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Period: to
From the Womb to the Tomb
This timeline will give a brief overview of human brain development from before birth, throughout the lifespan, and into normal, natural stages toward the end of life. -
The Brain Appears
The cella fold and create a tube that marks the beginning development of the brain and spinal cord; when this occurs, so does the production of neurons. -
Deveopment in the Womb
Over the next 8 months, the fetus grows at an astonishing rate. The brain is growing expoentially, at times producing 250,000 neurons per minute! By 5-6 months, the fetal brain has differentiated major bodily functions and the fetus has grown into a tiny human being. -
Birth
The fetus becomes an nfant who can breathe, move and feed on his or her own. This newborn is capable of seeing, smelling, tasting, hearing and touching, all of which are related to the developing brain. -
3 mos
The very young baby is capable of mirroring those around him or her. Smiling is a trait thought to be mimmiced by mirroring an adult. Mirroring in a young baby is a good indication that the brain is functioning normally. Also at this age, the baby will recognize a parent's voice and turn to the direction of bright colors and noises, a further indication of brain cognition. -
6 mos
The 6 mos old baby is developing both fine and gross motor skills and has begun to coordinate aquiring these skills on his or her own. Sitting up, crawling, and holding objects are all normal milestones for babies this age. -
9 mos
Facets of individual personality and temperment are starting to appear at this age, and clear communication is possible with tone of voice and body language. A baby this age will express distinct likes and dislikes and will begin to comprehend "object permanence." -
1 year
A 1-year old is capable of interacting with laughter and tears. Many are able to pronounce simple, important words. Motor skills are developed enough to prepare the baby for walking. The 1-year old will respond to his or her name and simple directions. -
The 3 year old
AT 3, the child is developing both gross and fine motor skills. They can run and jump, paly with and effectively manuever small or large toys on their own. They are developing the ability to interact socially with other children and adults. Most 3 year olds have a conversive vocabulary of 250+ words. -
The 6-yr old
The 6-yr old child is capable of reason, self-regulation and focus. Neurons ihave formed deep connections within the brain. This is the time when most children learn to read and write. -
The 9-yr old
Childen this age are rapidly developing physically, emotionally and socially. These children are defining likes and dislikes whether academic, athletic or associations with others..They are able to promote and encourage meaningful relationships. The average 9-yr old is usually very curious and willing to discover more about areas that interest him or her. -
The 12-yr old
At this age, development of relationships become paramount in the pre-teen's world. Many are on the verge of physical maturity as they quickly approach puberty. These children are starting to gain interest in the opposite sex, have distinct interests and spend time exploring with their new-found atonomy. -
The 16 -18 year old
The teenager at this age is still in development. One main area of growth is the prefrontal cortex of the brain where reason and decision-making take place. Conbined with the balance of physiology, young people can be challenged with stablizing values and ethics with new or different ideals. -
The 20's
The maturity of the brain and the body occur during one's 20's. The frontal cortex has devoped to its maximum peak and will remain thighly active during this period. Many adults make enduring choices in relationships and careers. -
The 30's
Most people are making life choices that will continue to be played out in the following decades. Home, family and work life are confimed and growing toward a particular lifestyle. -
The 40's
Many adults are maturing and are well-rounded in the middle period of life. They are workers and caregivers, family and/or career oriented. Most are actively persuing their lifestyle which includes a rich assortment of people and interests. -
The 50's
The 50's is the start of the downward trend for function of the body and the brain. Both genders experience loss in their perspective sexual hormones, and the vast majority of women have reached menopause. There a noted loss of memory and energy. -
The 60's
The 60's bring on further reduction in brain and body function. Most adults in this age bracket experience a gradual, but continual slowing of their physical and mental abilities. It is recommend that older adults remain as physically and mentally active as possible to reduce this natural slowing process. -
The 70's
The decade of the 70 year olds can be introspection of one's life as processes have continued to slow, thereby reducing even more abilitiy. It is still possible for people in this age group to be mentally and physically active, but most will suffer from some chronic ailment. By this age, death prevalent and many partners may lose their spouses during this decade. -
The 80's
The 80's can still be positive for many people, especially those that have managed to stay mentally, physically and socially active throughout their lives. More and more men are living into their 80's, and beating the statistic of the average age of male death in the late 70's. -
The 90's
Many in their 90's remain to be female; this occurs in all worldly populations. The ratio, according to the 2000 US Census was 3:1. However, more men are living longer and in some Asian countries, the ratio is lower. Why do women live longer? There are many physiological and psychological theories attached to this question.
