Prefrontal Cortex Summary

inhibitory control, processing speed, working memory and decision-making continues to develop during adolescence… [and] developments in performance are linked to the pruning and myelination processes occurring … in the frontal cortex (Blakemore, 2006, p. 301). The prefrontal cortex, which covers the anterior portion of the frontal lobe, has been associated with both awareness and theory of mind, which are two very important functions that are necessary for effective social communication (Blakemore,

ARTICLE SUMMARIES 1. Anda, R.F., Felitti, V.J., Bremner, J.D., Walker, J.D., Whitfield, C., Perry, B.D., Dube, S.R. & Giles, W.H. (2006). The enduring effects of abuse and related adverse experiences in childhood: A convergence of evidence from neurobiology and epidemiology. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience. 256: 174-186. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are defined as childhood exposure to violence, danger, neglect, and/or abuse. Exposure to ACEs can result in architectural

Overview of the Main Topic In the article, “Are the Brains of Reckless Teens More Mature Than Those of Their Prudent Peers?”, Epstein and Ong (2009) investigated the relationship between brain maturity and adolescent risk-taking. They challenged the traditional view that adolescent risk-takers had underdeveloped brains. Contrary to the traditional view, recent brain-imaging data showed white matter that resembled those of adults. This provided support for the new claim that adolescent risk-takers

The first of the Four Noble Truths in Buddhism is that life as we know it is unsatisfactory. Life is filled with suffering; there is pain, old age, sickness and death. Nothing in the world is permanent, or able to provide substantial satisfaction. This might seem like a very cynical outlook, but the three remaining truths explain the cause of suffering and how it can be overcome. In Buddhist doctrine, the key to overcoming suffering is to follow the Noble Eightfold Path. The first step of the Eightfold

ARTICLE SUMMARY 1. The major research question was if corporal punishment affects development by altering (reducing) gray matter volume (GMV). The popular article shows the intent of this research by emphasizing the fact that they wanted to see the other negative internal effects of corporal punishment. By stating that researchers wanted to see how corporal punishment affects the brain but “not only in an “I’m traumatized” kind of way,” the author shows that the research was geared at possibly creating

“many parents and teachers complain about the short attention spans of their kids; but those same kids seem to have more than adequate attention spans when it comes to gaming” (249). This is one common method of encouraging children to learn and to also stay focused while they learn. However, in essence, online gaming is still filled with many distractions, which can significantly alter the brains of the users, causing them to think more fragmented and non-linearly. As mentioned by Carr before, similarly

Mindfulness Meditation and The Reduction of Anxiety Mindfulness meditation is a form of meditation that has been prevalent for thousands of years, and is only becoming increasingly more popular. “Over the past decade, neuroscientists like myself have become increasingly interested in studying how meditation affects the brain and body. The number of studies conducted per year in this new field of contemplative science is rising exponentially, with more than 200 studies published last year alone,”

Pat Galagan, author of Technology and The Interrupted Brain seeks out a professional to explain this. Dan Willingham, professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia states, “Data from the last thirty years leads to a conclusion that is not scientifically challengeable: thinking well requires knowing facts, and that 's true not only because you need something to think about. The very processes that teachers care about most—critical thinking processes such as reasoning and problem solving—are

Brain activity associated with meditation has been pinpointed to the left prefrontal cortex, the area behind the left forehead. Mental practice is having an effect on the brain the same way a sport can enhance performance. The brain is capable of being trained or changed. (Kaufman 1) Even Neuroscience is encouraging this new way

children and adolescents. The authors were also interested in adding support to the existing theory that the prefrontal areas of the brain meditate prospective memory. (Ward et al., 2005) The authors were, for the purposes of this study, assuming that the brain’s prefrontal regions are involved in prospective memory. The authors theorized that younger children, with or without TBI, whose prefrontal regions are not fully developed, should perform poorly on prospective tasks. It was also