Watch Him Roll! Baby Edward's Amazing Brain

www.npr.org...

Edward is forming ten, twenty thousand new connections every second.

All of us, not just Edward, form more connections than we need. Then, later on, (different regions of the brain do this at different times, but it goes on into our teen years) there's a strange reversal. Millions of connections start to die. Why does this happen? Why do babies have a sudden burst of synaptic exuberance around Edward's age and then start losing the connections?

This is still something of a mystery says Dr. Harry Chugani at Wayne State University in Detroit.

Why does a child's brain demand twice the energy of an adult's brain? Why do some areas in the brain mature before others? And what about one of the most fascinating aspects of brain development — the discovery that the brain produces "too much" of various neural elements and then eliminates the excess? In some ways, this is analogous to the sculptor who begins with more material than is required and then subtracts the excess material to obtain a desired form. Unlike the sculptor, however, who eventually achieves a final form, the brain is able to undergo some remodeling throughout life.

...This way, brain circuits are created and strengthened, in part, by whatever environment and experiences the baby encounters.

This allows for a fine-tuning of neuronal circuits, based on early exposure and environmental nurturing, that makes the neuronal architecture of each person unique.

What he's saying is babies go wild making connections and then, as we grow into our preferences, our personalities, life is like a scalpel. We slowly shed what we don't need or use or want.

Life is like a scalpel.

Look at this progression:


media.npr.org...




I wonder what my brain looks like.

This is disgracefull,i just watched that video and im shocked, babies should never be given amphetamines!



But seriously,good find S+F!

Originally posted by lektrofellon
This is disgracefull,i just watched that video and im shocked, babies should never be given amphetamines!

But seriously,good find S+F!

edit on 13/1/11 by lektrofellon because: (no reason given)

LOL, I wish I had all that energy, it is a shame we don't remember when we were so full of vim and vigor.

I never could get enough of watching my kids play when they were babies.

reply to post by Stormdancer777

LOL, I wish I had all that energy, it is a shame we don't remember when we were so full of vim and vigor.

I never could get enough of watching my kids play when they were babies.

Same here!

And great find! It seems that many babies these days are NOT getting enough floor/exploration time because both parents are working, and other caregivers want to "restrain" them in many ways...

This, coupled with the "Back To Sleep" measures to hopefully, supposedly, prevent SIDS, is producing a lot of children with *flat* back-part of their heads....

One can only imagine what that must do to brain development

The brain is a learning machine. As it grows many connections are made to explore the environment and link up all the sensors with our awareness. Through trial and error some connections are reinforced while others fade away. By the time we have learnt to walk and talk many of the core brain functions have been established. To help in this process rewarding good behaviour helps strengthen the good connections and punishing bad behaviour helps with removing the bad connections. Studying the operations and processes of neural networks can further help in this understanding.

reply to post by sonjah1

One can only imagine what that must do to brain development

I think there has been some research done on that.

But this little fellow looks like he is going to be a real spitfire,

Originally posted by kwakakev
The brain is a learning machine. As it grows many connections are made to explore the environment and link up all the sensors with our awareness. Through trial and error some connections are reinforced while others fade away. By the time we have learnt to walk and talk many of the core brain functions have been established. To help in this process rewarding good behaviour helps strengthen the good connections and punishing bad behaviour helps with removing the bad connections. Studying the operations and processes of neural networks can further help in this understanding.

I see, TY for sharing.