Neurobiology
Biology matters: ½ of genetic material directly/indirectly influences neural structures. Environment matters: experience influences quality and quantity of neural connections Experience can create structural changes in the brain
What brain concept is this related to?
Neuroplasticity
Brain development timeline
The process of how the human brain develops from prenatal to adolescence.
A newborn's brain has more than a trillion nerve cells. Neonatal reflexes help regulate the newborns sensory systems. Touch, taste and smell are developed at birth. Hearing is well developed as the child can recognize the parent’s voice from when in the womb.
First trimester: baby’s body begins to form Second trimester: baby’s muscles develop and grow. Their ears also begin to develop and they can hear mom’s heartbeat Third trimester: All of the baby’s organs have developed, and movement inside the womb increases
Critical period
From back to from
Reorganization and myelination in the prefrontal cortex continue until about age 20, improving information processing and strategic thinking. The impulse-control areas of the prefrontal cortex are among the last to mature, reaching full development around age 20.
If the behavior did not develop during that period, it would be impaired.
Starting with the brainstem and hindbrain. The cerebral cortex area of the forebrain being the least developed.
Middle childhood
Infant
New born
Prenatal
Adolescence
In newborns, the midbrain, pons, and medulla—older brain structures—are highly active and control basic reflexes like startling, grasping, and rooting. Activity in the amygdala, hippocampus, and cingulate cortex shows that newborns can form memories, feel emotions, and focus attention on their environment (Chugani, 2004).
Mom’s wellbeing is also extremely important.
There are significant physical and psychological changes to her body. Research have shown that prenatal stress could result in deficient brain development in infants.
Between six and nine months, growth and myelination in the frontal lobes, hippocampus, and cerebellum enhance brain function, providing the basis for more complex motor skills and improved learning ability.
Neural pathways are strengthened or exhausted based on experience. During middle childhood, the frontal lobes continue to develop, especially between ages five and seven, allowing better coordination among brain regions. This development supports more complex behaviors, such as attention control, planning, and self-reflection.
Neurobiology
Kristen Le
Created on October 26, 2025
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Transcript
Neurobiology
Biology matters: ½ of genetic material directly/indirectly influences neural structures. Environment matters: experience influences quality and quantity of neural connections Experience can create structural changes in the brain
What brain concept is this related to?
Neuroplasticity
Brain development timeline
The process of how the human brain develops from prenatal to adolescence.
A newborn's brain has more than a trillion nerve cells. Neonatal reflexes help regulate the newborns sensory systems. Touch, taste and smell are developed at birth. Hearing is well developed as the child can recognize the parent’s voice from when in the womb.
First trimester: baby’s body begins to form Second trimester: baby’s muscles develop and grow. Their ears also begin to develop and they can hear mom’s heartbeat Third trimester: All of the baby’s organs have developed, and movement inside the womb increases
Critical period
From back to from
Reorganization and myelination in the prefrontal cortex continue until about age 20, improving information processing and strategic thinking. The impulse-control areas of the prefrontal cortex are among the last to mature, reaching full development around age 20.
If the behavior did not develop during that period, it would be impaired.
Starting with the brainstem and hindbrain. The cerebral cortex area of the forebrain being the least developed.
Middle childhood
Infant
New born
Prenatal
Adolescence
In newborns, the midbrain, pons, and medulla—older brain structures—are highly active and control basic reflexes like startling, grasping, and rooting. Activity in the amygdala, hippocampus, and cingulate cortex shows that newborns can form memories, feel emotions, and focus attention on their environment (Chugani, 2004).
Mom’s wellbeing is also extremely important.
There are significant physical and psychological changes to her body. Research have shown that prenatal stress could result in deficient brain development in infants.
Between six and nine months, growth and myelination in the frontal lobes, hippocampus, and cerebellum enhance brain function, providing the basis for more complex motor skills and improved learning ability.
Neural pathways are strengthened or exhausted based on experience. During middle childhood, the frontal lobes continue to develop, especially between ages five and seven, allowing better coordination among brain regions. This development supports more complex behaviors, such as attention control, planning, and self-reflection.