Neurodevelopment Flashcards
1
Q
How many connections in the adult brain? How many neurons?
A
- 60 trillion connections
- 100 billion neurons
2
Q
How much does the brain weigh?
A
- 3 pounds
3
Q
How doe the brain structurally development?
A
- starts with neural tube within first few weeks of pregnancy
4
Q
What is grey and white matter?
A
- grey: cell bodies of neurons
- white: axons with myelin
5
Q
What is the neocortex?
A
- thin mantle that lies on the surface of the brain
- grey matter
6
Q
What are the nuclei?
A
- deep pockets of grey matter that send information to the neocortex
7
Q
When are the majority of neurons formed?
A
- first half of pregnancy
- must be produced at 200,000 neurons/minute
8
Q
When does brain development occur?
A
- from 20 days conceived to early adolescents
9
Q
How does the amount of neurons in infants compare to adults? What does this mean?
A
- twice as many neurons as adult
- twice as many connections
- means that development must include and overproduction and pruning back of neurons
10
Q
How do brain regions differ in overproduction and pruning back?
A
- pattern is the same
- timing is different
- so different peak times in different regions
11
Q
Why do cells die during development?
A
- only cells that are part of functioning networks have access to Nerve Growth Factor
- when they don’t make connections, they die off
12
Q
When does sensory/motor function begin?
A
- prenatally
13
Q
What are the two streams of thought on how the brain develops?
A
- innate: biologically predetermined
- emergent: influenced by experience
- nature AND nurture
14
Q
What is plasticity?
A
- new brain structures and functions build upon earlier developing ones
- the development of each new structure requires the interaction of genetic cues and input from the environment
15
Q
What are genes?
A
- two strands of DNA coiled together in double helix
