CHP.6 - BRAIN DEVELOPMENT FROM INFANCY THROUGH TO ADOLESCENCE Flashcards
what is plasticity of the brain?
the way it changes in response to stimulation from the enviroment
what is developmental plasticity?
a child’s brain will have more plasticity than an adults
what is adaptive plasticity?
changes to the brain throughout life as learning takes plave
what are the five development stages of the nervous system?
- proliferation
- migration
- circuit formation
- synaptic pruning
- myelination
define proliferation
the process where an unborn baby’s future neuron cells divide and multiply
define migration
the process of newly formed neurons moving outward to their destined location
define circuit formation
the process of the axons of new neurons grow out to target cells and form synapses with them
define synaptogenesis
forming new synapses
define synaptic pruning
the elimination of excess neurons and synapses
define myelination
the process of the new axons becoming coated in myelin
which structures tend to have large amounts of development in adolescence?
cerebellum, amygdala, corpus callosum and the frontal lobe
why might teenagers be prone to making more bad decisions?
because the prefrontal cortex (responsible for problem solving) is the very last thing to develop
what is cortical grey matter?
the covering on cerebral hemispheres. it is grey because the axons there do not have myelin
what are sensitive periods?
certain stages in development can be suited to learning particular things
