PSYC 2400 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Methyl Group, Epigenetics, Heritability
29 Sep 2015
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Epigenetics, one mechanism that we know: a methyl group is added. Increases in methylation leads to increase in negative things. Humans relative to other species: we are talking about specific, whether we have that gene or not. Within a species, we have the same genes, the genotype is different. (siblings- 50% genotype different; human and monkey- 1% different). Heritability- a statistical estimate of the proportion of variance on a given trait among individuals in a given population that is attributable to genetic differences among those individuals (vs. environmental factors). Localization of function: each part of the brain is responsible for a certain function. Synaptic pruning is decreasing the number of synapses; the elimination of synapses. Overabundance of synapses is eliminated as we grow older. Less synapses in 19 year old than 7 year old. Synaptic pruning is not fully complete until after adolescence. Plasticity: is the capacity of the brain to be affected by experience.
