Thinking and Inquiry
Read the following information and answer the question outlined below
Question: Are the main changes that occur during brain development associated with life experience or innate mechanisms (genetics)? Why or Why Not?
You will use information from the reading and information you know about fetal brain development to support your answer.
Reading
Throughout the lifetime of the human brain it continues to undergo changes. I cannot stress the importance of each stage and how we need to nourish and protect our brain growth from 0 to 100 and hopefully beyond!
Let’s review each of the five stages of human brain growth:
Stage 1: 0 to 10 months
Neurons and connections growing.
Pregnant woman should stay as stress-free as possible, take folic acid, B6 & B12, stimulate this young developing brain with sounds and sensations. Mother should avoid toxins, cigarettes, heavy metals, alcohol, drugs.
Stage 2: birth to 6 years
Development of voluntary movement, reasoning, perception, frontal lobes active in development of emotions, attachments, planning, working memory, and perception. A sense of self is developing and life experiences shape the emotional well being.
By age six, the brain is 95% its adult weight and peak of energy consumption.
Caregivers need to provide nurturing environment and daily individualized communication. Negative or harsh treatment may come with emotional consequences in the future.
Stage 3: 7 to 22 years
The neural connections or ‘grey’ matter is still pruning, wiring of brain still in progress, the fatty tissues surrounding neurons or ‘white’ matter increase and assist with speeding up electrical impulses and stabilize connections. The prefrontal cortex is the last to mature and it involves the control of impulses and decision-making.
Therefore, teenagers need to learn to control reckless, irrational and irritable behavior. Avoiding drugs, alcohol, smoking, unprotected sex and substance abuse.
Stage 4: 23 to 65 years
Finally, the brain reaches its peak power around age 22 and lasts for 5 more years. Afterwards, it’s a downhill pattern. Last to mature and the first to go are the brain functionality of executive control occurring in the prefrontal and temporal cortices. Memory for recalling episodes start to decline, processing speed slows and working memory is storing less information.
Best approach is to stay mentally active, learn new things, stay physically active and eat a very healthy diet. Avoid toxins, cigarettes, alcohol and mind-altering drugs.
Stage 5: older than 65 years
Brain cells are lost in the critical areas such as the hippocampus responsible for processing memories.
Learn new skills, practice meditation to promote neutral emotions, exercise to improve abstract reasoning and concentration.
Avoid stress or incorporate stress reducing meditation and exercises.
Eat a healthy diet with foods to nourish one’s level of dopamine.
Did you know that certain foods like sugar can set off a cascade of brain changes.
With Alzheimer’s disease at epidemic numbers with over five million Americans living with the disease, it is important to be aware that there is a prevention strategy of incorporating a healthy lifestyle.
