Terminology
The natural sequence of physical and biological growth and development that unfolds over time, largely determined by genetics.
Maturation
Key skills or abilities that most children reach at certain ages.
Developmental milestones
A toddler rapidly learns new words atter age two.
Synaptic exuberance, Sensitive period, Developmental milestones
A rapid increase in the number of synapses in the brain during early development.
Synaptic exuberance
The tendency for certain mental processes or functions to be specialized to one hemisphere of the brain.
Brain lateralization
A child exposed to high levels of lead shows delayed cognitive development.
Dose-response relationship, Critical period
The formation of a fatty sheath around the axons of neurons that increases the speed of neural transmission.
Myelination
A time when an organism is particularly responsive to certain experiences, though learning can still occur later with more effort.
Sensitive period
Brain scans of a four-year-old show that the right hemisphere is active during language tasks after the child suffered damage to the left hemisphere.
Brain lateralization, neuroplasticity, critical period
The idea that specific mental functions are controlled by specific areas of the brain.
Localization of function
The connection between the amount of exposure to a certain factor (like a drug or toxin) and the degree of effect it has
Dose-response relationship
A 10-year-old begins playing the violin and quickly develops fine motor control and improved coordination.
Myelination, Neuroplasticity. Repeated practice strengthens neural connections (neuroplasticity) and speeds communication through increased myelination.
The brain's ability to change, reorganize, or form new connections in response to learning or injury.
Neuroplasticity
A specific time during development when certain skills or abilities must develop; if missed, they may never fully form.
Critical period
A bilingual teenager finds it harder to pick up a third language than when she was a child.
Maturation, Sensitive period. Language acquisition is easiest during a sensitive period in early childhood; later learning requires more effort.