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- Glossary
Declarative memory
Declarative memory is a form of long-term memory. Based on content, two types are distinguished: episodic memory – the stories of our lives – and semantic memory, or factual knowledge. What both have in common is that their respective contents can be put into words, i.e., described.
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- Glossary
Dementia
Dementia is an acquired deficit of cognitive, social, motor, and emotional abilities. The most well-known form is Alzheimer's disease. "De mentia" means "without mind" in English.
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- Glossary
Dendrite
Tree-like branching area of nerve cells whose extensions act as a kind of antenna for receiving electrical impulses from other cells.
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Dendritic spines
Mushroom- or button-shaped protrusions on dendrites, at the tip of which there is usually a synapse, which is the site of communication between two nerve cells. The spines increase the surface area of dendrites, which thus have space for additional synapses. They play an important role in synaptic plasticity. The dendritic spines can swell and shrink depending on activation.
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Depolarization
The decrease in membrane potential (towards 0 mV) from the resting potential, which is measured between the inside of the cell and the outside space and has a difference of -70 mV.
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Depression
A mental illness whose main symptoms are sadness and a loss of joy, motivation, and interest. Current classification systems distinguish between different types of depression.
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Dermatome
Describes an area of skin that is connected to exactly one spinal nerve (a nerve originating in the spinal cord).
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- Glossary
Diencephalon
The diencephalon (midbrain) includes the thalamus and hypothalamus, among other structures. Together with the cerebrum, it forms the forebrain. The diencephalon contains centers for sensory perception, emotion, and the control of vital functions such as hunger and thirst.
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diffusion tensor imaging
Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a form of magnetic resonance imaging. It enables researchers and physicians to visualize how water distributes itself in space over time, allowing them to reconstruct nerve pathways in the brain, for example. Certain changes, such as those caused by a stroke, can be detected more effectively with diffusion tensor imaging than with conventional magnetic resonance imaging.
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- Glossary
Dopamine
Dopamine is an important neurotransmitter in the central nervous system that belongs to the catecholamine group. It plays a role in motor function, motivation, emotion, and cognitive processes. Disruptions in the function of this transmitter play a role in many brain disorders, such as schizophrenia, depression, Parkinson's disease, and substance dependence.
