Chapter 5 -- Brain, Motor Skill, and Physical Development Flashcards
Neuron
nerve cell within the CNS that is electrochemically designed to transmit messages between cells
Neuron Proliferation
production of new nerve cells. The process begins near the end of the first month of prenatal development
Neuron Differentiation
process that flourishes postnatally. Involves the enlargement of the neurons and dendrite formation.
Synaptic Pruning
the process by which weaker or less active dendrites of neurons are eliminated
Glial Cell
brain cell that provides a scaffolding for neuron migration and that nourishes neurons and assists in the production of myelin
Myelin
sheath of fatty cells that insulates and speeds neural impulses by about tenfold
Plasticity
capacity of immature systems, including regions of the brain and the individual neurons within those regions, to take on different functions as a result of experience
Lateralization
process by which one hemisphere of the brain comes to dominate the other; for example, processing of language in the left hemisphere, or of spatial information in the right hemisphere
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
sudden, unexplained death of an infant or toddler as a result of cessation of breathing during sleep
Catch-Up Growth
increase in growth rate after some factor, such as illness or poor nutrition, has disrupted the expected normal growth rate
Hormones
chemical secreted by various glands directly into the bloodstream and circulated to influence cells in other locations of the body
Secular Trends
consistent pattern of change over generations
Failure to Thrive
designation for a child whose growth in height or weight is below the third percentile for children of the same age
Skeletal Maturity
extent to which cartilage has ossified to form bone; provides estimate of how much additional growth will take place
