Glossary of Terms

This section provides definitions for some of the key terms related to the brain and early childhood development. To find the definition of a particular word, use the alphabet key (below) to navigate to that section of the alphabet.

— A —

 

Adrenaline –

non-technical term for hormone epinephrine (see definition for epinephrine)

Amygdala –

part of limbic system in the brain; responsible for receiving and integrating emotions and emotional information

 

Arachidonic acid (ARA)–

fatty acid, or lipid substance, found in breast milk and in brain tissue

 

Atrophy –

wasting away or failure of a body part to develop

Attachment –

the formation of a close emotional bond between infants and the adults who regularly care for them

Axon –

the neuron's long fiber that carries impulses away from the cell to other neurons

top

 — B —

 

Brain –

the organ that controls all of our bodily processes, including basic functions such as breathing and digestion, automatic processes such as reflexes, and conscious processes such as thinking, language, memory, movements and coordination

Brain stem –

one of the four major parts of the brain, it monitors basic, vital functions such as heartbeat, body temperature, and digestion. The brain stem is the first part of the brain to develop.

 — C —

Cell body –

the command center of the neuron that makes decisions about whether or not to send electrical impulses to other neurons

Cerebellum–

one of four major parts of the brain, it controls automatic and reflexive actions, such as a newborn’s sucking. The cerebellum develops after the brain stem, but before the parts of the brain responsible for conscious thought and action.

Cerebral cortex–

one of four major parts of the brain, it controls most of our conscious, voluntary actions. The cerebral cortex is the last part of the brain to finish developing, and development is not complete until the mid 20s.

 

 

Connection–

linkage of one nerve cell to other nerve cells across a microscopic space in which chemicals act to move impulses or messages among nerve cells

Consistency–

creating a positive environment for a young child that is predictable, orderly, and has routines for necessary activities like meals and sleep, yet is flexible

 

Corpus callosum–

the band of fibers that connects the two hemispheres, allowing communication between the right and left sides of the brain

Cortisol –

a stress hormone that is released to help our bodies deal with threats

 — D — 

Dendrites –

the extensions of a neuron that receive impulses from nearby neurons

 

 

Docasahexaenoic acid (DHA) –

long-chain fatty acid found in breast milk and also in tissue in eye and brain

 

 — E —

 

Enzymes –

protein-based substance that acts as a catalyst to initiate or speed up specific chemical reactions in the body

Epinephrine –

hormone secreted by adrenal gland above kidney, that stimulates heart rate, strength and endurance; can be released in stressful situations; may be called adrenaline

 — F —

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome–

a complex of birth defects including cardiac or neural abnormalities and physical and mental growth retardation, occurring in an infant as a result of excess alcohol consumption by the mother during pregnancy

Frontal lobe–

the part of the brain located behind the forehead that is involved in critical thinking, problem solving, planning, reasoning, and decision making

 — G —

Gene –

unit on chromosomes by which hereditary characteristics are transmitted and determined

 

 — H —

 

Hippocampus –

part of the limbic system that processes emotions and memories

Hormone –

a substance produced by one tissue and conveyed by the bloodstream to another to effect physiological activity, such as growth

 — I —

Immune factors –

Components found in breast milk that promote brain development by providing protection from infections

 

Insecure attachment –

a bond formed between infant and adult that is lacking in consistency, responsiveness and full trust and may cause the infant to feel angry, anxious, distressed or conflicted

 

 — L —

 

Lead poisoning –

poisoning caused by the absorption of excess lead into the body; it can result in anemia; in young children the body tends to deposit excess amounts of lead in brain tissue where it can result in limitation of brain development and impaired cognitive development

Left hemisphere –

the half of the brain that processes specific details of a situation

Limbic system –

the structures of the brain that register and store emotional information

 

Lobe –

one of four sections or areas of the brain; each of the four lobes performs specific functions

 — M —

Medical home –

the concept of a team approach to providing high quality, cost effective health care that is accessible, continuous, available around the clock every day of the week, comprehensive, coordinated, family centered and respectful of culture of the family and patients served

Migration –

movement of neurons to pre-determined locations in the brain

Motor cortex –

band of fibers at the front of the parietal lobe that controls function of muscles that move the body

Myelin –

a fatty substance that surrounds and insulates a neuron's axon

Myelination –

the process of forming a coating or sheath of fatty substances known as  myelin on the axon of a neuron

 — N —

 

Neural pathway –

a series of synapses that form a network in the brain

Neuron –

the basic cell making up the brain and nervous system, which receives electrical impulses from other neurons and sends out those impulses through networks of connections

Neurochemicals –

chemicals formed in the body that transmit impulses or messages among brain cells 

Neurogenesis –

the process of forming neurons

Neuroscience –

the study of the nervous system and the brain

Neurotransmitter –

a chemical that carries information in the brain and affects communication between neurons

 

Nutrient –

substance in foods that is essential for and contributes in a specific way to growth; e.g. protein, vitamins, minerals; nutrients work together and the body needs a number of different nutrients for growth and health

Nutrient dense –

foods that contain a high proportion of nutrients in relation to calories or energy

— O —

Occipital Lobe –

part of the brain, located at the rear of the cerebrum, where vision is processed

 — P —

 

Parietal lobe –

part of the brain located on the crown of the head that processes sensory information for smell, taste and touch. An area at the front of the parietal lobe called the motor cortex is responsible for motor coordination.

Plasticity –

the ability of the brain to reorganize itself and form new pathways of connections to compensate for injury or disease

 

Positron Emission Tomography (PET scan) –

a brain imaging technology that generates a computerized image of the brain's structure and of the activity levels in various parts of the brain

 

 

Pruning –

the selective elimination or "weeding out" of non-essential synapses based on a child’s specific experiences

 — R —

Resiliency –

the ability to survive and thrive in the face of traumatic life experiences

Right hemisphere –

the half of the brain that synthesizes experiences by giving a general, overall impression of what is happening

 — S —  

 

Secure attachment –

a strong, positive bond between infant and adult

 

 

Sensitive period –

an optimal period for the development and pruning of connections in a particular part of the brain

Separation anxiety –

distress shown by securely attached infants when a parent leaves them

Shaken baby syndrome –

forceful shaking of an infant or young child, before protective brain coatings and structure have developed, that causes serious and permanent damage to brain cells or even death

 

 

 

Stranger anxiety –

behaviors such as clinging and crying in securely attached infants when a person they do not know enters the room

Stress –

the by-product of our perceived inability to cope with pressures, changes, demands and challenges

Stress response –

the heightened state of arousal that our body goes through when it perceives a threat

Stressor –

a condition or stimulus that causes stress to an organism

 

Synapse –

the microscopic gap between the axon of one neuron and the dendrite of another

Synapse formation –

the process of creating synapses, or connections, between neurons

Synaptic overproduction –

rapid formation in the first few years of more synapses or connections than are actually needed

Synaptogenesis –

the process of creating synapses, or connections, between neurons

 — T —

Temporal lobe –

part of the brain located above the ears that is responsible for hearing, speech, and some learning and memory

 

Toxin –

any of various poisonous compounds that may occur in air, soil, water, food, or materials, and cause certain diseases when they enter or come in contact with the body