The Developing Brain

1
The Developing Brain

• Significant changes occur all through development
  but especially during the first 2 years
• Development tends to be from back to from and
  from lower to upper

2
CNS How do we study?

• Positron Emission Tomography (glucose)
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
• Electroencephalography (EEG)
• Event Related Potentials (ERP) EEGs related to
  a specific event (visual or auditory) and
  analyzed with a computer

3
Brain Development The Brainstem
4
The Limbic System
5
The Cerebral Cortex
6
What Develops Major areas of the brain

• Neuronal Growth and Myelinization

7
Brain Maturation

• Beginning around 2 months there is a significant
  increase in dendritic branching
• This increase continues all through development
  in different parts of the brain

8
CNS Development

• There is an overproduction of dendrites and axons
  which results in in subsequent elimination or
  pruning

9
Human Brain at Birth
14 Years Old
6 Years Old
9
10
CNS Development

• There is an overproduction of dendrites and axons
  which results in in subsequent elimination or
  pruning
• Why is there an excess?
• What connections get pruned or eliminated?

11
(No Transcript)
12
(No Transcript)
13
CNS Development

• In order for pruning to occur, child only has to
  be in a relatively normal environment
• Small differences among normal environments will
  not affect pruning
• For example, parents reading books
• These more subtle environmental differences
  affect the chemistry of the brain not its basic
  structure

14
Brain Maturation