Brain Development: Early Childhood

Slide 1 of 13: Synopsis

Human Development Video Activity
true
true
You must read each slide, and complete any questions on the slide, in sequence.
corpus callosum
The wide band of nerve fibers connecting the left and right sides of the brain for transferring motor, sensory and cognitive information.
cerebral cortex
The folded outer layers of the brain covering the cerebrum that are critically involved in many complex functions, such as memory, attention, perceptual awareness, thought, language, and consciousness.
dendrite
Slender projections of the nerve cell body that receive electrical impulses from adjacent neurons.
metabolism
All the physical and chemical processes that create or use energy for the body, such as breathing, digestion, regulating body temperature.
myelination
The growth of myelin on nerve cells. The myelin coating allows nerve impulses to travel faster.
neuron
A nerve cell that receives and communicates information throughout the body as part of the central nervous system.
prefrontal cortex
The part of the brain at the front of the frontal lobe just behind the forehead. It is responsible for executive functioning, such as decision-making, reasoning, planning, impulse control, and prioritizing tasks.
synapse
The microscopic gap across which the axon of a neuron can transfer an electrical impulse to the dendrites of an adjacent neuron.
A close-up of the head of a fetus in the womb

Author

S. Stavros Valenti, Hofstra University

Synopsis

In this activity, you will observe illustrations and animations of critical brain development during early childhood (ages 2 through 6), including myelination and a process known as hemispheric lateralization, which is the developing coordination of the left and right hemispheres of the brain. The activity ends with a discussion of the impact of these brain developments on children’s growth and maturity during early childhood.