PSYC 370 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Childhood Amnesia, Brain Ischemia, Auditory Cortex
Document Summary
Psyc370 midterm: discuss the effects of early experience on neurodevelopment, and describe two examples that highlight its impact. After birth, the postnatal brain continues to grow and develop. This growth occurs due to three processes: synaptogenesis, myelination of axons, and increased branching of dendrites. The exact development of all three of these processes can influence neurodevelopment from early life, onwards. For instance, synaptogenesis increases after birth but at different rates and in different areas of the brain. As synaptic connections increase in these areas due to regular use, myelination of axons and dendritic branching will also increase, making information processing in these areas quicker and more precise. In short, synaptogenesis, dendritic branching, and myelination make brain processing more efficient and are a reflection of which brain areas are used more frequently. They reflect the child"s psychological and physiological strengths and weaknesses and influence neurodevelopment.
