Exercise 9. Listen to the second part of the text (Script 13.2) and describe potential applications of artificial brains.

Exercise 10. Listen again and prove the following statements using information from the text:

1. Currently the organoid is the only possible way that allows to study microcephaly.

2. Microcephaly is a severe developmental condition.

3. Investigation of neurological conditions may help to develop therapies.

4. The organoid holds promise for further research.

 

Text C. Genes and intelligence

 

Exercise 11. What do you know about the neural bases of intelligence? Discuss the following questions:

1. What is a cognitive process from the biological point of view? What happens in the brain when people think?

2. Which brain structures are responsible for some of the cognitive abilities, such as decision-making, memory, perception, empathy, etc.?

3. How do genetic variations influence cognitive abilities and intelligence level?

4. Is it possible to enhance cognitive abilities by altering brain’s biology (with drugs, foods, physical exercise or various cognitive training)?

 

to curb – ограничивать, сдерживать to halt – остановить, прекратить fluke – случайная удача, несостоятельность, обман to rest on one’s laurels – почивать на лаврах murine – мышиный maze – лабиринт

Exercise 12. Listen to the first part of the text (Script 14.1) which explores the possibility of enhancing cognitive faculties. How may the new discovery make it possible?

 

Exercise 13. Listen to the text again and explain what the following figures refer to in the text:

52-85

a fifth 3% 0.5%

 

Exercise 14. Answer the questions using information from the text:

1. What is the correlation between KL, klotho and KL-VS?

2. What is KL-VS responsible for in the human body?

3. What studies revealed brain-boosting properties of KL-VS?

4. Are there any other genes that can produce the same effect?

 

Exercise 15. Listen to the second part of the text (Script 14.2) and say if the following statements are true or false according to the text. Correct the false ones.

1. Although flukey correlations between a gene and a human trait are common this is not one of them

2. Mice with murine equivalent of KL-VS to the genomes performed much better than regular mice at learning and memory tests.

3. Genetically engineered mice displayed differences from regular mice in the structure of their synapses

4. Glutamate stimulation of NMDA is believed to be the basis of memory.

5. The team genetically engineered mice to double the number of NMDA receptors in the their hippocampuses and frontal cortices.

6. GluN2B levels affect cognitive performance and memory.

7. Ifenprodil blocks GluN2B thus eliminating the genetically engineered mice’s advantage.

8. Experiments demonstrated that klotho enhances intellectual performance by stimulating NMDA receptors of the brain’s memory and learning circuits.

9. A drug that elevates klotho levels might facilitate cognition for the elderly people.

 

 

Unit 7. Sleep

Lexics: Neurobiology / Cognitive science / Somnology / Public health Listening. 3 texts

 

Text A. Children's intellectual development

Exercise 1. Before listening to the text discuss the following questions:

1. How does sleep schedule affect mental condition and academic performance?

2. What healthy sleep habits do you know?

Exercise 2. Listen to the text (Script 15) which describes a new research into sleep habits and say what correlation was established between sleep patterns and academic performance of children.

 

Exercise 3. Listen to the text again and say if the following statements are true of false according to the text, or information was not given. Correct the false ones:

1. Numerous studies provided reliable evidence to the connection between sleep habits and cognitive ability in adults and adolescents as well as in children.

2. Inconsistent sleeping schedules do not significantly impact academic performance.

3. The Millennium Cohort Study is a long-term research project aimed at revealing the nature of sleep.

4. The scientists collected information on bedtime habits of more than 11,000 children of various ages.

5. Some facts about families as well as cognitive test results of the children were also taken into account.

6. Being read to before sleep and having a television in the room affected mental performance of the children.

7. The impact of regular bedtime turned out to be both age- and sex-dependent.