| Development of the Brain -
Effects and AffectsThe human brain is a marvelously simple and complex
organ. Simple because at
the highest levels, it has but one function - survival. The brain acts
to sense, process, perceive,
store and act on information to promote your survival. It does this
by using two main parts of
the brain. Survival functions are mediated by the "lower"
parts of the brain while the most
complex functions like abstract thinking happen in its most complex
cortical structures.
Brain development is characterized by sequential development and "sensitivity"
from the brainstem
to cortex.
Use dependent development and the resulting organization of the brain
are stored reflections of the
collective experiences of the developing child. Use-Dependent Organization
means that the brain
develops capabilities suited for the environment in which it is growing.
Children reflect the world in
which they are raised. These various brain areas develop, organize
and become fully functional at
different stages during childhood. Birth- brainstem capabilities: cortical
function absent. Any brain
area or system, once organized, is less sensitive to experience - less
likely to change - less plastic.
The mature organization and functional capabilities of each of the
hundreds of systems and areas
of the brain reflect some aspect of the quantity, quality, and pattern
of sensory experience
present during the critical organizational periods of development.
Structural organization and functional capabilities of the mature brain
develop throughout life, with the
vast majority of the critical structural organization taking place
in childhood
It is of critical importance that we understand that, by age 3, the
vast majority of the brain has
been organized. 3 year old brain is 90% adult size, body is 15% adult
size. The vast majority
of brain development takes place in the first few years of life.
By birth the final number of cells is roughly the same as in the mature
brain Over the three
years following birth the process of maturation of cells takes place.
Each neuron's unique
structure, biochemical and functional character is a function of its
unique environmental history -
the specific pattern, timing, and quality of these microenvironmental
cues.
Catacholamine (NE, Da) cues during development are important in determining
critical
functional properties of mature brain cells. Alterations in the pattern,
timing, and quantity
of these cues will result in altered development of the functions mediated
by these systems.
The earlier and more pervasive the trauma, the more neurodevelopment
will be disrupted.
Prenatal or maternal stress has significant impact on neurodevelopment
Alterations in brain
development which persist into adolescence and adult-hood, impact all
aspects of emotional,
cognitive and behavioral functioning.
Myth: Children are "resilient", they bounce back from
whatever is going on.
Fact: Children are NOT resilient, they are MALLEABLE The functional
capabilities of the
central nervous system mediating stress in the adult are determined
by the nature of the stress
experiences during the development of these systems, i.e., in utero,
during infancy, and during
childhood.
Research shows:
•Exposure to unpredictable, inconsistent stress resulted in deficits
in the systems
•Exposure to predictable stress resulted in improved or superior behavior
- resiliency.
•Elements of predictability and some element of control make stress
less destructive.
What we know Early parental loss (a trauma), accompanied by the lack
of a supportive
relationship subsequent to the loss, is related to the development
of adult psychopathology.
Developmental stress may be the primary etiological factor in the development
of borderline
personality disorders, depressive disorders, disassociative disorders
and others (ADHD ie).
The degree of brain plasticity is related to two main factors - stage
of development and area
or system of the brain. Once an area is organized, it is less responsive
to the environment,
less plastic. You can "change your mind" but you can't --
Once the brain has organized, the
lower (survival portion) system is less likely to change.
Brain's Response to Threat
Prime directive of brain is to promote survival and procreation. Cognitive,
emotional, social,
behavioral and physiological residue of a trauma may impact an individual
for a lifetime. In
order for any experience, traumatic or not, to become part of memory,
it must be "sensed",
perceived by the individual.
"Sensing" Information The five senses transform forms of
energy from the external world
(light, sound etc) into patterned activity of sensory neurons. The
first "stop" of this input is
the lower, survival oriented brainstem and midbrain. This input is
matched against previously
stored patterns and, if unknown, or if associated with previous trauma,
begins an alarm response.
A cascade of activity is initiated in these primitive areas which moves
"up" for review in other areas.
This allows the individual to act in a near- reflexive fashion to survive
well before the information is
interpreted by the cortex. A complex pattern of sensory brain cell
activity associated with a specific
visual image, or specific smell or sound make connections with networks
in these levels of the brain.
So, What is Produced? Neuronal systems alter themselves in a "use-dependent"
way in response
to repetitive activation in this diverse set of brain systems - resulting
in a set of patterns of neuronal
networks solidly in place. We call these solid patterns of input MEMORIES.
SURVIVAL These "state" memories, memories of previous
patterns of sensory input which were
connected with bad experience - produce an automatic response for survival.
For example: Sight
- Sound - Smell of something that "reminds" the brain of
previous threat will elicit an immediate
fight of flight response, without thinking.
Memories/Behavior In persons exposed to chronic abuse or neglect
or trauma early in life,
they will have little insight of how the anxiety, impulsivity, social
and emotional distress they
suffer are related to the brain's creation of 'memories' during previous
traumatic experiences.
Examples Somatosensory pattern of developing brainstem and maternal
heartbeat. Oropharangeal
motor patterns: Eye contact, touch, cooing, social intimacy, calm,
safety Disruptions of this 'bath'
can result in abnormal eating patterns and difficult relationship formation.
WHAT ABOUT GENETICS?
We inherit half our genes from Mom and half from Dad, we don't get a choice.
The genes
decide the levels of chemistries. If our parents were under prolonged
or extreme stress then
via their DNA - We can inherit deficiencies of chemistry necessary
to feel calm, feel complete,
sense pleasure, be stable, etc. We begin life with what we are given
and the environment
alters that.
CONCLUSIONS
The brain's primary function is to keep you alive. Early childhood
experience formats the
brain for adolescence and adulthood. Behaviors described as "ADHD"
may be present
because the brain is hypervigilent and focused on survival cues. Many
anxiety syndromes may
represent a maladaptive generalized activation of alarm response, with
symptoms representing
exaggerations of originally adaptive and appropriate functions. These
"sensitized" networks
communicate with feeling and thinking areas for perception and interpretation
and result in
altered perception and interpretation due to stored sensitized configuration.
Children with
these altered and sensitized systems tell us they "were just defending
themselves" when
aggressive. They have a persisting state of fear. Frequently (mis)diagnosed
ADD/HD
Frequently mislabeled learning disordered, tend to focus on non-verbal
cues and are
consumed by hyper-vigilance.
The Brain and Its Functions
Cerebral cortex
The cerebral cortex utilizes multiple neurotransmitters for its complicated
job. Principle among these are Dopamine and Serotonin.
Dopamine works in the areas that produce our "social conscience"
and allows us to have feelings of remorse about negative
actions. When Dopamine is deficient in this area we find that we "just
don't seem to care what others think", we don't see a
need to follow societal rules, we may even become sociopathic. Persons
who have used chemical stimulants may find that
they "lose" the ability to have concern for others, have
no "social conscience". Dopamine also assists with concentration
efforts in the cerebral cortex and helps with focus. Dopamine is produced
from the amino acid L-phenylalanine in
our products.
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter in the cortex that is highly involved
with sensory input. Everything we see, hear, taste, touch
or smell initially involves Serotonin activity in the cerebral cortex.
When Serotonin is depleted for some reason we find
decreasing meaning to input from our five senses. Serotonin is produced
from 5-HTP in our products.
GABA activity in the cerebral cortex works
to keep things "in control", in context with reality.
GABA helps maintain a balanced firing of
neurons so that we are not overwhelmed by any one area or sense.
When GABA is deficient we find our "mind" (cerebral cortex)
racing from one thought to another making it
difficult to concentrate and make sense of things going on in our environment.
GABA is produced from
L-glutamine in our products.
Limbic
The "limbic area" of our brain contains highly concentrated
neurons which are involved with our many "feeling" states.
Here, again, Dopamine is involved in the areas that produce the feelings
of attachment, feelings of love, feelings
of pleasure from normal activities. When a deficiency of Dopamine occurs
here we find that we "care less" about
others, feel little pleasure in life. Some actually get to the point
they do NOT feel any attachment to anyone
including their own children. Again, Dopamine is produced by L-phenylalanine.
Serotonin in the limbic system helps to maintain a balance of emotions,
helping to avoid wide mood swings.
Deficiencies of this transmitter here may result in sudden unexplained
tears as well as sleep difficulties.
5-HTP helps to maintain Serotonin levels.
Opioid transmissions (enkephalin for instance) in the limbic area function
to inhibit various transmitters for a balance
that provides an internal sense of calm and completeness. These receptors
also work to raise pain threshold so
that the effect of painful injuries and experiences are lessened.
Lower Brain
Our "lower brain" is focused on our survival and maintaining
the systems which keep us breathing and our hearts
beating. Here Serotonin is working to bring sensory input to this area
where "memories" of threat are stored.
If new sensory input contains a threat to our survival and "lines
up with" previously stored patterns of input related
to threat then another transmitter, Norepinepherine, immediately begins
to prepare us to fight or run.
Norepinepherine (adrenalin) increases our heart rate, increases breathing,
enlarges our pupils, all preparing
us to face this threat in order to survive. Norepinepherine is produced
by the same L-phenylalanine in our
products.
To effectively produce neurotransmitters our brains (and bodies) require
various "support" nutrients such as
vitamin B-6, Folic acid, calcium and magnesium.
Summary
The information above discusses neurotransmitters and amino acids associated
with each area
of the brain, but how are these used? Why are these things important?
They are key to the communications
in the neural network of the nervous system. We are going to briefly
see how communications occur and
how these neurotransmitters and amino acids are involved. The neural
network is made of thousands
of communications cells called neurons.
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