About this ebook
The human brain does not develop in a vacuum according to a set of predetermined blueprints--it is involved in a dynamic interplay with the environment that influences gene expression and ultimately structure and function. Some cortical regions, such as the prefrontal cortex (PFC) undergo structural changes throughout the adolescent period and into early adulthood, making their structure and functions particularly interesting to study with respect to gene-environment interactions. Repeated exposure to stress is a predisposing factor in the emergence of various mental illnesses, such as anxiety and depression, although this is by no means an absolute relationship. While some people appear to be vulnerable to the effects of repeated stressors, others are resilient, and this individual variability is partly due to developmental programming of brain regions involved in modulating stress responding, such as the PFC. In the present book, we will discuss features of adolescent brain development that may provide a basis for neural plasticity in stress responding: the highly protracted development of the PFC, the profound change in interconnectedness among cortical and subcortical brain regions, and the characteristic 'rise and fall' pattern for many of the late-developing aspects of neural architecture in PFC and other stress-related brain regions.
The human brain does not develop in a vacuum according to a set of predetermined blueprints--it is involved in a dynamic interplay with the environment that influences gene expression and ultimately structure and function. Some cortical regions, such as the prefrontal cortex (PFC) undergo structu...
Discover more
Rate this ebook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
