Studied by 1 personElectrical impulses in the axons cause
________the release of chemicals called neurotransmitters.
Plasticity
________: the ability of the infant brain to change in form and function.
Neurotransmitters
________: chemicals that carry information from the axon of the sending neuron to the dendrites of the receiving neuron.
When babies are born, the myelin sheath
________ does not yet cover all the neurons in the nervous system.
Each neuron typically has
a single axon and numerous dendrites which are spread out like branches of a tree.
The infant brain grows and develops through
________the continual interaction of biological forces and environmental influences.
There are imaging techniques that can trace the
developmental pattern of myelination in the human brain as it proceeds from the lower centers at the base of the brain through the higher centers of the cerebral cortex.
Positive experiences can
spur brain development and even make up for past deprivation.
the lack of enriching experiences and exposures to hazards may
inhibit the normal process of brain development and growth
Myelination
the process of encasing axons with fat cells, continues into adolescence and emerging adulthood.
Early experiences can have
lasting effects on the capacity of the brain.
Blooming
strengthening synaptic connections
Pruning
diminishing synaptic connections
Nearly twice as many connections are
made as will ever be used
Communication within the central nervous system (CNS) begins with
nerve cells called neurons.
The central nervous system consists of
the brain and spinal cord
Scientists estimate that the average human brain has
86 million neurons
Neurons transmit and receive
information
Neurons connect to one another via
networks of nerve fibers called axons and dendrites.
Information passes from neuron to neuron via
chemical interactions in the gap known as a synapse.
Note
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