Sin death and beyond

SIN, DEATH AND BEYOND: M.M.NINAN
consequence of developmental processes. During development, the central nervous system
acquires information via endogenous or exogenous factors as well as learning experiences. In
acquiring and storing such information, the plastic nature of the central nervous system allows
for the adaptation of existing neural connections in order to accommodate new information and
experiences, resulting in developmental plasticity.
This form of plasticity that occurs during development is the result of three predominant
mechanisms: synaptic and homeostatic plasticity, and learning. The underlying principle of
synaptic plasticity is that synapses undergo and activity-dependent and selective strengthening
or weakening so new information can be stored. In order to maintain balance, homeostatic
controls exist to regulate the overall activity of neural circuits specifically by regulating the
destabilizing effects of developmental and learning processes that result in changes of
synaptic strength. By depending largely upon selective experiences, neural connections are
altered and strengthened in a manner that is unique to those experiences.
Hebbian Theory is that the persistence or repetition of a reverberatory activity (or "trace") tends
to induce lasting cellular changes that add to its stability is sometimes stated as "Cells that fire
together, wire together" The theory attempts to explain associative or Hebbian learning, in
which simultaneous activation of cells leads to pronounced increases in synaptic strength
between those cells, and provides a biological basis for errorless learning methods for
education and memory rehabilitation. the theory is also called Hebb's rule, Hebb's postulate,
and cell assembly.
(Sensitive Periods in the Development of the Brain and Behavior Eric I. Knudsen Journal of
Cognitive Neuroscience 16:8, pp. 1412–1425)
“Experience exerts a profound influence on the brain and, therefore, on behavior. When the
effect of experience on the brain is particularly strong during a limited period in development,
this period is referred to as a sensitive period. Such periods allow experience to instruct
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