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Brain development short note
Brain development short note
Brain development short note
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Synaptic Pruning Synaptic pruning, or synaptic elimination, is an essential aspect of the development of the brain; when the brain destroys itself, removing unwanted synapses, neurons or neuronal configurations to increase efficiency of connections. The process and timing of pruning is thought to be significantly changed by the experiences, genes, and even the thoughts of the developing mind. There are a variety of theories as to the true nature of pruning. During early childhood, there is a huge proliferation of connections between neurons, usually peaking around the age of two. The adolescent brain then cuts down the amount of connections, deciding which ones are important to keep and which can be let go. While there are various theories as to the molecular mechanisms by which pruning actually occurs, most agree that pruning is primarily carried out by a very motile form of glial cell, called microglia [1], and pre-programmed cell death (apoptosis). These microglia are thought to remove cellular debris and perform surveillance during the healing process of an injured brain, but in the healthy, developing brain they have a possibly more important function. If a synapse receives little activity, it is weakened and eventually deleted by microglia and other glial cells through a process called long-term depotentiation (LTD). After the synapse has been removed, the space and resources that it once used are taken by other synapses. These synapses are strengthened by long-term potentiation (LTP). These processes and various others take place throughout development, peaking at adolescence and reaching their base around the age of 21, and transform the brain to create more complex and efficient neuronal configurations. Various f... ... middle of paper ... ...culture and society in which the child is raised. This would mean that after pruning, an adult in one society no longer has the same neuronal connections as an adult in a different society - those connections have been trimmed out. Is this an underlying cause of culture shock and/or genocide? Is the developing mind more open to change and new connections then the “narrow,” developed mind? Until the scientific community has a greater understanding of synaptic pruning, these questions will remain unanswered. Synaptic pruning is still a very vague process, barely understood by scientists, and the relatively minimal amount of research already conducted has shown that it is far more complicated than previously thought. It is a critical part of neurobiological development that has tremendous consequences on the fully developed adult.
As every child grows up in a different environment, not all have a safe one to grow up in and as a result everything that surrounds them becomes apart of the clarity that their mind incorporates and becomes apart of that child 's behavior of way. In terms of brain development children or teens often listen, and see what is around them, it is also said, by researchers of the National Institute of Health, that in recent studies that were made that in teen years massive loss of brain tissue...
In elementary biology, we are all taught that cells in our body go through systems that replaces old, worn out cells with new cells. Most cell types go through programmed cell death, or PCD, but there was always an exception in the neuron; very early in mammalian development, neurons stop growing (4). PCD would be disastrous, as the depleted neurons would never be replaced. Since we need all our neurons and their connections to function, how do individuals with damage to both these neurons and connections survive, much less functioning within any definition of normality? After all, remove a few chips from a computer's motherboard and you won't have functioning computer. Yet there are children living their lives with only half their brains intact
Nerve cell death and tissue throughout the brain is the most significant affect over time. Naturally by age twenty-five the brain starts to decrease in size. With Alzheimer’s, the amount decrease is extremely significant. The cortex begins to shrivel up which is the part of the brain required for planning, remembering, and thinking. The most noticeable shrinkage occurs in the hippocampus. The hippocampus is responsible for the formation of new memories, it is also located inside the cortex. Upon further inspection under microscope, tissue samples are observed and synapses and nerve cell count is severely decreased. Tangles, are also found which our twisted strands of another protein due to nerve cells dying and bunching together. Plaques and tangles are prime suspects in the death and tissue loss in the Alzheimer’s brain. Beta-amyloid is a chemical and is sticky which causes it to gradually build up into plaques. This chemical derives from a larger protein found in the nerve cells with fatty membranes. These tangles destroy a vital cell transport system made of proteins.
Kandel, E. R., J. H. Schwarz, and T. M. Jessel. Principles of Neural Science. 3rd ed. Elsevier. New York: 1991.
Joe Dispenza suggests, in his book ‘Evolve the Brain’, that if we choose to solely rely on our genetics, we are struck with our traits: the good, bad, or indifferent. However, if we choose to alter our neuroplasticity and experiences, we can thereby alter our genetics as well. It is possible to make new synaptic connections in the brain by two methods: learning new things and having new experiences. A new suggested theory is that the brain can be altered by attuning to our conscious mind and refining it.
The cell having lost all its dendrites and nucleus soon disintegrates. entirely, vanishing into the body's waste disposal system. With the depletion of enough nerve material the brain actually shrinks, sometimes by as much as ten. percent5. The number of percent.
Located in the nervous System region, the formation of Synapses begins in the Synaptogenesis stage. As Cohen-Cory (2002) noted that during the Synaptogenesis stage, Synapses are established, matured, and stabilized (p. 770). The beginning stages of the development, maturity, and stabilization of Synapses occurs in the Central nervous system (CNS). In the following manner, Synapses are established and matured in the CNS, Synapses stabilizes it neurons by trading off between the axons and dendrites. Aside from the Synaptogenesis stage of the formation, maturity, and the stabilization of synapses, these type of neuronal structures face the process of elimination. Predominantly, the elimination of synapses according to Cohen-Cory (2002) is, "... A process that requires intimate communication between pre-and-postsynaptic partners" (p. 770). To conclude on the elimination of the excess synapses in the CNS, primarily occurs during the chemical synapse of the Neuromuscular
Neuroscience refers to “the scientific study of the nervous system” It has been responsible for breakthroughs involving molecular, cellular, developmental, and medical aspects of human behaviors. Various organizations such as the “International society for neurochemistry” and the “European Brain and behavior Society” exist today to further the study of the nervous system and expand human understanding of medical and psychological ailments. The actual study of the nervous system dates all the way back to ancient Egypt where surgeons would drill holes into the human skull in order to alleviate a variety of aliments. The second half of the 20th century furthered the study of neuroscience via advancements in Molecular biology, and electrophysiology. These advancements are currently being used to study potential solutions to diseases such as (ALS) amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, strokes, and brain trauma. This research is funded by credible organizations such as the (NIH) National Institute of Health and the “National S...
At the heart of Neuroplasticity is the idea of synaptic pruning. It is the ability to prune away unused connections, as well as to form new connections. The term is probably best explained in the aphorism, “Neurons that fire together, wire together” (Doidge, 2007, p. 63). The idea being that if two or more neurons fire simultaneously on a continual basis, they will eventually fire on the same cortical map, thus strengthening the connection. The reverse is true in that if two or more neurons begin firing separately, they will eventually form separate cortical maps. In the words of Donald Hebb:
This paper involves how the brain and neurons works. The target is to display the brain and neurons behavior by sending signals. The nervous system that sends it like a text message. This becomes clear on how we exam in the brain. The techniques show how the brain create in order for the nerves about 100 billion cells. Neurons in the brain may be the only fractions of an inch in length. How powerful the brain could be while controlling everything around in. When it’s sending it signals to different places, and the neurons have three types: afferent neurons, efferent neurons, and the interneurons. In humans we see the old part of emotions which we create memories plus our brain controls heart beating, and breathing. The cortex helps us do outside of the brain touch, feel, smell, and see. It’s also our human thinking cap which we plan our day or when we have to do something that particular day. Our neurons are like pin head. It’s important that we know how our brain and neurons play a big part in our body. There the one’s that control our motions, the way we see things. Each neuron has a job to communicate with other neurons by the brain working network among each cell. Neurons are almost like a forest where they sending chemical signals. Neurons link up but they don’t actually touch each other. The synapses separates there branches. They released 50 different neurons.
Synaptic pruning signifies the requisite process of the developing brain in which unnecessary neural interfaces within the brain are removed; it has been supported to improve energy conservation and monitor efficiency concerning the mind. Unsurprisingly, synaptic pruning tends to continue long after the brain has matured, and typically goes hand-in-hand with a process known as myelination: When remaining neurons are coated in a fatty-layer called myelin that accelerates synaptic charges and protects neural connections. "The classic 'use it or lose it' principle applies to adolescence—those circuits that are actively engaged may remain, those underutilized may be subject to systematic destruction." Based on the previous quote, the underlying
As the human body goes through different experiences, the brain grows, develops, and changes according to the environmental situations it has been exposed to. Some of these factors include drugs, stress, hormones, diets, and sensory stimuli. [1] Neuroplasticity can be defined as the ability of the nervous system to respond to natural and abnormal stimuli experienced by the human body. The nervous system then reorganizes the brain’s structure and changes some of its function to theoretically repair itself by forming new neurons. [2] Neuroplasticity can occur during and in response to many different situations that occur throughout life. Some examples of these situations are learning, diseases, and going through therapy after an injury.
The environment around us can teach us different things and our brains are developed in the way our environment is teaching. “Genes and environment interact at every step of brain development, but they play very different roles. Generally speaking, genes are responsible for the basic wiring plan—for forming all of the cells (neurons) and general connections between different brain regions--while experience is responsible for fine-tuning those connections, helping each child adapt to the particular environment” we are adapted to what we know it can be the same culture or language but the dialect and the way certain things are taught our brain develops that and only that. There might be some changes but we know only what our environment taught
The human body is divided into many different parts called organs. All of the parts are controlled by an organ called the brain, which is located in the head. The brain weighs about 2. 75 pounds, and has a whitish-pink appearance. The brain is made up of many cells, and is the control centre of the body. The brain flashes messages out to all the other parts of the body.
...e in the neurodevelopment cycle, such as increased neuronal dysfunction with decreased connectivity and increases in loss of neuropril and extrinsic factor like substance abuse, developmental stress, relationship problem(Elder, Evans and Nizette, 2007).