The relationship between social, cognitive, and emotional development and the brain's structure and function.
Genetics: The study of how genes work to determine physical and behavioral traits.
Epigenetics: The study of how environmental factors can affect gene expression.
Neural Development: The process by which a fertilized egg develops into a fully formed embryo with functioning organs and systems, including the nervous system.
Brain Development: The process by which the brain develops, including the formation of neurons, synapses, and neural networks.
Neuroplasticity: The brain's ability to reorganize itself in response to changes in the environment, learning, or injury.
Neurotransmitters: Chemical messengers that relay signals between neurons in the nervous system.
Hormones: Chemical messengers that regulate growth, development, and behavior.
Sensory Development: The ability to perceive and interpret sensory information, including vision, hearing, touch, taste, and smell.
Motor Development: The ability to control voluntary movements, including crawling, walking, and running.
Language Development: The acquisition of language skills, including understanding, speaking, reading, and writing.
Cognitive Development: The process of mental growth and maturation, including attention, memory, problem-solving, and reasoning.
Social Development: The ability to form relationships, communicate, and interact with others, including attachment, empathy, and social skills.
Emotional Development: The ability to identify, understand and manage emotions, including self-awareness, self-regulation, and empathy.
Environmental Factors: The impact of the physical and social environment on neurobiological development, including nutrition, toxins, stress, and socioeconomic status.
Developmental Disorders: Abnormalities or delays in neurobiological development, including Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADHD, and Learning Disabilities.
Prenatal development: The development of the brain and nervous system during conception, gestation, and birth.
Infancy: The period from birth to 2 years old, where a child's brain undergoes rapid development.
Early childhood: The period from 2 to 6 years old, where a child's language, social, and cognitive skills develop rapidly.
Middle childhood: The period from 6 to 11 years old, where a child's cognitive abilities continue to develop, and social and emotional development becomes more complex.
Adolescence: The period from 11 to 18 years old, where the brain undergoes significant changes, including increased sensitivities to rewards and social pressure.
Adulthood: The period from young adulthood to old age, where the brain undergoes some structural and functional changes but generally remains stable.