ex and it holds information. High levels of stress result in information taking a pathway through the thalamus and amygdala and moving to the cerebellum, causing creative and higher order thinking to be lost. This knowledge points out the importance of creating a stress-free environment for learning. The amygdala is involved in emotions and emotions are the bases of daily decision-making.
D'Arcangelo (1998) reported much of this type of research is done with animals such as rats and applied to humans, because they provide access to a piece of cerebral cortex for investigation. For example the changes in nerve cell structure can be observed when a rat is exposed to enriched or impoverished environments. In fact findings from this type of study have shown that the rat exposed to an enriched environment develops a thicker cortex due to increased interaction (D'Arcangelo, 1998).
Bruer (1998) reported on findings of brain-based research with regard to: the rapid development of neural connections or synapses early in a child's life, critical developmental periods, and the increased brain development due to enriched environments. Synapses are how the nerve impulse travels from neuron to neuron. It is not a new finding that the number of synapses changes during the lifespan. Newborns therefore have less synaptic densities than an adult, however they also form new synapses much more than adults do and by the age of four years the number of synapses will be at a peak that is 50 percent above an adult level (Bruer, 1998).
Bruer (1998) also reported that the known positive effects of an enriched environment on brain development are not new information. Studies with rats have demonstrated these effects. Studies have also shown that adult rats form new synapses when faced with enriched environments. Therefore is has been concluded that although an adult may not form new synapses at the same rate as a child, the adult is capa...