Topic 2 Pre-adult Brain Development

Question 1

Synaptic pruning

Answer 1

Synaptic pruning
Synaptogenesis : new synapses form between neurons. (axon & dendrities grow towards each other)
Exuberant synaptogenesis (before birth, post nasally)
- Overproduction : plan to produce many more than necessary
- ‘fine tune” brain structure and functioning —— use it or lose it. (Strengthen / die)
Synaptic pruing: specialise of certain function
Myelided: conduct electrical impulse more efficiently

Question 2

Mauro-Martin et al - Omega 3

Answer 2

Sample - 60 children(ADHA) (Spain)
Condition (8 week).
1: Mediterranean Diet
2: Omga 3 supplement
3: 1 + 2
4 : Control grap.
Procedure
- BIS : how Inpulsive they feel after and before diet
- KIDMED : to see if they really eut tadtendat
Result
No chage in control group
No significant change in 1
Significantly low score in impulsitivity 2 3

Question 3

DeBellis - impact of stress on children’s brains

Answer 3

• neurotransmitter and hormone released during stressful experiences may damage the prefontal control system
  ~ prevent reaching full maturity
  ~ reduce moderating influence on ventral striatum in adolescence
  increase risky behaviour
• MRI son, 44 children / adolescent with PTSD
  “malé’ smaller corpus callosum & totul brain volume than female with PTSD
• adverse effect regardless if gender.
• intracranial volume less by 7%
• earlier onset of abuse & longer duration of abuse colerrate with small intracranial volumn

Question 4

Gradual driving license

Answer 4

• Gradually give more freedom
• Remove restriction in stages
• New Zealand reduce 23% (15 to 19)
• Us reduce 37% (16)

Question 5

Barkley levels on and galvan - new role representation of expected value in adolescence brain

Answer 5

Barkley-Levenson et al wanted to find out whether there were any differences in the neural
activity of adolescents and adults when they were given a gambling scenario.
In their study,
19 adults and 22 adolescents from California
were given a mock fMRI to familiarise them
the scanning process and $20 ‘playing money’ which they would use in the next session. They
had been told they could gain another $20 or lose it all. One week later, they were given an
fMRI scan whilst completing a computerised gambling task. They had to indicate on a 1-4
scale (accept to reject) whether they would take the risk of the spinner landing on either of
the two options presented. Of the 192 trials completed, 24 trials had both options as a win,
24 trials had both options as a loss, and the other 144 trials were mixed gambles in which
one option was to gain money whilst the other was to lose money.
It was found that the
adolescents and adults didn’t differ in their acceptance or rejection of gambles when there
was no real risk; however, adolescents were more likely to accept a gamble when the
expected value of it was high.
This could be explained by the fact that the ventral striatum,
which is involved with emotional responses such as experiencing pleasure, was
more active
the adolescents compared to the adults’ brains when completing the gambling task
(i.e. they
are more sensitive to the potential of winning in the gambling task, and more inclined
towards risk-taking behaviours on the task).

Question 6

Barkley levels on and galvan - new role representation of expected value in adolescence brain

Answer 6

Barkley-Levenson et al wanted to find out whether there were any differences in the neural
activity of adolescents and adults when they were given a gambling scenario.
In their study,
19 adults and 22 adolescents from California
were given a mock fMRI to familiarise them
the scanning process and $20 ‘playing money’ which they would use in the next session. They
had been told they could gain another $20 or lose it all. One week later, they were given an
fMRI scan whilst completing a computerised gambling task. They had to indicate on a 1-4
scale (accept to reject) whether they would take the risk of the spinner landing on either of
the two options presented. Of the 192 trials completed, 24 trials had both options as a win,
24 trials had both options as a loss, and the other 144 trials were mixed gambles in which
one option was to gain money whilst the other was to lose money.
It was found that the
adolescents and adults didn’t differ in their acceptance or rejection of gambles when there
was no real risk; however, adolescents were more likely to accept a gamble when the
expected value of it was high.
This could be explained by the fact that the ventral striatum,
which is involved with emotional responses such as experiencing pleasure, was
more active
the adolescents compared to the adults’ brains when completing the gambling task
(i.e. they
are more sensitive to the potential of winning in the gambling task, and more inclined
towards risk-taking behaviours on the task).