Understanding the Brain

What do cells do as we learn, according to the text?

• Connect with new cells

• Disappear

• Shrink

• Stay the same

What part of the brain helps you solve problems?

• Prefrontal cortex

• Hippocampus

• Cerebellum

• Amygdala

What does the prefrontal cortex help you understand?

• Sights and sounds

• Emotions and feelings

• Taste and smell

• Balance and coordination

Who is Nathan Spreng?

• A physicist at Harvard University

• A neuroscientist at Cornell University

• A chemist at Stanford University

• A biologist at Yale University

What are nerve cells in the brain called?

• Neurons

• Axons

• Dendrites

• Synapses

What happens to neurons as we learn something new?

• They become less active.

• They use more energy.

• They become wired together.

• They stop sending signals.

What did Spreng notice about cells in a brain area related to some task?

• They became less efficient.

• They used more energy to communicate.

• They used less energy to talk to one another.

• They stopped functioning.

What did the scientists use to study neurons in rat brains?

• Chemical signals.

• Electrical signals.

• Magnetic fields.

• Sound waves.

At what stage do glial cells change the most?

• During exercise

• During sleep

• During eating

• During stress

What is still a mystery about glial cells?

• Their exact number in the brain.

• What causes them to change.

• Their ability to send signals.

• Their role in digestion.