Ch. 4-6 Flashcards
Action potential
Travel from cell body along axons to the axon terminals, they are electrochemical currents
Best tool for studying infant brain
fNIRS (functional near infared spectroscopy) uses infared light to detect blood flow changes
Neurons
Information storage and transfer cells of the nervous system
Myelin
Insulation, improves integrity and speed of connection
Autonomic nervous system
Responsible for regulating heart rate, blood pressure, sleep wake, sucking swallowing, etc.
Sympathetic nervous system
Prepares for action, elevates heart rate and increases metabloism
Parasympathetic nervous system
Allows body to relax, slow down , and rest
Amyglada
Emotional memory formation and fear
Hippocampus
Plays important role in formation of memories for events and sequences
Hypothalamus
Links brain to endocrine system via the pituitary gland. In response to stimulation, begins cascade of hormones that activate pituitary gland and release hormones into blood stream
Hypothalamus Pituitary amygdala axis (HPA)
When activated by stress or threat, hormones release from hypothalamus to the pituitary glad to the adrenal glands. This results in the secretion of cortisol.
Cortex
Outer layer of the brain, largest part of the brain, divided into lobes.
frontal lobe (prefrontal cortex)
reasoning, planning, organizing thoughts, and behavior
occipital lobe
where visual information is processed.
parietal lobe
sensory and motor cortices
autobiographical memory
ability to tell story in words about oneself
procedural memory
knowing how to do things, also known as motor skills
state
organized pattern of physical and physiological responses related to activation or arousal
transitional sleepers
wakes every night for 6 months before tapering off, with no consistent predictors.
infant sleep difficulties
too much stimulation, inconsistent routine, etc.
co-sleeping with infants
not common in America, but is in other cultures, can be beneficial
orienting response
heightened alertness, turns toward stimulation
phases of infant cries
exhale, rest, inhale, rest, repeat cycle
pattern of infant crying in first year
decreases continuously
culture variations in crying
crying tends to be more brief, due to the fact they are in contact with their caregiver more than western societies.
colic
colic is crying in which: 1) cries at least 3 hours per day; on at least 3 days per week and for at least 3 successive weeks, 2)parents judge crying to be very intense, 3)infant is otherwise normal, 4) infant is relatively unresponsive to soothing and feeding.
effects on adults
learn cries, respond to cries, have a difficult temperament
calming sounds for infants
continous sounds
asynchronous growth
different body regions grow faster at different times
most rapid physical growth
first 6 months of life
cephocaudual development
head grows earlier than the body
proximodistal development
torso grows before the limbs
average weight of american infants
7-8ibs
sleep at three months
still sleeping as much as newborns, but able to sleep longer without waking up and more likely to sleep through the night
SIDS
sometimes illness, blocking respiratory systems, lol SES, apnea
infant visual preferences
attractive faces over unattractive faces
