...Barnett EDU-213 Brain Function Table Component | Definition | Role in Learning and Development | Neurons | “A neuron is a nerve cell that is the basic building block of the nervous system. Neurons are similar to other cells in the human body in a number of ways, but there is one key difference between neurons and other cells. Neurons are specialized to transmit information throughout the body” (Cherry, 2014) | Neurons receive and process new information. “Using selective stimulation, the researchers were able to show that these neo-neurons increase the ability to learn and memorize difficult cognitive tasks” (Role of neo-neurons in learning, memory revealed | KurzweilAI, 2012). | Neurotransmitters | “A substance (as norepinephrine or acetylcholine) that transmits nerve impulses across a synapse” (Neurotransmitter, n.d.). | Neurotransmitters are critical in learning and memory. Neurotransmitters are important for “memory, learning, and behavior among other things” (Lahey & Rosen, n.d.). | Axon | “A usually long and single nerve-cell process that usually conducts impulses away from the cell body” (Axon, n.d.). | “Axons help neurons travel during development” (Sukel, 2015). Basically axons help neurons get to the place in the brain where development can take place. | Myelin sheath | 1. “A layer of myelin surrounding the axons of some neurons —called also medullary sheath” (Myelin sheath, n.d.). | The sheath helps with communication to the brain. “It also helps...
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...During the stage of adolescence, the brain is rapidly developing and has the capacity to grow connections that can strengthen certain neural pathways or can result in synaptic pruning. This is where extra neurons and connections are eliminated in order to increase the effectiveness of the neurological system. With the ability to learn this much, you will either use it or lose it. In the film, Inside the Teenage Brain, it explains that the cells and connections that are used will “survive and flourish” while the cells and connections that are not used will “wither and die”. The gray matter or thinking part of the brain, “continues to thicken throughout childhood as the brain cells grow extra connections, much like a tree growing extra branches,...
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...14 year old Avery was doing wonderful in school. She had never made below a B+ on her report cards, so her parents decided to get her an iPhone for her 14th birthday as a reward for her grades. Once she got the iPhone she started feeling tired a lot more due to staying up late on her phone. Avery’s grades started to drop because she wasn't studying as much. Could her new behaviors be caused by how much of her day is spent on her new iPhone? The American Academy of Pediatrics should NOT raise the daily recommended screen time from 2-4 hours. The PFC (PreFrontal Cortex) isn't fully developed, so teens and children would be more likely to make bad decisions. The PFC helps with understanding the effect of your behavior. The PFC also matures...
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...Brain Function Table Component | Definition | Role in Learning and Development | Neurons | A neuron is known as an excitable cell that can process and transmit information through electrical and chemical signals. Neurons are the core components of the nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord and nervous system. | Neurons begin developing in the early stages, like when a child is in the womb. Language and early stimulation is also tied in how children will interact. Interactions on a daily basis can stimulate a child’s brain. | Neurotransmitters | These are chemicals that transmit signals across a synapse from one neuron to another neuron. Most neurotransmitters are about the size of larger proteins or peptides. | A neurotransmitter plays a part in learning and in memory. So for classwork, it is important for a student to have this In their brain to function properly. | Axon | This is a nerve fibre, it is a long slender projection of a nerve cell. This conducts electrical impulses away from the neuron’s cell body. The function of the axon is to transmit information to different neurons. | A axon is a nerve receiver, in this case it can transmit information. So it can transmit information to other parts of the brain for the child to learn properly. | Myelin sheath | This is a material that forms a layer usually around the axon of a neuron. It is essential for the proper functioning of the nervous system. It is an outgrowth of a type of glial...
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...and the environment. Neurological Changes Many times the focus on neurological development is during the early childhood years of development. Such rapid changes take place during early childhood, it is many times the focus of clinicians and academics, but very significant changes also take place during adolescence as well (Rutter, 2007). One of the most interesting neurological changes that are observed in adolescents is that the connections between neurons continue to be refined through pruning (Rutter, 2007). The amount of brain matter tends to increase throughout childhood, but a decline in grey matter is found in adolescence due to pruning of the synaptic connections (Rutter, 2007). Pruning is typically discussed as a major event that occurs in early childhood after the proliferation of connections made during infancy (Santrock, 2011). Research indicates that significant pruning and refinement of synaptic connections also occurs during adolescence (Rutter, 2007). As with the pruning that occurs in childhood, the connections that are not...
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...prenatal and postnatal months are periods in which the brain experiences rapid growth, with changes continuing throughout childhood, adolescence and early adulthood. For instance, one cell can develop into an estimated 86 billion neural cells in forty weeks (lecture seven, 2016). Furthermore, the weight of the brain increases from being 4% of its adult weight five months after conception, to 25% at birth, 67% at age one, 90% at age five and 100% at age sixteen; although many internal changes continue through the early to mid-twenties (lecture seven, 2016; Spreen, Risser, & Egdell, 1995). It is thought that these significant changes in weight are due to the increase of glial cells, which have many functions such as in aiding neural transmission....
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...Memory D. None of the Above E. All of the Above 2. What is the estimated amount of neurons in the human brain? F. 1 Trillion G. 450 Billion H. 100 billion I. 895 million J. 1,000 trillion 3. What is the correct explanation for encoding memory? A. Encoding in psychology is taking information into the mind and coding it with brain code and storing the information for later retrieval B. Encoding memory is when memory is recalled to working memory for use and access, then returned to long term memory when the information is no longer required C. Encoding in psychology is the transformation, as well as the transfer of information into a memory system that requires selective attention which is the focusing of awareness on a particular set of stimuli or events. D. Encoding memory is when your brain applies “1’s and 0’s” to information that is collected and placed in long term memory or discarded depending on if the memory is rehearsed or discarded • True or False questions: True False 1. Can a false memory seem real and be perceived as a genuine memory? True False 2. Is long term memory controlled by the hippocampus portion of the Brain? True False 3. Do researchers and scientists understand how memory works with precise knowledge? True False 4. In the childhood stage, focusing on adolescence, the process called “synaptic pruning” takes place Word Bank: Choose the correct word to input into the sentences below. electro chemical signaling...
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...under control. Society has changed. The age of technology has become the age of control, and for he who controls technology, controls humanity. How far can technology go? What makes it so addictive? It all comes down to the functions of the brain. As the human brain develops over time-from birth to adulthood- the sudden change is relative to the way humans respond to stimuli. The human brain, in particular, is one of the most complex of all biological systems. In the early stages of brain development, at birth most specifically, the brain is composed of glial cells and 100 billion neurons (Nguyen). Glial cells provide structural and metabolic support for the brain. Neurons are excitable cells which chemically transmit electrical signals through connections called synapses (Nguyen). Essentially, it is the way we respond to different situations and execute actions. While it’s true that babies are born with a significant amount of nerve cells and reflexes, the cerebral cortex, which is largely responsible for most important brain functions such as voluntary actions, isn’t quite developed. At birth, however, the cerebral cortex produces most of those synaptic connections in a process known as the exuberant period (Zero to Three). Such synaptic connections allow...
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...Memory D. None of the Above E. All of the Above 2. What is the estimated amount of neurons in the human brain? F. 1 Trillion G. 450 Billion H. 100 billion I. 895 million J. 1,000 trillion 3. What is the correct explanation for encoding memory? A. Encoding in psychology is taking information into the mind and coding it with brain code and storing the information for later retrieval B. Encoding memory is when memory is recalled to working memory for use and access, then returned to long term memory when the information is no longer required C. Encoding in psychology is the transformation, as well as the transfer of information into a memory system that requires selective attention which is the focusing of awareness on a particular set of stimuli or events. D. Encoding memory is when your brain applies “1’s and 0’s” to information that is collected and placed in long term memory or discarded depending on if the memory is rehearsed or discarded • True or False questions: True False 1. Can a false memory seem real and be perceived as a genuine memory? True False 2. Is long term memory controlled by the hippocampus portion of the Brain? True False 3. Do researchers and scientists understand how memory works with precise knowledge? True False 4. In the childhood stage, focusing on adolescence, the process called “synaptic pruning” takes place Word Bank: Choose the correct word to input into the sentences below. electro chemical...
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...acts. Brain scans indicate that reactive murderers show less activity in their prefrontal cortex which is the reasoning center of the brain and controls executive functioning of the brain such as problem-solving, planning and self-control. Brain scans of proactive murderers show an increase in the functioning of the prefrontal cortex that allows for the skillful lying and manipulation in their actions. Proactive murderers also possess greater language skills and have “more than a 22% increase in white matter in prefrontal cortex (synaptic connections)”. (Murderous Brains)...
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...laid down quickly during the first nine months, whereas muscle development is slow and gradual. Parts of the body grow at different rates, following the cephalocaudal and proximodistal trends, resulting in changing body proportions. ■ Skeletal age, a measure based on the number of epiphyses and the extent to which they are fused, is the best way to estimate the child’s overall physical maturity. At birth, the bones of an infant’s skull are separated by six gaps, or fontanels, which permit the skull to expand as the brain grows. Brain Development Describe brain development during infancy and toddlerhood, current methods of measuring brain functioning, and appropriate stimulation to support the brain’s potential. ■ Early in development, the brain grows faster than any other organ of the body. Once neurons are in place, they rapidly form synapses and release neurotransmitters, which cross synapses to send messages to other neurons. During the peak period of synaptic growth in...
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...Synesthesia is a condition that causes different senses to blend with each other. Nearly 4 percent of the population experience synesthesia. Whenever someone with synesthesia receives stimulation from one of their senses it causes an involuntary experience in a second sense. A synesthete, or person who has synesthesia, might see sounds or taste words. If they smell cinnamon, it might cause them to also feel as if something is brushing up against their leg. There are many different types of synesthesia, but some are more common than others. Grapheme-color synesthesia is one of the most common types. People who experience this type of synesthesia associate a certain color with a specific letter or number. Sound-to-color synesthesia is when a...
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...the class. Personally, I am very interested in the aspect of brain plasticity and what aspects of life and psychology play a crucial role in its activity. For this reason, my big question is “What largely impacts brain plasticity?”. However, before I go further into my research about brain plasticity it is important to define what brain plasticity is. Brain plasticity is the brain's ability to alter its structure and function following an experience or changes in the body (Brain Facts). The changes that occur in the brain due to brain plasticity could involve a growing or shrinking in grey matter, neural...
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...Hillari Cragun August 17, 2014 EDU 213- Educational Psychology Dr. Sharon Graham Brain Function Table Component | Definition | Role in Learning and Development | Neurons | “Cell in the brain or another part of the nervous system that transmits information to other cells.”(COE-GCU Framework 2010, pg. G-8) | The text book states that learning probably brings change to neurons and also could create new ones. | Neurotransmitters | “Chemical substance through which one neuron sends a message to another.”(COE-GCU Framework 2010, pg. G-8) | The neurons send their information to other cells though the neurotransmitters. | Axon | “A long, arm like structure that transmits information on to still other neuron.”(COE-GCU Framework 2010, pg. 23) | The more the axons are used the stronger they become and the faster they fire. | Myelin sheath | “Fatty coating on much of the axon.”(COE-GCU Framework 2010, pg. 23) | The information jumps from axon the axon quicker if it has myelin sheath on it. | Dendrites | Branchlike structures, on a neuron that receive messages from other neurons. (COE-GCU Framework 2010, pg. 22) | The texts states, “When a neuron’s dendrites are stimulated by other neurons (either those in the brain or those extending from other parts of the body), the dendrites become electrically charged. If the total charge reaches a certain level, the neuron fires, sending an electrical impulse along its axon to the terminal buttons.” (pg. 23) | Synapses...
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...sensory information, the developing brain works to sort relevant from irrelevant details as it begins to make sense of the world. It does so by forming new connections (or strengthening existing ones) between some cells and pruning the connections between others — a process termed synaptic plasticity. Increased plasticity is a hallmark of critical periods. As the brain ages, however, it becomes less “plastic,” or easily modifiable, marking the closure of critical periods. While this decrease in plasticity is a key step toward the maturation of communication networks in the nervous system, researchers realized it might be possible to reopen critical period windows to improve sensory development in people who experienced early sensory deprivation. http://main.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_key_brainFAQ The human brain begins forming very early in prenatal life (just three weeks after conception), but in many ways, brain development is a lifelong project. That is because the same events that shape the brain during development are also responsible for storing information—new skills and memories—throughout life. The major difference between brain development in a child versus learning an adult is a matter of degree: the brain is far more impressionable (neuroscientists use the term plastic) in early life than in maturity. This plasticity has both a positive and a negative side. On the positive side, it means that young children's brains are more open to learning and...
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