Tuesday, 18 June 2013
Proteins That Guide the Wiring of the Brain
The human brain has millions of times more connections between its neurons than the number of genes (roughly 20 000 to 25 000) in the DNA of these cells. And yet, when the brain is developing, the tips of the axons of its growing neurons act like veritable homing devices, successfully seeking out their specific targets in the complex molecular soup that constitutes the extracellular environment.
Scientists have long known that these targets produce molecules that are detected by receptors on the axons’ growth cones and guide them to their targets. But only recently did a team at the Salk Institute in California discover how just a handful of genes enable the guidance processes by which the brain’s complex wiring is established. (more…)
How the Mind Develops | Comments Closed
Monday, 15 April 2013
The Harmful Effects of Television on Young Children
First of all, I want to say a very big “Thank you” to everyone who has already sent in a donation to help fund our web site. In one week, we have already raised $1750, which is almost enough to pay for all of the basic upkeep on this site for our current fiscal year (April 2013 to March 2014)! This is a very encouraging start. Please pass the word to anyone else you know who enjoys this site and may want to give us some financial support.
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Just to get a few minutes to breathe, tired parents can be strongly tempted to sit their kids down in front of the television. But a joint study by Quebec’s Sainte Justine university hospital and the University of Michigan, published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, should convince anyone that this is a bad idea. This study showed that the more time children spent in front of the television at ages 2 and 4, the more problems they had in school and the more unhealthy habits they had acquired by age 10. (more…)
How the Mind Develops | 2 comments »
