Self And The Phenomenon Of Life: A Biologist Examines Life From Molecules To Humanity

Self and Memory 229

“9x6” b2726 Self and the Phenomenon of Life: A Biologist Examines Life from Molecules to Humanity

context, a process essential for the building of autobiographical self,
has a strong neurological basis.

10.9 Visible Morphological Changes Resulting
From Learning

Following are some obvious morphological alterations correlated with
memory: (1) Cab drivers in London who have to memorize the detailed
city map end up having a larger hippocampus than the general pop-
ulation.^36 (2) Gross changes in brain areas are observed after learning
music^37 or following the frequent use of a finger (Fig. 10.9).^38 (3) Increase
in the number and size of dendritic spines are observed in specific areas
of the brain following learning.^39 (4) In songbirds, neurogenesis goes on
throughout life in the “vocal areas” of the brain, and the activity increases
when the bird acquires a new song.^40

Fig. 10.9. Training increases cortical area representation. A monkey was trained to
perform a task that required the use of the tips of fingers 2, 3 and 4. After a period,
the cortical areas representing the stimulated fingertips became larger than others.
A,  location of the fingertips involved; B, cortical representation before training; C, cor-
tical representation after training. [See Note 11: Kandel et al. courtesy McGraw-Hill.]