PS102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Synaptic Pruning, Preterm Birth, Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Document Summary
Environmental agents that may cause abnormal fetal development. Alcohol, aspirin, caffeine, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and nicotine. Miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth, impaired brain development. Synapses - point where information is transmitted between two neurons. During development, more connections are made between neurons than are needed. Synaptic pruning - the loss of unnecessary connections between two neurons, a common event during development. Head is large - growth proceeds towards lower body. Newborn babies will grasp anything placed in their hand. Prone, chest up, use arms for support sit without support stand with support pull self to stand stand alone easily walking. Actively explore and seek to understand their world. Brain builds schemas/mental structures to achieve understanding. Schemas are modified to create equilibrium between environment and understanding. New experiences cause existing schemas to change. Understand world through sensory experiences/physical interactions with objects. Understanding that objects continue to exist even when they can no longer be seen.
