7/15/2015Dr. Carolyn R. Fallahi1 The Brain & Plasticity Growth & Development Carolyn R. Fallahi, Ph. D.

7/15/2015Dr. Carolyn R. Fallahi2 Growth & Development  Physical Growth: rapid growth through first year.  The pace of weight gain slows during the second year, it still continues to increase.

7/15/2015Dr. Carolyn R. Fallahi3 Disproportionate growth  cephalocaudal principle: “head to tail”  Proximodistal principle: “near to far”  Principle of Hierarchical Integration: simple skills typically develop separately and independently. Later they are integrated into more complex skills.  Principle of the independence of systems: The body systems grow at different rates.

7/15/2015Dr. Carolyn R. Fallahi4 Facts about the Brain:  At birth, the brain has all the brain cells or neurons that it will ever have.  Brain neurons do not regenerate.  The environment modifies brain structure.  Neural plasticity – ability to change its structure and function in response to external experiences.

7/15/2015Dr. Carolyn R. Fallahi5 Brain Research  At birth, humans do not yet possess a fully operational brain.  Environment affects how genes work; genes determine how the environment is interpreted.  Dr. Marion Diamond at the U. of California- Berkley, 1960s.

7/15/2015Dr. Carolyn R. Fallahi6 More Facts about Brain  The brain develops in an integrated fashion over time.  Learning is gradual. For ex…a baby doesn’t learn how to talk in one week.  The brain is curious and seeks connections between the new and the known.

7/15/2015Dr. Carolyn R. Fallahi7 More Facts about Brain  IQ is not fixed at birth.  Intervention programs can prevent children from having low IQs.  Some abilities are acquired more easily during certain sensitive periods.  PET scans – Positron Emission Tomography.

7/15/2015Dr. Carolyn R. Fallahi8 Applications of Brain Research  Premature Infants  For example…. Maternal smoking  Alcohol use  Infant malnutrition  Lead poisoning  Policies  We spend 7x more on care for elderly than on children from birth to 5 years old.

7/15/2015Dr. Carolyn R. Fallahi9 Brain Research  The role of nutrition of brain function.  How brain chemicals affect mood, personality, and behavior.  The connection between mind/brain and the body.

7/15/2015Dr. Carolyn R. Fallahi10 The developing brain B – 3 Years At Birth:  100 billion neurons  1 trillion glial cells – honeycomb that protects & nourishes the neurons  Lay out circuits in place.  Sensory experiences change brain structure.  Deprivation of stimulating environment leads to decreased brain development.  Malleable brain, e.g. stroke, epilepsy

7/15/2015Dr. Carolyn R. Fallahi11 Genes and the Brain  100,000 genes in human DNA  Some 50,000 genes appear to be dedicated to constructing and maintaining the nervous system.  Experience kicks in.  The connections lends the growing brain exceptional flexibility & resilience.

7/15/2015Dr. Carolyn R. Fallahi12 Brandi Binder

7/15/2015Dr. Carolyn R. Fallahi13 Neural circuitry & stress  Children who are physically abused – brains tuned to danger.  Emotional deprivation – marked reduced activity in the left frontal lobe.  Physical, emotional abuse / neglect – child’s brain is forgiving – for a time.

7/15/2015Dr. Carolyn R. Fallahi14 Emotional deprivation early in life  Brain wave patterns of brain activity displayed by children who were born to mothers diagnosed as suffering from depression.  As infants, these children showed markedly reduced activity in the left frontal lobe – an area of the brain that serves as a center for joy and lighthearted emotions.

7/15/2015Dr. Carolyn R. Fallahi15 Eye  Children born with a cataract will become permanently blind in that eye if the clouded lens is not promptly removed. Why? The brain’s visual centers require sensory stimulus to maintain their tentative connections.  Critical period for the eye is 3 years old.  Same holds true for hearing.

7/15/2015Dr. Carolyn R. Fallahi16 Language  Many linguists believe that language skills unfold according to a strict, biologically defined timetable.  The case of Genie.

7/15/2015Dr. Carolyn R. Fallahi17 Plasticity  Brains greatest growth spurt decreases at about 10 years old.  By 18, the brain declines in plasticity but increases in power.  Potential for greatness is encoded in the genes; but whether potential is realized involves how patterns are etched by experience in critical years.

7/15/2015Dr. Carolyn R. Fallahi18 Politics of Biology  Addictive disorders, sexual orientation, criminality? Due to nature/nurture.  Research: finding a new gene for lots of things. E.G., shyness, tendency to divorce, lack of happiness, etc.  Implications for belief in genes: decreases sense of responsibility for ailments. E.G., alcoholism – victim or have control?

7/15/2015Dr. Carolyn R. Fallahi19 Politics of Biology  Research for years…to identify genetic roots for aggression, violence, criminality.  1965 study found imprisoned criminals were more likely than other people to have extra Y chromosome.  Research did not turn out to be accurate. XYY men were less intelligent but not aggressive.

7/15/2015Dr. Carolyn R. Fallahi20 Genetics & Psychiatric Disorders  Schizophrenia – past view…resulting from mothers who were apathetic toward their children. New view: genetics.  Takes guilt away.  Managed care issues – if due to biology – will only pay for drug therapy.  Homosexuality studies. LeVay (1991).