Myth: our brains don’t change much from
Professor Elizabeth Spelke, a cognitive psychologist
birth. We only lose brain cells as we
at the Laboratory for Developmental Studies at
Harvard University’s Department of Psychology, has
get older . . . discovered, through neuroscientific studies, that even UP SHOT
babies as young as 3 months old react to pattern and
Over the past 20 to 30 years, a wealth of new
simple mathematical sequences.
scientific research has proven wrong the belief that
the creation of new brain cells only occurred before And, whilst there remains disagreement amongst
or soon after birth. experts as to whether we are born programmed with
“THE DAILY CHEMISTRY OF OUR BRAIN ADDS GREAT
COMPLEXITY TO THE QUESTION: HOW DOES OUR
BRAIN LEARN? HOW WE FEEL, ACT AND THINK ARE
LINKED TO LEARNING AND MEMORY WHICH, IN
TURN, ARE INFLUENCED BY THE CHEMICALS RELEASED”
It will be interesting to see in the 21st Century how this knowledge or learn extraordinarily quickly, what
many more of our long-held beliefs have to be is evident is that young children are capable of much
re-evaluated. Whilst we still have a long way to go in more than we previously thought.
order to understand the complexities of our brains,
what we know already can be put to good use,
The question now is how to unlock this potential?
particularly when bringing up children.
With knowledge of the basic functions of the brain
and a few simple strategies, the most startling
improvements can occur in children’s learning too.
It is now possible to scan a brain and
see where areas of new growth of
Eric Jensen, one of America’s foremost pioneers of
“brain-based learning” and author of a number of best
brain cells are actually occurring
selling books focusing on how the findings of
neuroscience can help us be better learners and
Neuroscience was in its infancy less than 50 years
teachers, explains how simple it is for non-scientists
ago but, from the 1990s, due to incredible technical
such as teachers and parents to make a real difference.
advances such as MRI scanners and focused
research projects, we have learnt huge amounts of
Brain Chemistry and Behaviour
information about the physical processes of the brain.
There are drugs that can supposedly help us have
Much of this research has been sponsored by better memories or attention spans but these remain
pharmaceutical companies but the findings can be in the early stages of development and why look for
used by scientists, psychologists, educators and synthetic solutions when these very studies of the
parents alike, informing our understanding of the way brain can give us the tools to enable our brains to
children and adults learn. function much more successfully.
The recent research has included studies into the In his book, ‘Teaching with the brain in mind’,
brain functions of not only babies and children but Jensen says: “The daily chemistry of our brain adds
healthy adults, the elderly and those who are great complexity to the question: How does our
terminally ill and it is now possible to scan a brain brain learn?”
and see where areas of new growth of brain cells are
actually occurring.
Our behaviour is strongly affected by chemicals in
S
the brain. How we feel, act and think are linked
intrinsically to learning and memory which, in turn,
The findings of neuroscience can help are influenced by the chemicals released. They are
us be better learners and teachers
also the key influence on attention without which it is
impossible to access and retain knowledge.
The findings are fascinating; revealing that the brain
Among dozens of chemicals that affect our state of
constantly changes and adapts to different
mind and body are a number of chemicals that are
experiences and environments. For example,
responsible for certain responses in the brain which
neurogenesis (the creation of new neurons or brain
can either help or prohibit learning.
cells) is triggered when stimulated at whatever age.
n all
Conversely it can also be damaged by something as
simple as stress. continued on page 10
P. 9
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