Week 3- prenatal and infant brain development Flashcards
What does ‘morphogenesis’ refer to?
Genetically guided events modulated by the environment to develop brain structure.
What is plasticity in the brain?
The brain’s ability to adapt and evolve, particularly after birth.
What is the role of the cortex in the brain?
Essential for vision, audition, reasoning, memory, and planning.
How does nature vs. nurture affect cognitive function?
Cognitive function is influenced by both genetic predispositions and environmental factors.
What is the neural tube?
The early structure of the brain that evolves and differentiates into the brain’s regions.
What are the 5 stages of neural structure development?
Cell proliferation, migration, differentiation, programmed cell death, and synaptic rearrangement.
What happens during neural proliferation?
Massive cell production occurs from 2-4 months of gestation and continues after birth.
What is cell migration in brain development?
Immature neurons migrate to specific cortical layers, forming the brain’s structure.
What is cell differentiation?
Neural precursor cells specialize into neurons or glial cells.
What is synaptic rearrangement?
The competition and elimination of inefficient synapses, strengthening active connections.
What is apoptosis in brain development?
Programmed cell death removing neurons that fail to connect.
How is the visual system organized?
Input from the right and left eyes forms specific patterns in the visual cortex, influenced by experience.
What is the role of experience in synapse elimination?
Visual input fine-tunes synaptic connections, shaping the brain’s wiring.
What is a critical period?
A time window when the brain’s plasticity allows for significant developmental influence.
What happens if one eye is occluded during the critical period?
The occluded eye loses cortical space permanently, affecting visual dominance.
What is the relationship between plasticity and critical periods?
Plasticity allows changes, but critical periods limit when certain changes can occur.
How does the brain recover from early lesions in infancy?
Lesions in children under 5 can lead to functional reorganization, such as language shifting to the right hemisphere.
What is the MAOA gene associated with?
Regulation of impulse control and violent behavior, influenced by childhood mistreatment.
What influences brain development aside from genetics?
Environmental factors like sensory input, learning, and social experiences.
How does the infant brain develop vision?
Initially immature, infants see in 2D and gradually develop depth perception around 6 months.
How does face perception develop in infants?
Infants improve in face discrimination and response times with age.
When can fetuses perceive external sounds?
Around 30 weeks of gestation.
How do newborns recognize sounds?
They can discriminate their mother’s voice and familiar songs.
What is the role of language exposure in infants?
Helps infants extract words from continuous speech and develop language networks.
What is the relationship between brain maturation and experience?
Maturation provides the foundation, while experience refines and enhances brain functions.
How do preterm infants differ in brain function?
They have more exposure but less maturation compared to full-term infants.
How does the auditory system mature in infancy?
Responses in the primary auditory system are slow initially and improve over time.
What is plasticity in the adult brain?
The ability of the brain to reorganize, as seen in studies on musicians and taxi drivers.
What are the limits of brain plasticity?
Some structures, like ocular dominance columns, crystallize and cannot change after the critical period.
How do genes and environment interact in brain development?
Genes provide the blueprint, while the environment shapes and modifies the brain.
What functions are immature in the newborn brain?
Vision, audition, and language processing are less efficient compared to adults.
What are some key conclusions about infant brain development?
The infant brain is immature but highly plastic, with rapid functional development.
What is the role of synaptic elimination in brain efficiency?
It removes unnecessary connections, enhancing the brain’s functional efficiency.
What happens during postnatal brain development?
The brain network established in infancy becomes more stable, influencing lifelong behavior.
What is the connection between brain immaturity and learning?
Immaturity allows for flexibility and adaptation, enabling rapid skill acquisition.
How does early experience shape brain function?
It fine-tunes neural circuits, particularly in sensory and cognitive systems.
