Brain Cells in Embryos, Fetus, Infants, Young Children

There is a four-years period of potential growth, lasting from conception until around the third birthday which is the most critical period for human development (Porter, 2003). Maria Montessori called thisLa mente del bambino or the time of the absorbent mind. The brain is composed basically of two types of cells - the neurons which are the nerve cells, and the glial cells, which are the supportive cells. Information is integrated in the cell bodies of the neurons, and travels as an electrochemical impulse along the axon, where the cell processes known as dendrites synapse with another nerve cell or an effector cell, e.g. a muscle or gland cell. At the synapse, neurotransmitters (neurochemicals) may diffuse across the synaptic cleft and information is communicated to the next cell in the chain. Some of the neurochemical is broken down by enzymes in the synapses, and some is taken up again by the cells which released it, and these mechanisms limit the nerve action.

Glial cells give support to the neurons, help degrade dead neurons, and oligodendroglial cells produce the myelin which insulates most nerve fibers to improve conductivity.

Brain waves have been recorded from human embryos as young as 40 days after fertilization (Human, 2004). Human embryos at five weeks gestational age can move away from an object touching the mouth area, and a British study found that the embryo's movements begin at the same time as sensory nerves begin to grow into the spinal cord in

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to normal brain development because uninterrupted physiological rest is needed for it to process all it has experienced during the day (Porter, 2003). Children between birth and age 12 who do not get sufficient sleep do poorly on extended performance testing, creativity, and higher level problem-solving. Newborn babies have a curled up appearance, and as they adjust to life outside the womb, they begin to stretch and move (Baby, 2004). The newborn holds its hands in closed fists, and has a strong grasp reaction, but begins to open the hands around two months of age. Babies at four weeks of age can store abstract mental representations of objects and can imitate facial expressions (Eliot, 1999, 407). At two months, the baby also develops a smile in response to other smiling faces (Baby, 2004). At this stage, they can also visually track moving objects. Head control is established by two months, and by three months, a baby placed on its stomach can raise its head and chest, and will be able to grasp a toy at this age. At four months of age, the baby's hands should be loosely open and it should be reaching for toys; by six months the baby should be able to switch the toy from hand to hand and hold items such as its bottl

Category: Medical - B