THE YOUNG BRAIN

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THE YOUNG BRAIN
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Some common myths
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MYTH 1

• There are brain centres for functions

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The Story of Phineas Gage.
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Matching brain regions to functions

• Any one function is divided up between many brain
  regions
• Any brain region participates in more than one
  function

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MYTH 2

• There are brain centres for functions
• We only use 10 of our brains

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MYTH 3

• There are brain centres for functions
• We only use 10 of our brains
• All brains are the same

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MYTH 4

• There are brain centres for functions
• We only use 10 of our brains
• All brains are the same
• The RHS is female, the LHS, male

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INDIVIDUALITY 3 BIG QUESTIONS
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MYTH 5

• There are brain centres for functions
• We only use 10 of our brains
• All brains are the same
• The RHS is female, the LHS, male
• There is a clear distinction between nature vs
  nurture

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A SELF-OPENING UMBRELLA.
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Number of genes in body 30,000 Number of
connections in brain 1,000,000,000,000,000
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LEVELS OF BRAIN ORGANISATION

• Consciousness
• Dysfunctions e.g. schizophrenia, depression
• Functions e.g. memory, vision
• Sub functions e.g. colour/form/motion
  processing
• Brain regions
• Large scale assemblies
• Isolated neuronal circuits
• Neuronal connections (synapses)
• Components of synapse e.g. receptor ion
  channels
• Genes

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AN EXAMPLE OF NURTURE TRUMPING NATURE

• Performance of mice with aberrant gene for
  Huntingtons Chorea can be protected by
  environmental stimulation

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Van Praag et al., 2000, Nature Rev. Neurosci.
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Environmental enrichment delays the onset of
disease
Standard housing
Enriched housing
Van Dellen et al., 2000, Nature
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Future possibilities for molecular biology?

• Cloning organs
• Cloning individuals
• Designer babies
• A minimal, SYNTHETIC genome

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MOLECULAR BIOLOGY A SPECTRUM OF ACCEPTABILITY
Eugenics

Genetic screening
Eventual eradication of certain genetic
disorders e.g. cystic fibrosis
Huntingtons Chorea
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CAUTION!

• There is no one-to-one relation between a single
  gene and
• a complex mental
• trait

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CONNECTIONS between neurons are all important
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WHAT IS A MIND?

• You are born with almost all your brain cells
• The growth of connections between cells
  accounts for
• growth of brain after birth
• These connections reflect experience
• In turn, configuration of connections influence
• further perceptions
• Neuronal connections remain highly dynamic

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THE MIND IS THE PERSONALISATION OF THE BRAIN
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FLUID INTELLIGENCE
CRYSTALLINE INTELLIGENCE
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What will happen in the future?
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Influences on the Young Brain

• Mind-set

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Influences on the Young Brain

• Mind-set
• IT

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CLONING THROUGH NURTURE, NOT NATURE?
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THE FUTURE Longer term

• Brain (carbon) to Chip (silicon)

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THE FUTURE Longer term

• Brain (carbon) to Chip (silicon)
• Chip to brain

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The neurochip?
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PEOPLE OF THE SCREEN, VERSUS PEOPLE OF THE BOOK.
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SCREEN CULTURE IS A WORLD OF CONSTANT FLUX, OF
ENDLESS SOUND BITES, QUICK CUTS AND HALF BAKED
IDEAS. IT IS A FLOW OF GOSSIP TIDBITS, NEWS
HEADLINES AND FLOATING FIRST IMPRESSIONS. NOTIONS
DONT STAND ALONE BUT ARE MASSIVELY INTERLINKED
TO EVERYTHING ELSE TRUTH IS NOT DELIVERED BY
AUTHORS AND AUTHORITIES BUT IS ASSEMBLED BY THE
AUDIENCE. Kevin Kelly, Journalist.
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What is the future for the young mind?

• Reading and writing obsolete
• All facts accessible to everyone
• Screen vs Book mentality
• Direct monitoring of brain adaptions merging with
  direct interception
• Experience rather than learning

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STIMULATE AND SIMULATE HERE-AND-NOW EXPERIENCE
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Influences on the Young Brain

• Mind-set
• IT
• Drugs

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Blowing/losing/being out of your mind.

• .could be literally what you are doing!

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Influences on the Young Brain

• Mind-set
• IT
• Drugs
• Stimulation?

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