cog and neuro changes in adolescence

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Questions and Answers

At what age does total cerebral volume peak for females?

10 years (correct)

12 years

8 years

14 years

Which cognitive skills do girls typically excel in during early development compared to boys?

Language and Verbal Skills (correct)

Visual-Spatial Skills

Logical Reasoning

Mathematical Abilities

What mainly contributes to differences in brain development between genders?

Socialization and practice of skills (correct)

Genetic predispositions

Physical exercise levels

Biological imperatives

What is the primary function of white matter in the brain?

Facilitates communication between neurons Signup and view all the answers

What is a key point regarding the significance of brain size in relation to cognitive abilities?

Size differences within genders are less significant than variances within each gender Signup and view all the answers

What does DTI primarily examine in the brain?

Diffusion of water at the cellular and microstructural level Signup and view all the answers

What is indicated by high anisotropy in white matter?

Directionality of coherently bundled myelinated axons Signup and view all the answers

Which cognitive skill is associated with an increase in white matter during adolescence?

Memory and language Signup and view all the answers

According to Piaget, what is the goal of the formal operations stage?

Understanding abstract concepts and relationships Signup and view all the answers

What type of data is primarily available regarding structural and behavioral changes during adolescence?

Cross-sectional studies in humans Signup and view all the answers

What does an increase in cognitive resources during adolescence suggest about brain development?

Improved processing capabilities Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic is typical of the concrete operational stage according to Piaget?

More logical manipulation of symbols Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a consequence of neural pruning during adolescence?

Enhanced efficiency of neuronal processing Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the myelin sheath surrounding axons?

To insulate and facilitate impulse transmission Signup and view all the answers

What role does white matter play in cognitive functioning?

Enhances signal transmission efficiency Signup and view all the answers

During which developmental stage is there a marked increase in white matter?

Adolescence Signup and view all the answers

What imaging technique is used to examine the microstructures of white matter?

Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) Signup and view all the answers

What connection does the corpus callosum facilitate?

Connecting left and right brain hemispheres Signup and view all the answers

How does white matter formation relate to learning?

It supports the formation of new neural connections. Signup and view all the answers

What cognitive abilities may improve due to the development of white matter throughout development?

Memory and attention Signup and view all the answers

What is a common misconception about white matter and its development?

White matter only develops in early childhood. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Adolescence: Neuro/cognitive Changes

Adolescence is a period of significant neurocognitive change.
Working memory (WM) demonstrates developmental trends in primary school years; it's trainable.
Reading difficulties are associated with sound categorization.
Comprehension is linked to developmental changes in memory automation, organization, retrieval strategies, and selective attention.
Comprehension skills also depend on metacognition and understanding the structure of text, alongside the ability to monitor comprehension.
Cognitive development during adolescence is complex, involving various factors (e.g., brain structure, self-identity).

Theories of Adolescent Change

Adolescent risk-taking, moral decision-making, and interpersonal relationships are facets of adolescent change.

Adolescent Age

Adolescence is not precisely defined in terms of age.
Puberty's onset and the age of becoming an adult differ depending on several individual factors.

Adolescent Characteristics

Biological changes (including puberty).
Specific performance changes in cognitive abilities.
Changes in familial relationships.
Preparation for adulthood.

Neurological & Cognitive Development

Questions about observed behavioral changes in relation to brain activity during adolescence.
The need to understand how brain activity changes, involving both where in the brain these changes take place and how these changes occur.
Can observed behavioral changes be attributed to the structural changes in the brain?

Brain Size and Age

Total cerebral volume peaks just before adolescence (~ 10 yrs) in females and during adolescence (~ 14 yrs) in males (MRI data (Giedd et al. 2011)).

Gender Differences

Male brains often larger on average than female brains.
Even after adjusting for differences in body size.
Differences in some neuronal connectivities and receptor density.
Girls demonstrate language and verbal skills and boys demonstrate visuospatial skills, but these vary depending on the activities that the individual is exposed to on a regular basis.
Differences between genders show variation and improvement through activities.

White Matter and Learning

Axons allow neurons to communicate with each other. They are covered in white fatty myelin sheaths to help with the propagation of nerve impulses between cells.
White matter increases during adolescence, correlating with improved cognitive functioning.
Increased white matter is related to improved functioning in memory and language.
White matter relates to faster communication between brain regions.

Corpus Callosum

Part of the brain's white matter, connecting the two hemispheres.
It also shows marked development across childhood and adolescence, potentially supporting cognitive improvement over this time span.

Measuring White Matter

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and DTI (diffusion tensor imaging) are used to assess structural changes in the brain.
DTI measures water diffusion to assess fiber tracts.

Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development

Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Concrete operational, Formal operational.

Piaget on Adolescence

Hypothetical thinking, ability to imagine possible scenarios.
Thinking transcends immediate reality and explores possibilities beyond current circumstances.
This cognitive ability is not exclusively associated with or unique to adolescence.

Imaginary Play and Hypothetical Thinking

Imaginary play in children may reflect hypothetical thinking.
Adolescents demonstrate more complex hypothetical thinking involving imagining multiple scenarios and judging the consequences of different possibilities.

Implications of Adolescent Hypothetical Thinking

Develop sophisticated sense of self-identity, understanding themselves and their relations to the world
Understand possible scenarios as a coping strategy and an anticipatory means for problem solving.

Evidence for Developmental Differences in Hypothetical Thinking

Research (e.g., study from Guttentag and Ferrell (2008)) has explored potential developmental differences in hypothetical thinking or the ability to anticipate future events.
Adolescents are more able to consider hypothetical scenarios and the potential consequences, distinguishing themselves from younger children and adults with less prospective thought.

Adolescent Hypothetical Thinking Usefulness

Self-identity development and its relation to understanding potential future possibilities (e.g., careers or relationships).
Critical thinking, problem-solving, planning, decision-making are all better and more adaptive as adolescents use hypothetical thinking.

Learning Outcomes Summary for Week 1

Students will understand the nature of white matter and its role in learning.
Students will understand the extent of white matter development during adolescence, which relates to the change in cognitive skills.
Students will understand various aspects of how white matter develops over childhood and adolescence.
Students will understand the extent to which brain development explains the cognitive changes of adolescents

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