Infant Brain/Early Childhood Experiences
Neurons, also known as brain cells or nerves, begin forming in the first months of fetal development.
15,000.
The cell body (aka the ______) contains what?
The cell body (aka the soma) contain the neuron's nucleus/nucleolus which stores the cell's genetic material.
i) What is brain development interrelated with? What do their developments depend on?
ii) ___% of _____ goes toward brain development in the ____ year and [increases or decreases (?)] to _____% by age ____ .
i) It is related to behavioural development, and they depend on how different factors interaction such as genetics, nutrition, experiences, relationships, health etc. (they idea of nature vs nurture /biology vs environment).
ii) 60% of nutrition goes toward brain development in the first year and decreases to 30% by age 3.
What are windows are learning? How long are they? Does it matter if they are missed or not? Give an example.
They are period when particular experiences are especially important or when some skills are more easily developed. They are typically moderate to long periods. Some windows of development should not be missed because they opportunity to learn is greatly diminished. For example, first day of schools, and first heart breaks.
True of false, brain cells keep developing/being made, after birth.
False.
Neurons transmit signal at very fast speeds. At what range of speed can signals be transmitted at?
Dendrites are...? (Give structure and function)
Dendrites are branching structure that are attached to/extend from the soma. They are the signal receivers of the cell, so a signal that is transmitted from another neuron first reaches or is received by the dendrites.
How does the quality of relationships affect brain development? Give an example. During what age range is key?
The quality of relationships in the first 3 years (birth to 3 years old) has deep and lasting impact on how the brain gets "wired" and sets the foundation for development in every area of life. A baby who is not held or comforted when they cry may be reluctant to trust people as they grow up.
By age 2 what should children be able to do?
By age 5 what should children be able to do?
From birth to age 10 what should children be developing?
By age 4 what should children be able to do?
From age 3 to age 10 what should children be able to do?
Emotional control (not crying every time they topple over) and social attachment (becoming attached to parents/mother, other people around them)
Motor development (begin walking, moving parts of body balance, balance)
Language skills (start speaking)
Visual development (seeing things/differentiating colours etc.) and math and logic skills (counting, alphabet, when you touch fire it is hot so don't touch, don't cross the street when car is coming)
Music (sounds)
A ___________ fetus develops how many brain cells a minute? How many brain cells is a baby born with?
Bonus: With the number of brain cells born with, what can be done?
A well nourished fetus develops about 250,000 neurons a minute and is born with approximately 100,000,000,000 (100 billion).
Bonus: With the number of brain cells born with, just about anything can be learned.
What are synapses?
Synapses are connections that are made between neurons when transmitting electrochemical signals from one neuron to another; the gap between the axon terminal and receiving cell. They connect neurons in the brain to neurons in the body to communicate functions and environmental responses.
What is the difference between the axon and the axon terminal?
True of false, developmental achievements happen naturally.
What is the hierarchy of the brain?
Upper/Forebrain - Cerebrum/Cortex - "Executive Center"
Middle brain - Limbic system - "Emotional Center"
Lower/Hindbrain - Cerebellum/Brainstem - "Alarm Center"
i) When are most neural connections made?
ii) ____% of connections are made by what age?
iii) After that age, what happens, and until what age?
i) Most neural connections are made within the first year of life.
ii) 80% of connections are made by age 3.
iii) After 3, to age 10, the number of neural connection being made decrease.
What do synapses grow and change as a result of?
They grow and change as a result of stimulation from the environment.
A chemical release by the axon. They carry, boost, balance signals between neurons and target cells. They travel across the synapse and attach to specific receptors of the target cell which will then trigger an action within the cell.
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-neurotransmitter-2795394
i) What is the process of removing extra synaptic connections that are no longer used/not used as much?
ii) How are synaptic connections fortified? Give an example?
i) This is known as pruning.
ii) What is used gets stronger, so synaptic connections are made stronger thorough repetitive activities and experiences. When these connections are made and strengthened, that is what allows a child, or anyone, to learn. (i.e. learning math, the more someone practices math skills, for example multiplication, the more they do there homework, the more they participate in class, the stronger the connections related that become which enables learning.)
What is the upper, middle, and lower brain responsible for?
Upper - Cerebrum/Cortex - logic/reasoning, affiliation, abstract/concrete thought
Middle - Limbic system - arousal/sexual behaviour, emotional reactivity, attachment, appetite, motor regulation, contextual
Lower - Cerebellum/Brainstem - sleep, blood pressure, temperature, breathing, heart rate
i) Compare the brain activity within the first 10 years of life to that of an adult.
ii) As growth levels of, what also begins?
i) From birth to 10, the brain is twice as active as an adult brain.
ii) Pruning begins.
Neurons are ______? (other than brain cells) What do they do? What internal body system are they a part of? Of that body system, what do neurons make up.
Neurons are nerve cells that send and receive electrochemical signals to and from the brain and nervous system. They make up the brain and spinal cord.
What is a Schwan's cell? What is a myelin sheath?
Consist of 70-80% lipids and 20-30% protein. They produce myelin which surrounds the cell as the myeline sheath. The myelin sheath is a fatty substance surrounding and protecting nerve fibers. Several Schwan cells (glial, non-neuron brain cells) and myelin sheaths cover the axon of the neuron and insulate the electrochemical signal it transmits to increase speed. Each is separated by a node of Ranvier.
https://teaching.ncl.ac.uk/bms/wiki/index.php/Nodes_of_Ranvier
When are synaptic connections generally developed?
What is the left side of the brain responsible for?
What is the right side of the brain responsible for?
Left - positive emotions, language, approaching new ideas/situations, logical and analysis, math skills
Right - negative/intense emotions, creativity, imagination, verbal inflection, musicality