Brain Development and the Environment Flashcards
people raised in widely different ___ may acquire differences in brain structure that have lieflong effect on their behaviour
cultures
what helps maximize intellectual development
cognitively stimulating environments
rats raised in enriched environments have more?
- more and larger synapses
- more and larger astrocytes
perfect (absolute pitch) is believed to require what? to develop
- requires musical training during an early period when brain development is most sensitive to that experience
- -> need to be exposed to tones of that language in the critical period
prenatal events can modify brain development such as?
stress at or near birth, a significant risk factor for later behavioural disorders
developmental window which some event has a long lasting influence on the brain
critical period
process that predisposes an animal to form an attachment to objects or animals at a critical period in development
imprinting
imprinting results in larger?
synapses of forebrain
early deprivation os sensory exepriences=
atrophy of dendrites
early deprivation of social experience =
negative effect on later intellectual and social behaviours
if deprivation is only short (less than a few months), can the child overcome some of the negative effects
yes
stress in early life is associated with ? (3)
- amygdala increasing size
- hippocampus decreasing size
- later development of depression and anxiety disorders
when is the worst time for brain injury
last half of intrauterine period and first few months after birth
when is the ‘better” time for a brain injury
first few years after birth
–> more resilient to deficits then when damage occurs in adults
prenatal exposure to drugs may ?
increase the chance of later drug use,
–> nicotine and caffeine increases the chance of learning disability and hyperactivity
what is spina bifida
–> what is it associated with
spinal cord abnormality due to failure of the neural tube (back end of spinal cord) to close completely
–> serious motor problems
what is anencephaly
front end of the neural tube does not close so your forebrain fails to develop
–> infants usually die soon after birth
spina bifida and anencephaly are examples of?
genetic abnormalities
schiz develops from what type of abnormal brain development
- abnormal cell migration and differentiation
- -> faulty connections and disorganized pyramidal neurons in the hippocampus
failure of pruning ( too many synapses) can cause?
neural dysfunction
behavioural effects of brain damage to a given area are often not seen till?
that area matures
when does the frontal lobe develop till?
into adult hood
impaired cognitive functioning due to abnormal brain development
developmental disability
5 causes of developmental disability
- genetic abnormalities (DS)
- prenatal exposure to infections or toxins such as alcohol
- birth trauma, such as anoxia (CP)
- malnutrition
- environmental abnormality such as sensory deprivation
chronic malnutrition can lead to?
kwashiorkor
drugs can lead to what developmental disorder
spina bifida or ASD
genetic abnormality = error of metabolism = what developmental disorder
phenylketonuria
prenatal disease can lead to infection which can cause what developmental delay
- rubella
- retardation
dendritic growth is lower in people with developmental disability which means ?
fewer connections in the brain
–> thinner and fewer spines
what is considered a normal brain?
there is a range of normal that people fall into, every brain is different
- plasticity occurs which can repair minor abnormalities
