PSY 220 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Neural Tube Defect, Cleft Lip And Cleft Palate, Nuclear Fallout
18 Oct 2017
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Prenatal development: period of development and changes that transform a fertilized egg into a newborn human. Typically 28 week period, with 3 stages: zygote (germinal period, embryo, fetus. Increase in size and body systems begin to function. Neurons: 100,000"s/min throughout pregnancy: faster rate between 10-20 weeks. Important structures include: cerebral cortex: the wrinkles surface of the brain that regulates many important human behaviors. Age of viability occurs between 23-25 weeks and fetus has a chance to survive. Begin to detect fetal behavior: hr & movement in sync at 36 weeks > better regulation of behaviors (alertness, attention, less irritable) at 2 weeks post-birth! Mom as environment: nutrition: google march of dimes video on folic acid to prevent neural tube defects, chronic stress. Animal studies show maternal stress linked to smaller offspring who are prone to physical or behavior problems: teratogens, parental age.
