Communication in the Brain

Electrical impulses in the axons cause

________the release of chemicals called neurotransmitters.

Plasticity

________: the ability of the infant brain to change in form and function.

Neurotransmitters

________: chemicals that carry information from the axon of the sending neuron to the dendrites of the receiving neuron.

When babies are born, the myelin sheath

________ does not yet cover all the neurons in the nervous system.

Each neuron typically has

a single axon and numerous dendrites which are spread out like branches of a tree.

The infant brain grows and develops through

________the continual interaction of biological forces and environmental influences.

There are imaging techniques that can trace the

developmental pattern of myelination in the human brain as it proceeds from the lower centers at the base of the brain through the higher centers of the cerebral cortex.

Positive experiences can

spur brain development and even make up for past deprivation.

the lack of enriching experiences and exposures to hazards may

inhibit the normal process of brain development and growth

Myelination

the process of encasing axons with fat cells, continues into adolescence and emerging adulthood.

Early experiences can have

lasting effects on the capacity of the brain.

Blooming

strengthening synaptic connections

Pruning

diminishing synaptic connections

Nearly twice as many connections are

made as will ever be used

Communication within the central nervous system (CNS) begins with

nerve cells called **neurons**.

The central nervous system consists of

the brain and spinal cord

Scientists estimate that the average human brain has

86 million neurons

Neurons transmit and receive

information

Neurons connect to one another via

networks of nerve fibers called axons and dendrites.

Information passes from neuron to neuron via

chemical interactions in the gap known as a **synapse**.