Early Neural Postnatal Development

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document in english

psychology

research papers

date published 13/11/2007

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Summary

The early postnatal years are marked by a rapid maturation of cognitive, social, and behavioral abilities as infants progress from helplessness to autonomy, and children and adolescents develop more sophisticated ways of thinking. The information and abilities acquired by infants, children, and adolescents are staggering. The impact that these early years have on personality development and behavior is profound, longlasting, and at times, refractory to treatment interventions. The consequences of physical or emotional childhood trauma are seen in every psychiatric practice. For such dramatic cognitive, behavioral, and emotional changes, there must be an underlying neurobiological substrate. Neuroscience is exploring the structural and functional foundations of normal postnatal maturation and how it is impacted by the environment.

Table of Contents

Postnatal Cortical Maturation The number of cortical synapses changes dramatically in early postnatal life.
Many neuronal types alter their shape postnatally, corresponding to altered synaptic connections.
Environmental Effects on Cortical Connections During early life the cortex is fine-tuning its connections dependent on patterns of neural activity caused by environmental input.
If kittens are deprived of visual input altogether, compensatory changes are seen in the visual areas
Early environmental manipulations may also impact higher cognitive functioning.
Critical Periods for Cognition and Emotion The importance of critical periods does not apply solely to visual and language cortices.
Behavioral studies in monkeys have shown that early childhood experience can have a profound impact on adult adaptation, especially in the context of social stress.
In humans, there is evidence that early environmental stimulation, even before preschool, improves learning with an effect that lasts for years.