Clear+Vivid with Alan Alda Carla Shatz and Marcus Raichle: Brainwaves
May 28, 2024
Renowned neuroscientists Carla Shatz and Marcus Raichle discuss neuroplasticity, brain circuits, and Alzheimer's disease. Topics include brain resilience in aging, memory formation, brain activity patterns, and potential treatments for neurodegenerative disorders.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Neuroplasticity and Synapses
- Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to change at the cellular level, specifically at synapses.
- Synapses, connections between nerve cells, are where computations occur and information is relayed, changing with experience.
Synaptic Pruning
- Early brain development involves pruning unused synaptic connections.
- This pruning process, though extensive early on, continues throughout life at a slower rate.
Reasons for Pruning
- Synaptic pruning may be evolutionarily advantageous for energy efficiency and space conservation in the brain.
- Learning involves strengthening used connections and removing unused ones, happening throughout life.