Neurological Biological Development of the Brain - Essay Example

Neurological Biological Development of the Brain 2007 Neurological Biological Development of the Brain The issue of the neurologicalbiological development of the brain is one which must be taken quite seriously into consideration, and there is truly a multitude of key and related factors that need to be taken into account when discussing this matter. The processes that are involved with the development of the brain are incredibly intricate and complex, and so in order to be able to get an even remotely knowledgeable and understanding grasp on this subject matter, we are going to have to thoroughly examine and discuss various different key issues. In regards to the complexity of this development, it is greatly influenced by many different factors, including social, economic, cultural, family, biological, and environmental conditions as well as temperament, and so thus in order to be able to understand properly about the neurological and biological development of the brain, we have to understand how all of these factors interplay, as well as discuss and examine all of the other key and related issues as well. The brain is an incredibly intricate and complex part of the human body. It is made up of neurons, or brain cells and these brain cells connect to one another through synapses, which are physical gaps between the neurons. Then there are neurotransmitters which are used to carry signals between brain cells, and these also work by diffusing across the synapse and triggering the electrical activity that transmits information throughout the brain itself. The grown adult human brain contains about 200 billion neurons, and it needs to be known that the number of neurons that are in the brain actually does not change from birth, bur rather the growth occurs in the dendrites. The developmental process of the brain really takes on two separate sides, especially in regards to something such as communication, as the left part of the brain controls the right side of the body and vice versa, and so in order to come to a proper conclusion in regards to the developmental processes of the brain we thus have to thoroughly examine and discuss the two parts of the brain separately and in their own regards. Both sides of the brain develop incredibly complexly, and there are many different intricate and codependent processes that are going on during the course and the development of a human being, and all of these need to be considered in a matter such as this. The first eight weeks of brain development is known as being the embryonic period, and this is before the baby is actually born, once they have been conceived and the very beginning of the neurological biological development of the brain begins, and during this time is when multiple different and significant changes take place, as the organs, systems, and tissues of the future are being induced and differentiated and put properly into place in regards to the brain's development, and then the growth and development and refinement of these organs, systems, and tissues begins at this point. The brain actually begins to develop very soon after the point of conception, sooner than many people seem to believe, and this is when the brain cells first begin forming at the very tip of the embryo; as well, by as early as three and a half weeks past the conception date, the neural tube will begin to expand and mature and will result in forming the spinal cord and the brain. At the beginning, during this point, the brain cells themselves multiply incredibly quickly, at a rate of 250,000 per minute, however after about the 20th week, there is a slowdown which will occur, and this happens because the brain is organizing itself into more than 40 separate systems, which thus causes a significant decrease in the multiplication of the brain cells. Then there is the foetal stage of development, which takes place from the third to the ninth month, and during this time is when "the communication lines between the brain and the periphery of the body (cortico-spinal tracts) develop very rapidly and are largely complete by the seventh month of gestation. The olfactory bulbs grow forward, and begin forming connections with smell receptors in the lining of the noseandthe cerebral cortex continues to grow and fold in an effort to develop more surface area" (de Montfort & Boon, 2004). Then we look at once the baby is born, and this is when the postnatal brain development processes begin, and first we must make note of the fact that to begin, we can look at a child when they are first born, and it is important to realize that "babies after birth are still not completely 'cooked' and neurological development is still continuing. Each new experience increases the development. When a baby is born, the brain weighs about two pounds. By the time a child is two years old, the brain might weigh about four pounds. This increase in weight comes from the millions and millions of new synapses created every time the baby attunes to a new voice, a new sight, a new taste, a new smell, a new word or any new sensation" (Science, n.d.). the weight of a newborn's baby is incredibly smaller than that of a grown adults, as "the weight of the brain of the newborn is approximately 300 grams (or about 10% of body weight) in contrast to the adult brain - which weighs approximately 1400 grams (only 2% of body weight)" (de Montfort & Boon). The brain weight will continue to grow from this point on, and once the child is between six to fourteen years old, their brain will have achieved 'adult' weight, however each person is unique and so the point of their reaching their full brain growth size will vary, depending on their own personal circumstances. There are many factors that influence the development of the brain, and this includes such things as an increase in the size of the neurons, and thus a subsequent increase in the actual number of supporting cells that are present as well as the development of neural processes and synapses. All of the neurons in the cortex are in fact produced in the brain before the baby is born, however the brain at this point is still very much a work in progress, and it is critical to understand this. After all although these neurons may already be produced, they are however poorly connected, and as well, "in contrast to the brain stem and spinal cord, the cerebral cortex produces most of its synaptic connections (connections between neurons) after birth, in a massive burst of synapse formation known as the exuberant periodandat its peak, the cerebral cortex creates an astonishing two million new synapses every second" (Dossier, 2007). From this point on we must consider the child's brain development, and one important fact in particular to realize is the fact that by the rather young age of three, a child's brain is actually twice as active as a grown adult's, and it will actually stay that way for throughout the first decade of its life. The development of the brain greatly informs an understanding in regards to the developing child's competence, and the actual competence of the child will be influenced and thus greatly determined by various different factors. Social factors, for instance, are critical and incredibly influencing on the neurological and biological development of a child's brain, and in particular, children tend to learn in the context of important relationships, meaning that making sure that there is proper early care and nurturing, as this will make sure that the child's brain will develop the most positively, as factors such as these have a seriously decisive and long lasting impact on children and on how they are going to develop, and not only that but also on that of their ability to be able to learn and their capacity to be able to regulate their own emotions properly and safely. Family factors are also greatly influential in regards to the development of a child's brain, and the responsiveness of parents for instance is considered as being one of the biggest and most significant factors in particular in this regards. There are so many different issues that need to be discussed in this situation, and "In particular, parents should be aware of the importance of furnishing a healthy and nutritious diet, giving love and nurturing, providing interesting and varied everyday experiences, and giving children positive and sensitive feedback" (Brotherson, 2005). Now that we have explored how the brain develops at the cellular level in regards to the involvement of neurons and connections, it is important to understand how the different parts of the brain as a whole as well as how it functions and develops from here. Basically, from this point on the brain will grow in sequential fashion, meaning that it will grow from the bottom to the top, or from the least complex part which is the brain stem to the more complex area which is the cortex; in regards to this, there are certain periods of the brain's development which are considered as being absolutely critical, and that includes the following: visual and auditory development, language development, physical and motor development, emotional and social development. Each of these periods is separate and thus has their own qualities and factors that are involved, however if you want your child to grow up as well rounded and as healthy as normal then you really have to take each of these critical brain growth and development periods seriously into consideration, and make sure that they are available to your child in every way possible. In regards to the visual and auditory period, for example, there is a certain time that is considered as being the 'prime time' for this area of the child's brain development, and this is between the ages of four and five years old. "The development of these sensory capacities is very important for allowing children, especially babies, to perceive and interact with the world around themas wellduring the first few months, especially, children need to see shapes, colors, and objects at varying distances and movement for the brain to learn how to see" (Brotherson, 2005). Then there is the language period of brain development, for which the 'prime time' is considered as being from the birth of the child on until they are approximately ten years of age. Children learn language and language skills throughout their entire life, however this is when they are most seriously learning it and taking it into focus, and so this is why it is so critical that you make sure that your child is understanding language properly at this point, because this is the information in regards to their language skills that they are going to carry on into their adult life. Then there is the physical and motor development, for which the 'prime time' is considered as being from birth to twelve years of age. Motor control basically begins with the control of the neck, and in the brain, the motor development actually takes place in the posterior of the front lobe. As for the emotional and social development, the 'prime time' again is considered as being from birth to about twelve years of age, and it should be known that "Differing aspects of emotional and social development, which incorporate higher capacities, such as awareness of others, empathy and trust, are important at different times. For example, the real 'prime time' for emotional attachment to be developed is from birth to 18 months, when a young child is forming attachments with critical caregivers. Such development provides the foundations for other aspects of emotional development that occur as children grow" (Brotherson, 2005). Memory is also considered as being included in the emotional and social part of the brain's development, and both emotion and memory are controlled by the limbic system, which is basically a network of interconnected structures that are located deep within the actual brain itself, just above the brain stem. The ability that the brain has in regards to it being able to change from experience - whether social, emotional, family, or other - is known as plasticity, and it is thought that the human brain is especially plastic earlier on in life, during the childhood years, and this is why the aspect of nature and nurture is considered as being so incredibly influential in regards to the development of the brain, particularly that of the child's brain. However the brain does continue to be plastic throughout the rest of a person's life, yet at the same time it needs to be known that in a grown adult brain this plasticity is greatly decreased, thus explaining why it is so important for a child's brain to learn all that it can and be as positively influenced as possible, especially in the earlier years, because this is when the brain reacts and intakes most of its information before hitting its full growth. There is much that can be concluded from this review, and most importantly, we can see that the development of the brain is the most critical in regards to life period, but must be most seriously taken into consideration when it is in regards to a child. The embryonic period is obviously crucial as well but once the baby is born and the brain separates itself, this is when the true neurological and biological developmental processes of the brain begin to take place. The development of a child's brain truly and absolutely holds the key to the child's future, and this is why it is so influential and critical to truly acknowledge and understand the various different matters and issues that lie within the topic of child brain development, of which has been discussed here. Everything that you do to your child registers in their brains, and in order to create the healthiest and happiest child possible, you really need to make sure that you are providing them with everything they need and stimulating their brain in every way that you possibly can. There are also many new technological advances that are considered as being helpful in regards to positively influencing a child's brain development, and these advances have truly allowed scientists to be able to study the brain as well as the way that the brain develops in various different ways, of which have consequently led to a completely new understanding in regards to the issue of how children's brains develop. Furthermore, it is considered that there has been a basically entirely new understanding of both the capabilities as well as the vulnerabilities in this situation which has been accomplished, and this is going to greatly help us not only to be able to further and more knowledgeably understand about the brain and the developmental process of the brain, but as well how we can work to most positively and appropriately influence a child's brain development. A child's brain development is without a doubt the most critical and yet at the same time the most complex, and therefore it has been harder in the past trying to create a proper understanding of how the brain works and how the brain develops, however with these new advances and discoveries we can feel incredibly positive because we now have strategies that we can use to most positively influence a child's brain development. References Brotherson, S. (2005). Understanding Brain Development in Young Children. Retrieved February 16, 2007, from http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/yf/famsci/fs609w.htm Crawford, M. et al. (1989). N-6 and N-3 Fatty Acids During Early Human Development. Journal of Internal Medicine, 225 (Suppl1): 159-169. De Montfort, G. J. & Boon, R. (2004). Stages of Brain Development. Retrieved February 16, 2007, from http://home.iprimus.com.au/rboon/StagesofBrainDevelopment.htm Dossier. (2007). Foetal Brain Development. Retrieved February 16, 2007, from http://www.hon.ch/Dossier/MotherChild/postnatal/brain_dev.html Packer, R. & Pollack, I. (2005). Pediatric Brain Tumors. Retrieved February 16, 2007, from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/find_people/groups/brain_tumor_prg/pediatrics.htm Reinis, S. & Goldman, J. M. (1980). The Development of the Brain: Biological and Functional Perspectives. ISBN: 0398039321. Science. (n.d.). Science of Infant Development. 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