PSYC 2410 Lecture Notes - Morning Sickness, Autism Spectrum, Knockout Mouse
Document Summary
Nerve growth factor (ngf): the first neurotrophin to be isolated (levi-montalcini, 3 they can function as axon guidance molecules. 5 their absence can actively trigger apoptosis. Mostly synaptogenesis, myelination, dendritic branching, axonal growth and connections. Phases of growth alternated with phases of regression of that growth. Initially a big growth of synapses and myelination of those axons etc. which is followed by regression, pruning, where there is loss of some synapses. Only those that are used and are important are kept, others that aren"t used die and disappear, this fine tunes the system. Now you take the toy and you hide it behind a different screen, and when you ask them to get to toy, they go to the first screen. Critical period: periods during which certain types of experiences must happen or else development of a certain thing/part won"t happen. Sensitive period: when certain experiences happen they allow for an ideal development of function.