Questions and Answers
What is the primary reason it is difficult to study the impact of type of rearing environment on the brain development and cognitive skills of human children?
The difficulty of isolating environmental variables in human studies
What is the main conclusion that can be drawn from the Bucharest Early Intervention study?
That sensitive periods are critical for intervention to be effective
What is the term for the period of heightened sensitivity to environmental stimuli in brain development?
Sensitive period
What is the primary region of the brain where neurogenesis occurs in adult humans?
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What is the term for the reorganization of brain function following sensory loss or brain damage?
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What is the primary factor that affects a person's ability to recover function following brain injury?
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What is the typical change in cognition that occurs with normal aging?
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What is the phrase that relates to the changes in the brain seen in the aging process?
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What is the primary reason aerobic exercise has been found to slow the effects of aging in the brain?
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What is the evidence that remaining intellectually active slows the effects of aging in the brain?
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What is the primary function of glial cells during the process of cell proliferation and migration?
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What is the characteristic shape of the synaptogenesis curve in the various regions of the cortex?
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What is the proposed functional value of the inverted U-shaped synaptogenesis curve?
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What is the outcome of the myelination process in the brain?
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Why is it challenging to make cause-effect conclusions between specific changes in the brain and the acquisition of specific cognitive processes during infancy and childhood?
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What is the primary distinction between adolescence and both childhood and adulthood according to the dual-systems model?
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During which stage of brain development does the process of synaptogenesis primarily occur?
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What is the role of neurogenesis in early brain development?
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What is the characteristic of the timing of synaptogenesis in the brain?
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What is the example given in the textbook regarding the link between brain changes and cognitive processes?
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What is the primary difference between animals raised in impoverished versus enriched environments?
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Why is it challenging to study the impact of type of rearing environment on the brain development and cognitive skills of human children?
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What is the primary conclusion of the Bucharest Early Intervention study?
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What is a 'sensitive period' in brain development?
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What is 'cross-modal plasticity'?
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What are the detrimental physiological consequences that occur immediately at the site of a brain lesion?
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What is the primary factor that affects a person's ability to recover function following brain injury?
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What is the typical change in cognition that occurs with normal aging?
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What is the primary explanation for the global pattern of activation across the brain seen in the aging process?
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What is the primary reason aerobic exercise has been found to slow the effects of aging in the brain?
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What is the primary function of glial cells during the process of cell migration?
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What is the characteristic of the timing of synaptogenesis in the primary sensory and motor regions of the brain?
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What is the primary difference between adolescence and both childhood and adulthood according to the dual-systems model?
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What is the outcome of the myelination process in the brain, particularly in the association regions?
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What is the primary reason why the brain produces the inverted U-shaped function seen in synaptogenesis?
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What is the primary factor that affects the link between brain changes and cognitive processes during infancy and childhood?
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What is the primary distinction between neurogenesis and cell proliferation?
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What is the primary function of the dual-systems model in explaining adolescent brain development?
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What is the primary challenge in studying the impact of type of rearing environment on brain development and cognitive skills in human children?
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What is the primary characteristic of brain development during adolescence?
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Study Notes
Environment and Brain Development
- Rats raised in impoverished environments have impaired brain development and cognitive skills compared to those raised in enriched environments.
- Studies have shown that rats in enriched environments have:
- Increased neural connections and synaptic plasticity
- Enhanced cognitive abilities, such as learning and memory
- Improved emotional regulation and stress response
Studying Brain Development in Human Children
- It is difficult to study the impact of rearing environment on brain development and cognitive skills in human children due to:
- Ethical limitations on experimental design
- Complexity of human environmental factors
- Difficulty in controlling for genetic and socioeconomic influences
The Bucharest Early Intervention Study
- The study involved:
- Randomly assigning institutionalized children to either a foster care or continued institutional care group
- Measuring brain development and cognitive skills at ages 30, 42, and 54 months
- Findings:
- Children in foster care showed improved cognitive skills and brain development compared to those in institutional care
- The earlier the intervention, the better the outcomes
Sensitive Periods
- A sensitive period is a time frame during which the brain is most receptive to specific sensory experiences and learning.
- Examples of sensitive periods include:
- Language acquisition in infancy and early childhood
- Visual development in the first few months of life
- Social attachment in infancy and early childhood
Brain Plasticity
- Adult human brains are capable of reorganizing and adapting in response to new experiences and learning.
- Examples of brain plasticity include:
- Increased thickness of the MT cortex in jugglers
- Reorganization of brain areas following limb loss or amputation
Cross-Modal Plasticity
- Cross-modal plasticity refers to the reorganization of brain areas in response to changes in sensory input.
- Examples include:
- Blind individuals showing increased activity in visual areas of the brain when listening to sounds
- Deaf individuals showing increased activity in auditory areas of the brain when watching lip movements
Brain Lesions and Recovery
- Detrimental physiological consequences of brain lesions include:
- Cell death and inflammation
- Disruption of neural circuits
- Factors that aid recovery include:
- Neuroplasticity and reorganization of brain areas
- Compensatory mechanisms, such as increased activity in unaffected areas
- Long-term changes in neural connections and synaptic strength
Factors Affecting Recovery
- Factors that affect a person's ability to recover function following brain injury include:
- Age and overall health
- Severity and location of the lesion
- Type and intensity of rehabilitation
- Genetic and socioeconomic factors
Aging and Cognition
- Typical changes in cognition with normal aging include:
- Declines in processing speed, memory, and executive function
- Changes in brain structure and function, including reduced neural connectivity and synaptic plasticity
The "Last In, First Out" Principle
- The "last in, first out" principle refers to the observation that:
- Newer, more recently developed brain areas are more affected by aging
- Older, more established brain areas are less affected by aging
Exercise and Brain Aging
- Aerobic exercise has been found to slow the effects of aging on the brain by:
- Increasing blood flow and oxygenation to the brain
- Promoting neuroplasticity and synaptic growth
- Reducing inflammation and oxidative stress
Intellectual Activity and Brain Aging
- Remaining intellectually active has been found to slow the effects of aging on the brain by:
- Building cognitive reserve and promoting neural compensation
- Reducing cognitive decline and dementia risk
- Increasing neural activity and connectivity in older adults
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