Week 3- prenatal and infant brain development

Question 1

What does ‘morphogenesis’ refer to?

Answer 1

Genetically guided events modulated by the environment to develop brain structure.

Question 2

What is plasticity in the brain?

Answer 2

The brain’s ability to adapt and evolve, particularly after birth.

Question 3

What is the role of the cortex in the brain?

Answer 3

Essential for vision, audition, reasoning, memory, and planning.

Question 4

How does nature vs. nurture affect cognitive function?

Answer 4

Cognitive function is influenced by both genetic predispositions and environmental factors.

Question 5

What is the neural tube?

Answer 5

The early structure of the brain that evolves and differentiates into the brain’s regions.

Question 6

What are the 5 stages of neural structure development?

Answer 6

Cell proliferation, migration, differentiation, programmed cell death, and synaptic rearrangement.

Question 7

What happens during neural proliferation?

Answer 7

Massive cell production occurs from 2-4 months of gestation and continues after birth.

Question 8

What is cell migration in brain development?

Answer 8

Immature neurons migrate to specific cortical layers, forming the brain’s structure.

Question 9

What is cell differentiation?

Answer 9

Neural precursor cells specialize into neurons or glial cells.

Question 10

What is synaptic rearrangement?

Answer 10

The competition and elimination of inefficient synapses, strengthening active connections.

Question 11

What is apoptosis in brain development?

Answer 11

Programmed cell death removing neurons that fail to connect.

Question 12

How is the visual system organized?

Answer 12

Input from the right and left eyes forms specific patterns in the visual cortex, influenced by experience.

Question 13

What is the role of experience in synapse elimination?

Answer 13

Visual input fine-tunes synaptic connections, shaping the brain’s wiring.

Question 14

What is a critical period?

Answer 14

A time window when the brain’s plasticity allows for significant developmental influence.

Question 15

What happens if one eye is occluded during the critical period?

Answer 15

The occluded eye loses cortical space permanently, affecting visual dominance.

Question 16

What is the relationship between plasticity and critical periods?

Answer 16

Plasticity allows changes, but critical periods limit when certain changes can occur.

Question 17

How does the brain recover from early lesions in infancy?

Answer 17

Lesions in children under 5 can lead to functional reorganization, such as language shifting to the right hemisphere.

Question 18

What is the MAOA gene associated with?

Answer 18

Regulation of impulse control and violent behavior, influenced by childhood mistreatment.

Question 19

What influences brain development aside from genetics?

Answer 19

Environmental factors like sensory input, learning, and social experiences.

Question 20

How does the infant brain develop vision?

Answer 20

Initially immature, infants see in 2D and gradually develop depth perception around 6 months.

Question 21

How does face perception develop in infants?

Answer 21

Infants improve in face discrimination and response times with age.

Question 22

When can fetuses perceive external sounds?

Answer 22

Around 30 weeks of gestation.

Question 23

How do newborns recognize sounds?

Answer 23

They can discriminate their mother’s voice and familiar songs.

Question 24

What is the role of language exposure in infants?

Answer 24

Helps infants extract words from continuous speech and develop language networks.

Question 25

What is the relationship between brain maturation and experience?

Answer 25

Maturation provides the foundation, while experience refines and enhances brain functions.

Question 26

How do preterm infants differ in brain function?

Answer 26

They have more exposure but less maturation compared to full-term infants.

Question 27

How does the auditory system mature in infancy?

Answer 27

Responses in the primary auditory system are slow initially and improve over time.

Question 28

What is plasticity in the adult brain?

Answer 28

The ability of the brain to reorganize, as seen in studies on musicians and taxi drivers.

Question 29

What are the limits of brain plasticity?

Answer 29

Some structures, like ocular dominance columns, crystallize and cannot change after the critical period.

Question 30

How do genes and environment interact in brain development?

Answer 30

Genes provide the blueprint, while the environment shapes and modifies the brain.

Question 31

What functions are immature in the newborn brain?

Answer 31

Vision, audition, and language processing are less efficient compared to adults.

Question 32

What are some key conclusions about infant brain development?

Answer 32

The infant brain is immature but highly plastic, with rapid functional development.

Question 33

What is the role of synaptic elimination in brain efficiency?

Answer 33

It removes unnecessary connections, enhancing the brain’s functional efficiency.

Question 34

What happens during postnatal brain development?

Answer 34

The brain network established in infancy becomes more stable, influencing lifelong behavior.

Question 35

What is the connection between brain immaturity and learning?

Answer 35

Immaturity allows for flexibility and adaptation, enabling rapid skill acquisition.

Question 36

How does early experience shape brain function?

Answer 36

It fine-tunes neural circuits, particularly in sensory and cognitive systems.