The Council’s newest publications, these short pieces review intriguing new studies in neuroscience and the developmental and behavioral sciences, presenting in brief their key findings, methodologies, and potential implications for the integrated knowledge base on early childhood.
Neuroscience
The results of this study indicate that even exposure to low levels of alcohol during pregnancy can initiate a cascade of atypical development that results in distinct imbalances of excitation and inhibition during postnatal development and in the adult. This imbalance can be detrimental because the excitation and inhibition signals are critical for the maturation of brain circuits that control important functions.
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This study's findings have significant implications for developing more aggressive prevention and treatment strategies for women who contract influenza and other infections when pregnant, in order to avoid long-lasting disruptions in the brain chemistry of their babies.
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The findings of this study indicate that the maturation of brain architecture occurs in a highly similar fashion between typically developing children and those with ADHD, with a significant delay in those with the disorder. This delay also leads to a shift in when individuals with ADHD go through the process of pruning of nerve connections that is part of the normal maturation process during adolescence.
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This study shows that “normal” behavior during pregnancy is an important element in influencing the rates and patterns of fetal brain development. These findings have significant implications ensuring sound, healthy experiences for women during pregnancy.
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- Prenatal and Infant Exposure to an Environmental Pollutant Damages Brain Architecture and Plasticity
This study found that animals exposed to PCBs, an environmental pollutant, had impaired ability to recognize sounds of different frequencies, as well as impaired development of auditory circuits, a key mechanism for learning new skills.
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Observations of mice from birth through young adulthood showed that fetal exposure to alcohol alters the development of brain architecture and can disturb adult brain plasticity by impeding the survival of neurons produced in adulthood and impairing the brain’s ability to remodel itself later in life.
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This study found that the negative effects of early stress were mitigated by exposure to positive environments immediately after experiencing an impoverished environment, preventing rats from experiencing cognitive deficits and disrupted emotional behavior.
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A study of mice exposed to ultrasound waves showed that the more intense the exposure, the more neurons will be misplaced in the brain and the more likely they are to develop atypical connections.
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It was found that the hormone oxytocin, naturally produced by the mother just before birth to facilitate delivery, also protects the fetal brain from potential complications and well-known stressors that arise during birth, indicating that the maternal-fetal connection can have long-term impacts on health outcomes.
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This study found that predictable, repeated, intense stress during pregnancy was more disruptive and caused long-term increases in anxiety-like behavior in offspring when compared to the effects of milder and more random stressors.
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This study found that the presence of corticosterone in a part of the brain called the amygdala determined whether a normally painful experience was learned as an attractive or fearful event. It also identified a critical period of learning during which a specific experience is associated with later attraction or fear.
For information about commonly used terms in Council publications, see Definitions.
