Brain Plasticity

Nelly A Risan
Departemen /SMF Ilmu Kesehatan Anak
 Definition
• Plasticity refer to change
• Plasticity is fundamental for development
• Brain development is a dynamic, adaptive
process. The capacity for brain adaptation is
evident from the earliest point in development.

 Studies of children with focal brain injury

illustrate the plasticity of the developing brain,
that is the ability to organize differently, to adapt.
The development of the brain reflects more than the simple
unfolding of a genetic blueprint but rather reflects a complex
dance of genetic and experiential factors that shape the
emerging brain.

Brains exposed to different environmental events such as

sensory stimuli, drugs, diet, hormones, or stress thus may
develop in very different ways.

Developing brain can be sculpted by a wide range of pre-

and postnatal factors.
 Children with Perinatal Focal Brain Injury

1. Single, unilateral focal lesion (mostly from strokes)

2. Normal or corrected to normal vision / audition.
3. IQ within normal range

From Moses, 1999

1. Brain development is DYNAMIC
-Continuously changing
(i.e., new synaptic connections, new memory…)

2. Change requires INTERACTION

-Intrinsic factors (Nature: gene expression)
-Extrinsic factors (Nurture: environment, experience,
learning)
 Stages of brain development
• Neurogenesis, gliogenesis: 6 wk – 5 mo
20 billion cells, 250 000 neuron/min
• Cell migration
• Cell differentiation
• Cell maturation (dendrite and axon growth)
• Synaptogenesis (formation of synapses)
• Cell death and synaptic pruning : epigenetic factors sculpted
the brain -- cortical thickness changes
• Myelogenesis (formation of myelin)
 Myelogenesis
• Normal adult function is attained only after myelination is
complete, which is after 18 years of age in regions such as the
prefrontal, posterior parietal, and anterior temporal cortex.
Cell migrate from subventricular zone
 Factors influencing brain development

• Sensory and motor experience

• Psychoactive drugs
• Gonadal hormones
• Parent-child relationships
• Peer relationships
• Stress
• Intestinal flora
• Diet
Two features of brain development
• 1. The cells lining the subventricular zone are stem cells that
remain active throughout life.
 
• 2. The dendrites and spines show remarkable plasticity in
response to experience and can form synapses in hours after
some experiences

Overproduction of synapses followed by synaptic pruning.

Although synaptic pruning is an important feature of brain development,
the brain does continue to form synapses throughout the lifetime, these
synapses are necessary for learning and memory processes.
 • Early Childhood
Stress
Influences
Developing Brain
Architecture

• Research on the biology of stress responding shows that

chronic, severe, and/or uncontrollable stressful experiences
disrupt developing brain architecture and can lead to stress
management systems that respond at lower thresholds
 Positive stress
• Moderate, short-lived stress responses, such as brief increases
in heart rate or mild changes in stress hormone levels.

• Precipitants include the challenges of meeting new people,

dealing with frustration, getting an immunization, or adult
limit-setting.

• An important and necessary aspect of healthy development,

especially when it occurs in the context of stable and supportive
relationships.
 Tolarable stress
• Stress responses that could disrupt brain architecture, but are
buffered by supportive relationships that facilitate adaptive
coping.

• Precipitants include death or serious illness of a loved one, a

frightening injury, or parent divorce.

• Generally occurs within a time-limited period, which gives the

brain an opportunity to recover from potentially damaging
effects.
 Toxic stress
• Strong and prolonged activation of the body’s stress
management systems in the absence of the buffering protection
of adult support.
• Precipitants include extreme poverty, physical or emotional abuse,
chronic and serious neglect, enduring maternal depression, family
violence.
• Disrupts brain architecture and leads to stress management
systems that respond at relatively lower thresholds, thereby
increasing the risk of stress-related physical and mental illness.
 Nature vs Nurture
NATURE
 Most of the information necessary to build a human brain is
latent within the genes.

 Development consists of a process of a maturationally–defined

unfolding or triggering of the information contained within the
genes.

 Deviation from that essential plan is an anomaly requiring

exceptional developmental mechanisms
NURTURE
 Most of the information that shapes the human mind comes
from the structure of the external world.

 Some experiences are common experience while others are

unique to the individual.

 Development is a process of progressive differentiation of

functionally equipotential cortical tissue.
 Alternative view

 BOTH Nature and Nurture matter.

 Neither is a sufficient account of the

development of brain-behavior relations.

 They influence one another -- they

INTERACT.
 Example of Nature and Nurture interaction
• Intrinsic cue  Nerve Growth Factor (NGF)

Extrinsic cue  Sensory stimulation (i.e., )

Neuronal Activity

Cells compete for NGF, the ones that activate first and most ---
make connections and get NGF, the others die.
TERIMAKASIH