Chapter 5 Part 1: Biological Aspects of Development During Infancy

Cephalocaudal Growth Pattern

changes occur in the head region of the body, both internally and externally in advance of those occurring toward the abdominal region

Proximodistal Growth Pattern

changes happen first in the center, innermost area of the body and then move outward to the ends of extremities

Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience

an emerging field helping us to understand the development of the structure and functions of the brain in a whole new way

Central Nervous System

the part of the nervous system comprising the brain and spinal cord

Neuron

the information-processing cell of the nervous system

Cell Body

contains the parts of the cell to keep it alive and functioning (such as the nucleus)

Dendrites

receive information from other neurons

Axon

takes information from the neuron away to be sent to other neurons

Myelinated

a layer of fat that can surround the axon

Neurotransmitters

chemical messengers that carry information to other neurons

Corpus Callosum

allows the two hemispheres of the brain to communicate with one another

Cerebral Cortex

the surface of the cerebrum

Frontal Lobe

the most anterior of the lobes (or in the front of the brain)

Prefrontal Cortex

the most rostral (or front) part of the frontal lobe

Parietal Lobe

the part of the brain that processes sensory information regarding touch, taste, and temperature within seconds

Temporal Lobe

the part of the brain that processes what we hear (i.e., auditory processing)

Occipital Lobe

the part of the brain that is responsible for processing visual information

Circadian Rhythm

a 24-hour cycle for many biological processes/functions, such as body temperature, hormone production, and sleep-wake cycle

Binocular Vision

appears by the time an infant is ready to begin actively exploring the environment by crawling and creeping; involves the processes of depth perception and stereopsis

Crawling

locomotion with the abdomen on a surface

Creeping

locomotion by moving the hands and knees with the abdomen off the surface

Cruising

walking using the assistance of objects or people

Hand Skills

the ability to explore and manipulate a wide variety of objects with the hands