Publisher's Synopsis
The last two decades have witnessed an explosion of research on the capacities and competencies of human newborns and the range of influences which are important to their later functioning. This book explores the relationship between neurological and psychological development and brings together a range of material from several related disciplines in order to illustrate current thinking about brain development and function.;The environments the authors consider range from the uterus through the maternal body (and the effects of stress, maternal disorders, emotional states, nutrition and hormones) to the external environment (of drugs, disease, malnutrition and various teratogens) and more general experiences which influence the fine tuning of the brain. Development is seen not as a simple linear progression but as a process of acquiring, shedding and adapting functions as new organs, functions and systems emerge during the pre- and perinatal period. And, the authors stress, it occurs at both a behavioural and physiological level where behaviour and environment affect each other during this process.;Although it is still difficult to pinpoint direct links between early experience and later development and brain structure and function, "The Developing Brain" offers a picture of the last ten years of research in the applied neuroscience. In particular, it highlights the changes in our concept of the brain's workings - especially in terms of neural growth and plasticity and the impact of various extraneous factors on the course of its development.
