PSY E112 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Sex Organ, Secondary Sex Characteristic, Schwann Cell
Document Summary
Myelination: development of myelin sheath around neurons. Myelin- fatty coating resulting of glial cells (oligodendrocytes in cns, Insulate electrical activity of neurons from each other thus increasing efficiency (speed) of neural transmission. Used to determine maturity of diff. areas of brain. One of final areas to finish is dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (controls impulses, planning complex function, foreseeing consequences, working memory) in frontal lobe. Abilities requiring multiple simultaneous cognitive processes fall under executive functioning (control and regulate behaviours) Lack of maturity in brain governing this functioning explains why adolescents have trouble with planning, risky behaviour, inhibition and attention. Time at which people"s bodies begin to enter sexual maturity. Hypothalamus begins secreting hormones that stimulate the gonads and sex hormones (causes rapid dev. of sex organs; primary sexual characteristics) In turn, testes and ovaries produce testosterone and estrogen that lead to secondary sexual characteristics. Early menarche dev. or depression, substance abuse, risky sexual behaviour.
