneration - ANSWER-when the axon is disconnected from its life
source; largely Wallerian degeneration
Retrograde degeneration - ANSWER-occurs simultaneously to anterograde
degeneration, cell retracts and we see atrophy/loss of cell body due to lack of
connections
transneuronal degeneration - ANSWER-degeneration of the injured neuron itself
Why are we unable to grow collaterals across a great distance? - ANSWER-the farther
from a target you get, the more diffused and diluted the chemical signals get making it
unnoticeable after a certain point. There are also various barriers and obstacles that get
in the way.
