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Mechanisms of postnatal neurobiological development: implications for human development
S J Webb1, C S Monk, C A Nelson
1Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455, USA.
Developmental Neuropsychology
|September 4, 2001
Summary
This review details postnatal neuroanatomical changes in early human life, highlighting genetic and epigenetic control of early development and environmental influences on later cortical reorganization.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Human Anatomy
Background:
- Human brain development involves two major organizational periods.
- Early development (conception onwards) includes histogenesis like neurulation, proliferation, migration, and differentiation.
- Later development involves significant cortical reorganization influenced by genetic, epigenetic, and external factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review postnatal neuroanatomical changes in the first years of human life.
- To elucidate the roles of endogenous and exogenous signals in neural maturation.
- To illustrate progressive and regressive events in human cortical development.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on neurodevelopment.
- Analysis of key neuroanatomical changes during gestation and postnatal life.
- Case examples focusing on human cortical development.
Main Results:
- Postnatal development is characterized by significant cortical reorganization.
- Neural maturation is influenced by both genetic/epigenetic factors and external stimuli.
- Key processes include dendritic/axonal growth, synaptogenesis, synaptic pruning, and neurotransmitter sensitivity changes.
Conclusions:
- Postnatal neurodevelopment is a dynamic process extending into the second decade of life.
- External signals play a crucial role in refining neural structures postnatally.
- Understanding these changes is vital for comprehending human cognitive development.