Enjoy!
I found the section on brain development particularly interesting this week because of my background in the biological sciences as well as anthropology which looks at the institute of culture. I believe the world and its inhabitants are not governed by one of these elements solely but rather a beautiful combination of nature and nurture. This section looked at how the brain biologically (on a cellular level) functions and the reasons that people learn the way they do then how cultural context and stimuli play into these biological systems.
On a biological level, the brain is spurring new synapses (which fire and connect neuro-cognitive activity) up until the age of 3 years. Interestingly, children under the age of three create more synapses than they actually need. This is called blooming or more scientifically, synaptogenesis. It is believed that the brain uses this blooming method to allow the infant brain to incorporate any cultural context—any new experiences necessary to build knowledge. This reinforces why the first 3-5 years of a child’s life are so crucial and imprintable. In order to balance out this over-production of synapses, the brain goes through a sequential phase called pruning. It reduces the overabundance by strengthening some pathways (needed for cultural abilities) and weakens others. We can see here that nurture/cultural necessities are affecting the way the brain develops.
This nature and nurture synergy continues when we look at how the brain incorporates experience. A biological development where the brain adds and retracts synapses based off of species animalistic adaptations is called experience-expectant development. A second process takes place where synapses are depended on the experiences that children go through—called experience-dependent development. Several factors affect both of these developments including genetics, diet/malnutrition, disease, and social or familial issues. All cultures are set up to include experience-dependent development based on what they value. Otherwise, this knowledge would not inherently be learned by a child. For example, the Maasai of East Africa are thought to tend their cattle from a very early age because their life-concept and culture depend on it. I however do not need to know how to tend cattle to live my life here in America. It is not species attained knowledge. In America, schools exist in part to ensure the continuity of knowledge and skills that are essential to our culture and success of individuals within our culture—many of the skills taught in school (higher mathematics for example) are not develop in everyday life. These experiences and contexts help the brain develop. Research has shown that the brain forms different pathways depending on whether the experience requires long-term or short-term retention.
Lastly, physical demands of the body such as exercise and nutrition play a huge role in if and how the brain develops. As a health and fitness educator, this is the study I am most passionate about. Your entire body needs fuel to work—glucose is this fuel. Shortages of glucose, water, and/or other key nutrients such as iron, iodine, and Omega fatty acid chains 3 and 6 will severely dehydrate the brain’s ability to function and form properly.
Around the world, and especially in America there is a growing issue of obesity (coined globesity) largely due to two factors, diet and a lack of exercise. While I do not have the time in this paper to discuss the diet of obesity, exercise is often overlooked as an important element of education, adult and child health and growth. Our bodies are made to move. Exercise is crucial to maintain our health. In fact, studies show that aerobic exercise counteracts normal brain deterioration that occurs with age. When you exercise, fully oxygenated blood is pumped throughout the body and a process of vascularization occurs. This ensures a good blood supply to the brain and therefore glucose & other nutrients being fed to the brain. In addition, neuron and synapse development is promoted in a process by neurotrophins. This all contributes to the functioning and growth of a health brain.
Because this area is my passion I did a bit of extended research about the brain on cardiovascular exercise. While the body is pumping, sweating, huffing and puffing most people understand what is happening in the muscles. But few know what happens in the noggin. The body produces extra red blood cells which bathe the brain cells in oxygen and glucose, which they need to function. And, the more they get, the better they perform. It also sends hormones rushing to the brain which then combine with a chemical for growth and learning.
"Exercise has another vital role: It signals the release of several key hormones, including serotonin, the famed mood booster; dopamine, which affects learning and attention; and norepinephrine, which influences attention, perception, motivation, and arousal." The intensity of your cardio workout also makes a difference. Studies report that the more-demanding an exercise, the bigger spike in their brains' chemicals and hormones. For intense workouts these mood-boosting effects can last up to 12 hours post-workout! While the reason for this is not completely known, it is thought that exercise— known as a "positive" stress—effectively rewires the brain to help deal with less pleasant stresses.
During and after a workout, the body is already feeling great, but it receives more benefits: "exercise improves attention, memory, accuracy, and how quickly you process information, all of which helps you make smarter decisions," says Charles H. Hillman, Ph.D. It takes about 30 minutes of cardio three times a week (minimum) to experience these effects. This builds up the chemicals and hormones to have continued effects--which will leave you happier, stress-free, and mentally on top of your game long after your sweat session.
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