Brain Plasticity

Infancy

Lifespan stage between birth and childhood approximately 0-2 years

Adolescence

lifespan between childhood and young adulthood 12-18 years

Brain plasticity

the ability of the brain to change its structure and relocate functions to different areas and neuronal networks

Developmental plasticity

during normal brain development when the immature brain first begins to process sensory information through to adulthood

Adaptive plasticity

an adaptive mechanism to compensate for lost function and to maximise remaining function

Synapse

 junction between two neurons the point at which a nervous impulse passes from one cell to another

Proliferation/cell production

 cells divide and multiply creating the neurons required to receive, process and transmit information.

Migration

Once formed, neurons move to their final location in the central nervous system. The location determines what their function will become.

Circuit formation

The axons of the new neurons move outward toward adjacent cells and circuits are completed

Synaptic pruning

the elimination of excess neurons and synapses. Occurs during adolescence

Myelination

Gradually myelin sheaths grows around the axons of neurons, insulating and making neural transmission more effective.

Brain development during adolescence

* Second time of rapid development of the brain is during adolescence
* A person may experience physiological and psychological changes
* Generally seeks more independence from family and caregivers
* Changes in hormone levels may lead to mood changes
* May experience mood volatility and increases in risky behaviour

structures and their development

* Cerebellum - increase in the number of neurons and synapses in the cerebellum. Explains why teenagers are more physically uncoordinated than older adults
* Amygdala - seat of emotions such as anger, and impulsive behaviour. Develops quickly and becomes more active, before the other regions that help to control it
* Corpus callosum - nerve fibres that connect the brain's two hemispheres. They thicken in adolescence to process information more effectively
* Frontal lobe - controls emotions and personality. Does not finish developing until at least adulthood

Adolescence and myelination

* Neuroimaging shows that myelination continues into early adulthood
* During adolescence there is a second burst in production of cortical grey matter. The last part of the brain to myelinate is the frontal lobes, and it is often not complete until 23 or later
* The more developed brains become, the more they are able to integrate information from multiple brain areas

Adolescence and synapse creation

* New experiences during adolescence leads to the formation of new synapses and complex networks created
* Brain's connectivity increases because there is an increase in the number of different brain areas activating together and connecting to perform tasks
* Adolescent is able to perform more cognitive tasks than they could during childhood, although not as advanced as adulthood

Selective specialisation

the process of pruning excess synapses to allow the remaining cognitive networks to become specialised and efficient in their function

Frontal lobe development

* Development of the axons and dendrites of frontal areas, particularly the prefrontal cortex is slower than thar of other areas of the brain
* Prefrontal cortex is responsible for a range of complex function such as attention, planning, organisation, reasoning, judgement, risk assessment, decision making, empathy and impulse control
* Because frontal lobes are not fully developed, adolescent does not have the ability to think in a complex, logical or abstract way of an adult. Unable to integrate information from a variety of brain areas --> explains why some adolescents show poor emotional and impulse control and engage in risk behaviour

Three core concepts of development

1. Brain architecture is established early in life and supports lifelong learning, behaviour and health
2. Stable caring relationships and reciprocal interaction shape brain development
3. toxic stress in the early years of life can derail healthy development

Enriched environment

A setting that provides various stimulating and positive experiences for a child. Includes opportunities for learning, social interaction and exposure to different stimuli

Deprived environments

Setting lacking in stimulation, social interaction and emotional support. Children in these environments often experience neglect, poverty, limited resources and restricted access to education

Benefits of an enriched environment

* enhanced cognitive development: promotes brain plasticity, leading to improved cognitive abilities, memory and problem solving skills
* emotional wellbeing: positive interactions and nurturing relationships contribute to emotional resilience and psychological wellbeing
* social skills development: exposure to different social situations encourages the development of effective communication, empathy and cooperation

Effect of a deprived environment

* Cognitive delay: children in deprived environments may experience intellectual deficits due to limited opportunities for learning and intellectual stimulation


* Language and communication difficulties: lack of language exposure and interactive communication can hinder language development
* Emotional and social challenges: deprivation can lead to emotional and behavioural issues, such as increased aggression, withdrawal and difficulties forming attachments

Feral/wild child

A child that is raised in isolation from other humans

Genie the “wild child”

Genie was born in 1957. When she was around 20 months old, her father began keeping her locked in a room. She was either strapped to a potty or tied up in a crib

* She remained immobilised and isolated with no stimulation of any kind and minimal nutrition until she was found at the age of 13

Effect of Genie’s early deprivation on her development and socialisation

* Her language development was severely impacted due to her isolation, resulting in limited vocabulary and grammatical abilities
* Cognitive delays: intellectual development was significantly delayed, and she struggled with basic cognitive skills
* Emotional and social difficulties: exhibited severe emotional and social challenges, including difficulty forming attachments and interacting with others

Strengths of case studies (specifically Genie’s)

* Provide detailed qualitative information
* Provide insight for further research
* Permit investigation into impractical or unethical situations

Limitations of case studies (specifically Genie’s)

* Lack scientific rigour and provide little basis for generalisation to the wider population
* Researcher bias
* Difficult to replicate
* Time consuming