Investigation- Luka Derado
Investigation #1: Texting
A number of statistics in defense of the texting as well as statistics on DUI incidents in regards to teenage drivers:
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Texting while driving is one of the common poor decisions of my generation. Teenagers revolve their lives around cellphones and texting/ messaging/ snapchatting/ social media(ing) on their phones. The number of car crashes involving teenage drivers texting while behind the wheel has increased dramatically and will probably continue to do so.
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INvestigation #2: Animal adolescence
The article that we read declared that only humans experience massive brain development throughout their teenage years. While it is difficult to prove that other animals also experience this growth, we can observe that some other species tend to act differently during adolescence.
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Investigation #3: important
brain stages
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Our article mentioned that myelin was the focus of the adolescent brain stage. Here are a few other stages and their focuses:
- Stage 1, Prebirth: Brain is “underconstruction”. While some neurons will form connections, this stage focuses more on their actual formation.
- Stage 2, Childhood: Brain rapidly connects neurons, and basic consciousness forms, as well as the foundations of motor skills, and language.
- Stage 3, Adolescence: Myelin forms to protect neuron connections, and White matter finalizes “pruning”. Toward the end of this stage, the prefrontal cortex will develop to control impulse
- Stage 4, Middle Age: Numerous brain functions begin to mesh, counteracting slow decay. Most notably, Both hemispheres begin to work together, and emotions and memory begin to overlap.
- Stage 5, Old Age: Motor control and flexibility to learn new things fades, and knowledge reaches its peak, prior to also fading.
Investigation #4: Parts of the neuron
- Dendrites: Branch-like part of a neuron. Transfers electrical signals to send and receive information from other neurons.
- Soma: Area in which electrical signals are combined. (The “meat” of the cell)
- Myelin Sheath: A fatty layer which protects the axon from outside influence, but does not protect the axon or itself from degradation over time.
- Axon: A long fiber from which the neuron “fires” signals and transmits them to neighboring neurons.
- Terminal: The location at which dendrites can receive transmissions from other neurons.
INVESTIGATION #5: High FUNCTIONING AUTISM
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If social interaction with peers is as important as many adults and this article stresses, then how can autism boost the function of the brain?
- Unlike most investigation answers, this particular question seems to be still largely unexplained.
- One common argument: Trade outs (Ex. long-term vs short-term memory)
- Another argument: Heightened interest drives individuals throughout life better than most people.