1. Neuroplasticity

2. How Does the Brain Change?  Plasticity: a property of the brain that allows it to change as a result of experience, drugs, or injury  Neurogenesis: New neurons are produced in some brain regions (e.g., the hippocampus)

3. Brain Changes with Use  London Taxi Drivers:  Larger hippocampi  Only found in part associated with spatial memory  Not found in London bus drivers

4. Cortical Remapping with Non-Use  Phantom limb:  Reflects cortical remapping in Somatosensory cortex

6. Recovery after Major Damage Jodie Cameron

7. Radical Hemispherectomy  surgical removal of an entire cerebral hemisphere  remaining hemisphere takes on functions of missing one  Depends on age of surgery

8. Genes and Behavior

9. the study of how genes and environment interact to influence psychological activity Behavioral Genetics

10. Genotype and Phenotype  Genotype: an organism’s genetic makeup; never changes  Phenotype: an organism’s observable physical characteristics; always changing  Genetics (nature) and environment (nurture) both influence phenotype

13. MZ twins more alike

14. Adoption Studies  Adoption studies:  compare Identical twins raised apart  compare adopted children with adoptive relatives  Similarity of biological relatives, despite different environment, is likely due to genetic factors

15. Parent-Adoptive Child Correlations

16. Gene/Environment Interactions Caspi, et al ( 2002)

17. Caspi Study: Gene/Environment Interaction  Methods: Collected info about more than 1,000 New Zealanders from birth until adulthood  Measured: Mistreatment by parents Type of MAO gene Criminal record at age 26

18. Results

19. Gene- Environment Interaction  MAO Gene: predisposition to anti-social behavior as adult  Early Life Mistreatment: predisposition to anti- social behavior as adult  Both together: development of anti-social behavior

20. Electrical & Chemical Processing in the Brain

21. Neuronal Structures & Functions  Dendrites: receive incoming information  Cell Body: integrates incoming info  Axon: transmits electrical signal  Axon Terminal: release of neurotransmitter

22. Electrical Processing Neurons receive electrical signals from other neurons If signal is large enough, neuron generates Action Potential Sends signal down axon to next neurons