Brain Science
Use the handout to record important information and definitions as you complete this section of the module.
Normal Brain Development
In order to understand how trauma impacts our students, it is imperative that we understand how our brain actually works.
Bremner (2006) explained that our brain normally "undergoes changes in structure and function across the lifespan from early childhood to late life" (para. 4).
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While most of our brain develops in utero, Bremner (2006) explained "there is an overall expansion of brain volume related to development of both gray matter and white matter structures" after birth (para. 5).
Thompson (2001) wrote that the following changes happen during childhood:
Language systems grow intensely until age 12 and then stop.
Mathematical brain systems grow very little until puberty.
A massive loss of brain tissue called gray matter occurs in the teenage years.
Those three areas greatly impact our role as educators.
Looking at area three, it is interesting to note that gray matter supports thinking and emotions. The brain cells and neural connections lost during the purge of gray matter are directly responsible for risk-taking and self control.
Bremner's (2006) research supports that the gray matter decreases as adolescents develop while white matter, which is linked to how fast the brain can send and receive signals, increases.
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You can see from the image above how the gray matter volume significantly decreases in a healthy brain from adolescence to 20 years of age (Tau & Peterson, 2009).
The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) on Brain Development
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Bremner (2006) explained the main parts of the brain affected by stress responses. The amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex are all impacted by traumatic stress and, as Bremner (2006) stated, the stress "can be associated with lasting changes in these brain areas" (para. 1).
Gunn (2021) stated trauma experienced during childhood impacts structural and chemical brain development in the following areas:
Fight or flight and anxiety (hormones)
Memory function and learning
Young people experiencing ACEs are living in a constant state of emergency (McInerney & McKlindon, 2014).
Flight or Flight and Anxiety:
Trauma causes cortisol and adrenaline, otherwise known as stress hormones, to stay present in the body even when there is not a stressful experience occurring. Gunn (2021) explained the constant presence of these hormones can damage the structure and chemistry of the brain, ultimately creating an underactive or overactive limbic system.
The limbic system, according to the Queensland Brain Institute (2019), is the part of the brain that controls our behavior and emotions. The limbic system is comprised of many parts. The two major structures in this system are the hippocampus, which helps us associate memories with our five senses and helps us navigate our world, and the amygdala, which "attaches emotional content to our memories" (Queensland Brain Institute, 2019, para. 6).
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Memory Function and Learning:
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In addition to the hippocampus and amygdala, Gunn (2021) wrote the constant presence of cortisol and adrenaline also impacts the prefrontal cortex in the brain. While the hippocampus is related to memory, the prefrontal cortex is directly connected to our executive functioning skills.
Gunn (2021) interviewed pediatric psychologist Dr. Elizabeth Studwell, who explained "Excess cortisol is toxic to the brain and primarily damages the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex...There becomes an overall decreased ability to process new information, objectively analyze complex data, and engage in memory consolidation" (para. 4).
When the development of the hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex is compromised, children can have trouble with emotional regulation and healthy relationships, as well (Gunn, 2021).