Early Experiences Brain Architecture and Later Neuroplasticity Megan

Early Experiences, Brain Architecture and Later Neuroplasticity Megan R. Gunnar, Ph. D. Regents Professor and Distinguished Mc. Knight University Professor Director, Institute of Child Development University of Minnesota

The Foundation of a Successful Society is Built in Early Childhood ies unit Hea lthy Eco m nom m o C g y n Stro Successful Parenting of Next Generation Educational Achievement Economic Productivity Responsible Citizenship Lifelong Health HEALTHY CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Building Healthy Brain Architecture – The Ingredients • Takes more than having the right genes • Takes the right, supportive experiences • Experience literally writes on our genes, determining how well our genes work

How Early Experiences Alter Gene Expression and Shape Development Neuron

Genes Carry Instructions that Tell Our Bodies How to Work Gene Nucleus DNA Chromosome

Early Experiences Leave Lasting Chemical “Signatures” on Genes External Experience Gene Regulatory Proteins Epigenetic “Signature” Turns Gene On or Off

Early Adversity and DNA Methylation • Monkeys reared with and without their moms • Piece of the Prefrontal Cortex helps you control and guide your behavior • Red=more methylated • Green=less methylated • Each row is a different gene; columns are different animals Provencal et al. , 2012

Environment Influences Regulation of Gene Expression Beginning Before Birth

Experience Shapes Brain Architecture by Over-Production Followed by Pruning (700 synapses formed per second in the early years) birth 6 years 14 years

Neural Circuits are Wired in a Bottom-Up Sequence Language Sensory Pathways (Vision, Hearing) Higher Cognitive Function FIRST YEARS -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Birth (Months) (Years) Source: C. A. Nelson (2000)

Stimulation is Needed In Order for the Brain To Develop Human Infant is Unable to Provide Itself Adequate Stimulation for Normal Brain Development

The Brain Develops in the Context of Relationships

Serve and Return

Cumulative Vocabulary (Words) Barriers to Educational Achievement Emerge at a Very Young Age 1200 1000 800 600 400 College Educated Parents High School Educated Poor & Uneducated 200 16 mos. 24 mos. Child’s Age (Months) Hart & Risley (1995) 36 mos.

29 Low Income, Spanish Speaking Families in California Anne Fernald, Stanford University, 2013

Brain is More Efficient at Processing Language Anne Fernald, Stanford University, 2013

Hanson et al. , 2014 (Currently at Duke, Ph. D. U Wisc)

Parent Education Green: + correlation Red - correlation Care Quality Stress Exposures Income to Needs Child 3 -5 Years Luby et al. , JAMA Pediatrics, 2013 Brain Volume Age 6 (Hippocampus)

Three Levels of Stress Positive Brief increases in heart rate, mild elevations in stress hormone levels. Tolerable Serious, temporary stress responses, buffered by supportive relationships. Toxic Prolonged activation of stress response systems in the absence of protective relationships.

Experience Affects Stress Response for a Lifetime! Source: Levitt (2008), adapted from Liu et al. (1997) Stress Response Restraint Time

Neglect and Maltreatment of Young Children Disrupts Stress Hormone Levels 35% Percent of Children with Abnormal Stress Hormone Regulation Source: Gunnar & Fisher (2006) 30% 25% 20% Attention Problems Externalizing Behaviors 15% 10% 5% Middle Class US Toddlers in Birth Families Neglected/Maltreated Toddlers Arriving from Orphanages Overseas

Stress and Brain Functioning Planning Self. Regulation Fear Learning Memory & Learning

Toxic Stress Changes Brain Architecture Normal Toxic stress Typical neuron— many connections Damaged neuron— fewer connections Prefrontal Cortex and Hippocampus Sources: Radley et al. (2004) Bock et al. (2005)

Maheu et al. , 2010

Volume corrected for Cortical Volume 12 and 13 years at Scanning 4, 550 Controls 4, 450 4 -12 mos 4, 350 1 -5 yrs 4, 250 4, 150 4, 050 3, 950 Hodel et al. , 2015 Left Hippocampus Right Hippocampus Left Right Hippocampus

Prefrontal Cortex Volume x Group Minnesota Controls 91, 000 Mean Adjusted Volume (cubic mm) 89, 000 Early Adopted (<= 12 months) Late Adopted (> 12 months) * * 87, 000 85, 000 83, 000 81, 000 79, 000 77, 000 75, 000 Left Prefrontal Cortex Right Prefrontal Cortex

Stress Hormone Dysregulation Early Deprivation (orphanage rearing) Produces Dysregulation of Stress Hormone Activty Early Deprived Non. Deprived • Measured in two years following adoption • Predicts ADHD symptoms in Preschool and Kindergarten

Stress And the Immune System Innate Immunity • First line of defense • Inflammation • Natural Killer Cells • Macrophages • Fever & Sickness Beh. Learned Immunity Refined/Targeting Requires Exposure T-Cells & B-Cells Chronic Stress

Child Abuse and Inflammatory Processes in adulthood Andrea Danese et al. , PNAS, 2007

Higher equal poorer control 11 -year-olds: Ability to Fight Off Cold Sore Virus Non-Maltreated Physical Abuse Shirtcliff, Coe & Pollak, PNAS, 2009 Orph-Adopted

Interim Summary The architecture of the brain is shaped by our experiences Skills beget skills, simpler skills support later developing skills A poor early foundation affects all that comes after Brain architecture develops in the context of relationships Serve and Return provides the experiences that literally build the brain and establishes secure relationships that protect the brain from stress. • Toxic stress can literally shape an anxious/fearful brain that acts first and thinks later. • The achievement and opportunity gap begins early in life • Chronic Stress Early in Life affects lifelong health • • •

How Can We Act On the Science?

Get It Right the First Time The basic principles of neuroscience indicate that creating the right conditions for early childhood development will be more effective and less costly than addressing problems at a later age. Brains: more physiological energy needed to compensate for poorly formed neural circuits. Society: higher cost of remedial education, clinical treatment, crime.

Repairing Stress Means Remodeling Relationships Therapeutic Caregiving

Elements of Therapeutic Caregiving Read and understand child’s signals Strategies for regulating child’s behavior Supportive backup for caregiver Additional Resources to address specialized needs • Careful Planning for Transitions • •

Helping Children Build Resilience Takes Ordinary Magic

What Builds Resilience? Poor Good Outcomes

Recipe for Resilient Citizens Adequate Stimulation for the Development of Healthy Brain Architecture from the Beginning Reduce/Eliminate Toxic Stress in Childhood Increase/Support Protective Factors for Children and Families Don’t overprotect from slings and arrows of typical development

For More Information http: //www. cehd. umn. edu/icd/ http: //www. developingchild. net http: //