Phys Psych Brain Development and Plasticity

cell birth, cell migration, cell differentiation, cell maturation, synaptogenesis, cell death and synaptic pruning, myelogenesis

what are the seven stages of brain development?

creation of new neurons and glial cells (neurogenesis and gliogenesis), neuroblasts form neural tube and neural lining

what happens during cell birth?

neuroblast

precursor to neuron

neuroepithelium

neural tube and its lining

cells move to where they eventually turn into different brain structures, following a map to figure out which cortical region to go to

what happens during cell migration?

radial glial cells

create pathways for neurons to migrate along

cells become specialized to form specific brain functions

what happens during cell differentiation?

neural stem cells, neural progenitor cells, differentiation

what is the order of cell differentiation in the brain?

cells grow axons to initiate synapse formation and dendrites to provide surface area to synapse with other cells

what happens during cell maturation?

dendritic differentiation and the formation of cerebral circuits

axons can influence two things:

axons, 1000x faster

do axons or dendrites grow faster, and how much faster do they grow?

prenatally but continues long after birth with at first individual processes protruding from the cell body and elaborating and growing spines over the next two years

when does dendritic formation begin?

progenitor, postmitotic precursor, immature neuron, maturation, adult neuron

what is the order for axon growth?

neurons are able to start talking to each other, brain overproduces both neurons and connections during development

what happens during synaptogenesis?

1 quadrillion

how many synapses are there in a toddler's brain?

peaks at 1-2 years, slows around 3 years

what is the peak age of synapse formation and when does it slow down?

get rid of cells that aren't serving a good purpose, streamlining the process and setting in patterns

what happens during cell death and synaptic pruning?

use it or lose it principle

unused neurons and connections are pruned away

mass signals being sent, needless sharing of information and mixed signals, neuron might fire that doesn't need to fire

why is it a problem that toddlers have so many synapses?

myelin is formed onto neurons using glia

what happens during myelogenesis?

makes things go faster, normal adult function only after myelination is complete but central nervous system axons CAN function before myelination

what is the impact of myelin on central nervous system functioning?

experience expectant brain development

brains are wired/primed to perform functions like language, vision, etc

experience dependent brain development

brains change based on experience and environment

physical changing of the brain, functional connectivity where areas are more wired together, levels of hormones, and gene expression

what does the plasticity principle of brain changes being shown in many different levels of analysis say?

different measures of neuronal morphology change independently of each other and sometimes in opposite directions

what does the plasticity principle of neuronal morphology changing say?

spine density and dendritic length do not always change together or in the same direction, cells in cortical layers can show different responses to the same experiences

what is an example of measuring neuronal morphology?

only see changes if you're looking at the specific area of the brain that changes

what does the plasticity principle of experience dependent changes being focal say?

acutely produce large behavioral changes and affect neurons

what effect do psychoactive drugs have on the brain?

acute brain changes affect large areas, chronic changes are focal

what is the difference between acute and chronic brain changes?

prefrontal cortex becomes spongy, low density of area, lots of neuronal pruning/death

what is the effect of alcohol on the brain?

the brain has different levels of plasticity at different times of life, more plastic at younger ages than older ages because developing brains are more responsive to experience

what does the plasticity principle of plastic changes being time and age dependent say?

puberty

what is the exception to the plasticity principle of plastic changes being time dependent?

as environment influences the brain, those changes influence other changes

what does the plasticity principle of experience dependent changes interact say?

brain changes in a negative way, such as with addiction or schizophrenia

what does the plasticity principle of not all plasticity is good say?

increase in plasticity, bad because creates pattern and solidifies brain reacting to changes caused by depression faster than it would normally

what effect do SSRIs have on plasticity and why can that be bad?

sensory and motor experience, psychoactive drugs, gonadal hormones, parent-child relationships, peer relationships, stress, intestinal flora, diet

what eight factors influence brain development?

puppies raised alone demonstrate insensitivity to painful experiences and other behavioral abnormalities

what is a negative example of an animal study that demonstrates sensory and motor experience as having an impact on brain development?

rats placed in visual apparatus showed 25% enhancement in visual acuity by just existing in the enriched environment

what is a positive example of an animal study that demonstrates sensory and motor experience as having an impact on brain development?

juvenile rats given amphetamine showed changes in prefrontal cortex organization, reduced play initiation, and impaired working memory

what is an example of an animal study that demonstrates psychoactive drugs as having an impact on brain development?

AFAB rats showed larger cells in orbitofrontal cortex while AMAB rats showed larger dendritic fields in medial prefrontal cortex

what is an example of an animal study that demonstrates gonadal hormones as having an impact on brain development?

the more time a baby rat gets licked by the mother, the better response it has to stress later in life and the more likely it is to also lick its babies a lot

what is an example of an animal study that demonstrates parent-child relationships as having an impact on brain development?

baby rat injury to medial prefrontal cortex and orbitofrontal cortex compromises play behavior

what is an example of an animal study that demonstrates peer relationships as having an impact on brain development?

rats exposed to perinatal stress show elevated and prolonged stress response, impaired stress response, impaired learning and memory, deficits in attention, and increased preference for alcohol

what is an example of an animal study that demonstrates stress as having an impact on brain development?