Biology and Brain Development

Question 1

Genetic and Environmental Forces: Three elements of development:

Answer 1

• Genotype (genetic material)
• Phenotype (observable expression of the genotype)
• Environment (surroundings)

Question 2

Genotype

Answer 2

genetic makeup, is a biological influence on all of our traits, from hair and eye color to personality, health, and behavior.

Question 3

Phenotype

Answer 3

the traits we ultimately show, such as our specific eye or hair color, is not determined by genotypes alone. Phenotypes are influenced by the interaction of genotypes and our experiences.

Question 4

What is the relationship between genotype, phenotype, and environment?

Answer 4

parents’ genotype affects a child’s genotype, as well as the parent’s phenotype effects environment which affects child’s phenotype which affects the environment as well.

Question 5

Epigenetics

Answer 5

above the genome
Investigates how experience changes our genes
Video: Twin Video: Were similar in the beginning stages of life but started to get into different sports when they got into high school. ENVIRONMENT
literally means : “above the gene”

Question 6

Gene–environment interactions

Answer 6

refer to the dynamic interplay between our genes and our environment

Question 7

Range of reaction

Answer 7

a wide range of potential expressions of a genetic trait, depending on environmental opportunities and constraints

Question 8

Give an example of a range of reaction.

Answer 8

A child may have parents who are tall and the child has more of a chance to be tall but if the child has inadequate nutrition then that decreases the chances of the child being as tall as their parents

Question 9

Describe the difference between experience-expectant plasticity and experience-dependent plasticity.

Answer 9

-Normal wiring of brain is the result of experiences throughout evolution

General experiences that ALL infants have by virtue of being human shape brain development

Brain “expects” input (visual stimulation, voices and sounds, movement, manipulation) to fine tune circuitry

-Brain differs as result of specific, individualized experiences

Growth that occurs in response to learning experiences

Question 10

Examples of experience-expectant plasticity and experience-dependent plasticity.

Answer 10

-Ex. Infant born with cataracts – no visual input at birth impacts wiring of occipital lobe
Ex. Deprivation of Romanian orphans – lack of contingent caregiving can lead to underdeveloped brain
-Ex: Rats raise in complex environments vs bare cages – more connections
Ex: Violinists/cellists - more cortical cells (receiving input from and controlling fingers)