4: Brain Development from Conception to Age 8

Last updated
Save as PDF

Page ID: 234000

Deirdre Budzyna and Doris Buckley
Northern Essex Community College via Remixing Open Textbooks with an Equity Lens (ROTEL)

\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

\( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)

\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)

\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)

\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)

\( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)

\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\)

\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

\( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\)

\( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)

\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\)

\( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)

\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\)

\( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)

\( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)

\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

\( \newcommand{\vectorA}[1]{\vec{#1}} % arrow\)

\( \newcommand{\vectorAt}[1]{\vec{\text{#1}}} % arrow\)

\( \newcommand{\vectorB}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

\( \newcommand{\vectorC}[1]{\textbf{#1}} \)

\( \newcommand{\vectorD}[1]{\overrightarrow{#1}} \)

\( \newcommand{\vectorDt}[1]{\overrightarrow{\text{#1}}} \)

\( \newcommand{\vectE}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{\mathbf {#1}}}} \)

\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

\( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)

\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)

Learning Objectives

After completing Chapter Four students will be able to:

Identify the primary functions of the major areas of the brain
Identify the primary functions of neurons
Discuss the normal development of fetal brains
Identify the six neural processes of development: cell proliferation: cell differentiation, cell migration, synaptogenesis, cell pruning, and myelination
Discuss the normal trajectory of brain development from birth to age eight
Discuss the concept of brain plasticity and its role in mediating non-normative events that hinder brain development

The human brain is the most unique thing about each of us. It is home to our memories and our plans; we use it also for essential activities such as breathing and regulating our heartbeat, but we can also use it for making up bad jokes and excuses. Our brains help define who we are as individuals as our biology interacts with our environments.

During the first eight years of life, the brain of a child is doing an enormous amount of work, day and night. In this chapter, we will explore the typical development of the human brain, starting at conception. To understand this development, we will need to delve into the inner workings of the brain, from the smallest parts of the neuron all the way up the four lobes of the cerebral cortex, where so much of our daily experience takes place.

The brain plays an important role in all aspects of early development, and the experiences that happen early in life lay the foundation for how the brain will operate across the lifespan. For that reason, it is essential for anyone who is planning to work with infants, toddlers, and young children to understand the earliest stages and milestones of brain development. Ensuring that children’s brains get high quality input right from the start is the best way to ensure a lifetime of brain functionality.

Earlier, we talked about the four domains of development: physical, cognitive, social, and emotional. The brain develops in each of these domains, just as every other part of the child does. Typically, the brain is most closely associated with cognitive development. Cognition, after all, is largely about brain functions such as memory, attention, processing speeds, and intelligence. When we talk about people who are smart, we often refer to them as having a “big brain” or being a “brainiac.” As will be discussed through this book, one of the most impressive cognitive feats of the brain is the development of spoken (and later written) language.

But our brains also develop – and help guide development – in the other three domains as well. One of the primary functions of the somatosensory cortex of the brain is to accept, integrate, and act upon sensory information in the form of physical sensation. This narrow strip of the cerebral cortex is essential in nearly everything we do each day, helping us to know when we are touching objects, which in turn informs the systems that maintain our balance and orientation in space. These parts of the brain are necessary for learning to stand, walk, run, jump, and maybe even surf! Without the brain’s constant integration of important sensory information, our physical development would be significantly delayed (Jensen, 2019).

4.1: Biology of the Brain
The text discusses the development and function of a child's brain, focusing on how neurons and neural networks are formed. The brain's development process includes cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, synaptogenesis, pruning, and myelination. Neurons, with their axons and dendrites, transmit electrical impulses that form thoughts and feelings. The brain is not fully developed until age 25, with significant development occurring in the first three years.
4.2: The Main Structures of the Brain
This page provides an overview of the brain's structure and function, highlighting its various parts and their specialized roles. It explains the processes of cell differentiation and migration in brain development. Key structures such as the medulla oblongata, cerebellum, pons, midbrain, and cerebrum are discussed, emphasizing their roles in controlling involuntary and voluntary functions, coordination, communication, and sensory processing.
4.3: Cerebral Cortex
The brain consists of several key lobes, each responsible for different functions. The occipital lobe processes visual information, while the parietal lobe processes sensory input such as touch, taste, and temperature. The temporal lobe is involved in processing sounds and language, with regions like Wernicke's and Broca's areas responsible for speech comprehension and production.
4.4: Brain Development During Gestation
The page discusses prenatal and early childhood brain development, focusing on rapid neuron growth during gestation and the brain structures involved, such as the brainstem, midbrain, and cerebral cortex. It outlines the processes of cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration, emphasizing the importance of genetic and environmental influences.
4.5: Brain Development in Infants and Toddlers
The brain of an infant experiences rapid growth in the first three years, with synaptogenesis forming connections between neurons. As infants encounter new experiences, these connections multiply. By age 3, the brain is densely connected, but not all connections are sustained. Inefficient neurons undergo "pruning" to maintain brain health. This process persists into adolescence, optimizing neural networks. Further chapters delve into experiences that bolster brain development in early childhood.
4.6: Brain Development in Preschool and School-Age Children
The brain develops rapidly from birth through adolescence, with experiences shaping cognitive, social, and emotional growth. Preschool introduces intentionally designed experiences that stimulate neural development, particularly in language and social interaction. Not all children attend preschool, but brain development continues through varied experiences. Critical periods for cognitive functions like language and vision highlight the importance of timely experiences.

Search

Text Color

Text Size

Margin Size

Font Type