Brain Development

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Brain DevelopmentBrain Development

The Infant Brain is The Infant Brain is

CO-CO-CONSTRUCTED!CONSTRUCTED!

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INFANT BRAININFANT BRAIN By 5 months gestation - 80 By 5 months gestation - 80

billion neurons that will form billion neurons that will form the adult cortex have been the adult cortex have been created.created.

During the first 8 months, During the first 8 months, new connections are formed new connections are formed more quickly than they are more quickly than they are broken.broken.

Development requires not Development requires not only synaptic connections but only synaptic connections but selective loss or “pruning”.selective loss or “pruning”.

Trauma and stress adversely Trauma and stress adversely affect the growing brain.affect the growing brain.

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NeuronsNeurons

Image: www.brainconnection.com© 1999 Scientific Learning Corporation

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The Infant BrainThe Infant Brain Research on the human brain reveals the Research on the human brain reveals the

continuing opportunity for change, and continuing opportunity for change, and there is no evidence that there is some age there is no evidence that there is some age beyond which the intervention fails to make beyond which the intervention fails to make a difference.a difference.

While early experiences are unquestionably While early experiences are unquestionably important, it is likely that more complex important, it is likely that more complex areas of development, such as attachment areas of development, such as attachment or personality are not governed by narrowly or personality are not governed by narrowly defined “critical periods”.defined “critical periods”.

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From Jack Shonkoff, MDFrom Jack Shonkoff, MD

Relationships/experience shape both the Relationships/experience shape both the architecture of architecture of neural circuitsneural circuits and the and the genes the neurons expressgenes the neurons express

Sensitive periods for circuits that process Sensitive periods for circuits that process basic information end earlier than those basic information end earlier than those that process more refined information.that process more refined information.

Higher circuits depend on lower circuits Higher circuits depend on lower circuits and adaptation at higher levels of and adaptation at higher levels of function is more difficult if lower circuits function is more difficult if lower circuits are not wired properlyare not wired properly

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Based on data we know…..Based on data we know…..

We know what infants and children need We know what infants and children need to develop well and the science of early to develop well and the science of early childhood should make it clear that childhood should make it clear that promotion of early mental health is not promotion of early mental health is not just a just a MORALMORAL imperative but an imperative but an ECONOMICECONOMIC imperative. imperative.

The Perry Preschool Project Follow-up data The Perry Preschool Project Follow-up data at age 40 indicated a total benefit-cost at age 40 indicated a total benefit-cost ratio of 17:1 for participants (4:1) and ratio of 17:1 for participants (4:1) and public (13:1)public (13:1)

From Jack Shonkoff, MD

Copyright-YCS Institute for Infant Copyright-YCS Institute for Infant and Preschool Mental Healthand Preschool Mental Health 77

Highlights fromHighlights from “Neurons to “Neurons to

Neighborhoods”Neighborhoods” Early experiences affect brain development Early experiences affect brain development and lay the foundation for intelligence, and lay the foundation for intelligence, emotional health and moral development.emotional health and moral development.

Healthy early development requires Healthy early development requires nurturing and dependable relationships.nurturing and dependable relationships.

How young children feel is as important as How young children feel is as important as how they think - especially for school how they think - especially for school readiness.readiness.

While birth-to-three is important, focus only While birth-to-three is important, focus only on that period is too narrow.on that period is too narrow.

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What the What the Neurosciences are Neurosciences are Telling us About Telling us About What Infants and What Infants and Children Need.Children Need.

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LessonLesson: Negative Effects of Instability : Negative Effects of Instability and disruptions in attachments. (e.g. and disruptions in attachments. (e.g. Allan Schore; Daniel Siegel)Allan Schore; Daniel Siegel)

ImplicationImplication: Infants and children must : Infants and children must form secure relationships and when form secure relationships and when change is necessary, it must occur with change is necessary, it must occur with planning, support and regular contact planning, support and regular contact with familiar caregiverswith familiar caregivers

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LessonLesson: Trauma adversely effects the : Trauma adversely effects the infant and child brain (e.g. Bruce Perry)infant and child brain (e.g. Bruce Perry)

ImplicationImplication: Primary prevention efforts : Primary prevention efforts must be enhanced and when trauma or must be enhanced and when trauma or exposure to violence occurs, immediate, exposure to violence occurs, immediate, reparitive, community-based mental reparitive, community-based mental health programs must be available (e.g. health programs must be available (e.g. CD-CP Program – Yale University; Safe CD-CP Program – Yale University; Safe Havens Training Program)Havens Training Program)

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LessonLesson: The human brain forms : The human brain forms connections more easily during the early connections more easily during the early years of life, and connections are formed years of life, and connections are formed more easily than they are broken.more easily than they are broken.

ImplicationImplication: Early experiences do matter : Early experiences do matter and the human brain is more sensitive to and the human brain is more sensitive to good and bad events in the first five years of good and bad events in the first five years of life. If earlier, more basic “neural circuits” life. If earlier, more basic “neural circuits” are not well established, subsequent neural are not well established, subsequent neural circuits will not be “wired” adaptively (e.g. circuits will not be “wired” adaptively (e.g. Jack Shonkoff)Jack Shonkoff)

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LessonLesson: A child’s capacity for “regulation”, to : A child’s capacity for “regulation”, to return to a state of calm and organization return to a state of calm and organization following an increase in arousal and excitation, following an increase in arousal and excitation, or emotional distress is both a biological and or emotional distress is both a biological and psychological capacity. This is “psychobiological psychological capacity. This is “psychobiological regulation”. (e.g. From Neurons to regulation”. (e.g. From Neurons to Neighborhoods)Neighborhoods)

ImplicationImplication: Children with regulation problems : Children with regulation problems are not just “behavioral” problems, but may be are not just “behavioral” problems, but may be “hard-wired” to react with sustained arousal “hard-wired” to react with sustained arousal due to biological factors and/or psychosocial due to biological factors and/or psychosocial experiences. (e.g. Bruce Perry)experiences. (e.g. Bruce Perry)

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LessonLesson: The nature of the earliest relationships : The nature of the earliest relationships organizes brain development in infants and organizes brain development in infants and influences the way in which experiences “wire” influences the way in which experiences “wire” the neural connections (e.g. Allan Schore, the neural connections (e.g. Allan Schore, Daniel Siegel, Stanley Greenspan).Daniel Siegel, Stanley Greenspan).

ImplicationImplication: Infant and Child support : Infant and Child support intervention MUST include the family and other intervention MUST include the family and other important relationships in the child’s life. important relationships in the child’s life. Relationships are the key to promoting good Relationships are the key to promoting good emotional health and intervening when there emotional health and intervening when there are difficulties.are difficulties.

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Biology & EnvironmentWork together to shape the brain.