PSYC 2500 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Synaptic Pruning, Neurotransmission, Body Proportions
11 Dec 2016
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Chapter 3 cont" physical growth and development. At birth the brain weighs only 25% of the weight of an adult brain: the first two years of life, the brain grows 1. 7 grams a day. By age 2, the brain weight has reached 75% of that of an adult brain. How does the brain grow: growth of glia cells and neurons critical that the child is getting enough protein in their diet. These cells are growth and creating new synapses: brain cell death. Half the neurons produced in early life, also disappear in early life. Synaptic pruning: certain pathways, unless used regularly, will disappear: plasticity of the brain, not all parts of the brain mature at the same time. Primary motor area; primary sensory area: myelinisation. Acts as an insulator on the axons to speed up neuro-transmission. Increased myelinisation is associated with the increased ability early on in life to lift your head, roll over or ultimately stand.
