Before getting into information about the brain, so it’s not necessary to spend a lot of time in a medical dictionary, we need to define some words and brain growth patterns.

Neurons, cells that communicate events in and outside the body. Axons, cell fibers of a neuron that carry information away. Dendrites, receptors on neurons. Synapse, chemical bridges from one neuron to another. Reptilian brain, the first part of the total human brain to develop from conception and evolution, used for basic survival and self-defense. Limbic brain physically located between reptilian and neo-cortex in the skull and is the area connected with processing emotions, critical to learning and memory and the second to develop as we grow. Neo-cortex the third portion of the brain to develop both in growth and during evolution, the area where synthesis and major thought processes occur, the outer layer of the cerebrum. Humans are the only species to have this section of the total brain. Frontal lobe, area of the neo-cortex associated with synthesis of ideas, compassion and altruism. Parietal lobe, area of the neo-cortex connected to synthesis of information and storage of all items of sensory perception (touch, smell, etc.) Temporal lobe, neo-cortex area associated with auditory and olfactory function. Occipital lobe, area connected with visual functions. Motor cortex where all motor functions begin. Sensory cortex, where all sensory functions are received and deciphered. Myelin, fatty insulation around neurons and axons. Cerebellum, balance and coordination area of the brain. Right (gestalt) brain hemisphere, associated with creativity, movement, intuition, and subjective reasoning. Left (logic) brain hemisphere, organization, language, linear function and objective reasoning. Corpus callosum, nerve fibers connecting the right and left hemispheres. Sympathetic system, associated with body stress, survival and fight or flight. Parasympathetic system, associated with relaxed body functioning.

Brain growth and learning occur in spurts, separated by plateaus. There are always variables, but most fall within these parameters. On an oscilloscope, brain growth rhythms appear like long ocean swells with peaks and troughs. Hang on to this and you’ll see how it matches with the evolutionary brain development phases.

Between pre-natal and 15 months there’s a growth spurt in the sensorimotor area (crawling, walking and finding out how the body works) followed by a plateau to 2 years. From 2 to 4 years a growth spurt occurs in what’s termed the pre-operational area (getting it all together and figuring out how to best breakdown your parents willpower and assault the next phase of life) this is where the phrase “terrible two’s” originates. From 4 to 6 years there’s a plateau and a mellower period of reflection on what didn’t work. From 6 to 8 years a growth spurt occurs in the “concrete” operational area. From 8 to 10 we’re back in “a figure out what went wrong and why it didn’t work plateau.” From 10 to 12 we enter another spurt called the “formal operational” period. Uh-oh, puberty ahead. From 12 to 14 years we plateau, secure in the timeframe that we know all, see all and that the world revolves around us. From 14 to 16, if we’ve developed beyond 14, we enter a problem finding growth spurt. We find out we have problems, that maybe we don’t know all and we try to find out what the problems are. Again, this only happens if we’ve made it past the terrible two’s and the “know all 14’s”. From 16 to 22 we plateau during which time we do extreme sports, video games and no-brainer activities while we try to figure out what went wrong with the other phases. By 22 most of us enter the refinement and continued development stage where we hone the skills that haven’t worked to a fine edge, or consider other possibilities that may prove more valuable. At 40+ most of us enter the stage that will last the rest of our lives. Brain researchers call it “continued development of problem finding skills” whatever that means.

During the doing business phase of my brain development, I preferred the 40+ group. They were generally mellower, knew if they’d made it or weren’t going to, and were more secure with where they were headed and who they were. Unfortunately, there are a large percentage of those who never make it past the two’s and 14’s.

Copyright 2007 Larry R. Miller