5.1 Building Blocks of Growth and Development

1. Produces growth hormone

Nota:

• role in physical growth and development of the nervous system

1. Lack of which can cause intellectual problems

1. Androgens: stimulates production of growth hormone and male sexual development and motivation
2. Estrogen and progesterone
   1. Estrogen: stimulates production of growth hormone and sexual development
   2. Progesterone: controls bodily changes allowing conception and pregnancy
3. Adrenal gland secrete hormones contributing to maturation in both sexes

1. Much growth occurs after birth
2. Early in formation; brain is plastic

   Nota:

   • highly adaptable 
   1. Critical/sensitive period for brain development

      Nota:

      • late prenatal period and early infancy
3. Laterilization

   Nota:

   • asymmetrical specialiations of the two hemispheres of the cerebral cortex
   • evident at birth
   1. Left:sequential, analytical
   2. Right: emotion; simultaneous processing of info
   3. Two sides work together
      1. Possible for one hemisphere to take over the function of the other if damaged
4. Never truly complete
   1. Undergoes neurogenesis throughout life

1. Conditions that cause serious brain damage are not normal (aging)
2. Normal
   1. gradual, relatively mild degeneration of the nervous system
      1. Loss of neurons; diminished functioning
         1. Greater in areas controlling sensory and motor activities
      2. harmful changes in tissues supporting neurons
      3. Brain weight and volume decrease over adult years
      4. Senile Plaques

         Nota:

         • hard areas in the tissue surrounding neurons that may interfere with neuronal functioning and seen in abundance in people with Alzheimer's disease
         1. Process info. slower
         2. Middle age brings greater integration of the left and right hemispheres of the brain
      5. Can avoid brain degeneration by remaining intellectually and physically active

1. Growth in head to tail direction

1. growth from the center outward to the extrmities
   1. E.g: muscle growth

1. Global development towards increasing differentiation and hierarchical integration
   1. E.g: Development from a cell to an organism

1. Health is multidimensional
   1. Development involves gains and losses
      1. Occurs in a sociohistorical context and is influenced by it; esp. socioeconomic status