Perry's Neurodevelopment Key Reading - Week 2

Neurogenesis

The birth of new neurons, occurring mostly prenatally and vulnerable to maternal substance use.

Migration

The movement of newly born neurons to their eventual destinations in the brainstem or cortex.

Differentiation

Neurons maturing into specialized cell types capable of producing specific neurotransmitters.

Apoptosis

Programmed cell death of under-stimulated neurons, illustrating the use-it-or-lose-it principle.

Arborization

The extension of dendrites whose density corresponds to the frequency and intensity of received signals.

Synaptogenesis

The experience-sensitive formation of synapses as axons grow and connect with target neurons.

Synaptic Sculpting

The strengthening or weakening of synapses based on activation consistency; the basis of learning and memory.

Myelination

Neural process linked in source text to the strengthening and weakening of active or inactive connections.

Nature and Nurture

Neurodevelopmental interaction between genetic potential and the timing, nature, and pattern of experience.

Sequential Development

Hierarchical, bottom-up brain organization proceeding from simplest structures (brainstem) to complex (cortex).

Activity-Dependent Development

Use-dependent brain organization where actively stimulated neural systems grow stronger and un-stimulated ones fail.

Sensitive and Critical Periods

Specific time windows when a neural system is maximally responsive to or dependent on specific experiences.