Environmental and Neurochemical Effects on Learning and Memory Amanda Rodriguez EDU 417 Joanna Savarese-Levine December 15, 2014

 Our thoughts and emotions are effected by and are the result of the chemical processes in the brain.  All mental functions come from a corresponding order in chemical processes.  If we want to understand memory and learning, we must know about neurotransmitters.  Also, if we want to understand how the brain is effected by food, drugs, and medications, we must know about neurotransmitters (Wolfe, 2010).

 Amino acids are the basis for proteins and are vital for life.  All neurotransmitters are amino acids, are the result of amino acids or amines, and constructed of amino acids or peptides (with the exception of acetylcholine).  Amino acids come from protein foods and exist throughout the brain and body.  4 out of the 20 amino acids function as neurotransmitters.  These are: glycine, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), aspartate, and glutamate.  GABA and Glycine carry inhibitory messages.  Pathways that carry excitatory amino acids are dispersed throughout the brain.  Without these, brain function would stop.  Glutamate is used by the hippocampus and is vital for learning and memory (Wolf, 2010).

 Dopamine- Has many roles in the function of the brain. Two of these roles are to increase pleasurable feelings and to control conscious motor activity.  Similar to norepinephrine and is synthesized in several areas in the brain.  Dopamine pathways lead to the hypothalamus and frontal lobes.  The ventral tegmental area is another area where dopamine is produced, it is in a cluster of cells within the middle of the brain.  This area is considered to be a mediating area for addiction and maternal behavior (Wolf, 2010).

 Serotonin- Considered to be the “feel-good” transmitter.  Mood enhancer similar to dopamine and norepinephrine.  Affects mood not by stimulating the brain but by calming the brain.  Involved in sleep, regulation of body temperature, memory, and appetite control.  Serotonin is synthesized in a few different locations including the brain, blood vessels, and the intestinal wall.  The raphe nucleus is one of the major producers of serotonin.  Serotonin is used to treat disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, nausea, obesity, anxiety, stroke, and schizophrenia (Wolfe, 2010).

 Acetylcholine- Only neurotransmitter that is not derived from an amino acid directly.  Enhances REM or rapid eye movement during sleep. REM is the time at which the deepest dreaming occurs.  Acetylcholine comes from subcortical structures above the brainstem.  Neurons of the sympathetic nervous system and cells of the motor cortex use acetylcholine to operate all voluntary and some involuntary muscles (Wolfe, 2010).

 Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to reorganize itself based on environmental factors.  Although many schools seem to have increased focus on academics and decrease focus on physical activity, music, and art; this may be counterproductive.  Exercise plays an important part in the learning process in many ways.  Exercise increases oxygen to the bloodstream.  Exercise pumps more blood throughout the body, this includes the brain.  The increase in blood supplies more oxygen which increases capillary health and the plasticity and growth of the fontal lobes (Wolfe, 2010).

 Exercise supports student learning and assists in physical and emotional well-being.  Incorporating exercise and learning can be beneficial.  For instance, students can learn math by marching to music and counting; they can learn language by acting out verbs, nouns, and adjectives with a game of charades, or they can act out a role in an event in history.  These activities will be more likely to be seen as relevant if their importance is explained to parents, the principal, and to the students (Wolfe, 2010).  Exercise may actually have a positive effect on those with attention deficit disorder, anxiety etc. Also, while exercise will not make someone smarter, it does make people more able to learn and focus, and prepares brain cells to be more optimal (Quick, 2008).

 We spend one-third of our time sleeping, yet sleep disturbances affect about one-third of school-age children.  Although the previous thought was that there was a pause of brain activity during sleep, studies have proven that the opposite is true.  There are times during sleep that our brains are actually as active as they are when we are awake.  EEG or electroencephalographic recordings have been used to show two distinct stages of sleep: rapid eye movement (REM) and non- rapid eye movement (non-REM).  During non-REM brain waves are slow and during REM brain waves are fast and have a high frequency (Wolfe, 2010).

 Consolidation plays a major role in memory development and learning.  Consolidation stabilizes a memory trace over time, transferring it from short-term to long-term memory.  Sleep is also the time when the hippocampus and neocortex communicate to increase the likelihood that information is retained.  How much sleep is needed?  Typically children between the ages of 5 and 10 need about 12 hours of sleep while during adolescence, they require about 9 and a half hours.  What are the effects of sleep deprivation?  Decreased motor speed and sensory acuity, impaired ability to memorize, and a higher prevalence of hallucinations (Wolfe, 2010).  Sleep deprived students tend to perform poorly on skills such as problem solving tasks, attention, and memory (Chiang, Y., Arendt, S. W., Zheng, T., & Hanisch, K. A., 2014).

 Nutrition is important in how the brain functions and develops.  The brain goes through a rapid period of growth during the first two years of life so it is important that children receive proper nutrition at this time.  A three year study has shown that a breakfast of complex carbohydrates improved working memory, episodic secondary memory, and improved attention.  Obesity is one issue Americans face. 2.7 million children in the U.S. are severely obese.  Although little studies focus on how obesity affects children’s brain’s, overweight adults have 4% less brain tissue than average and obese adults of 8% less.  High levels of saturated fats have a negative effect on memory and learning according to the Society for Neuroscience.  High levels of unsaturated fats such as omega-fatty acids are essential for a healthy brain (Wolfe, 2010).

 Television, DVD’s, and video games can have both negative and positive effects on learning.  These factors depend on content, age of the child, and amount of time viewing these forms of entertainment.  There are benefits to some video and computer games that are educationally designed.  These can be engaging when they focus on adapting to individual learners, provide specific feedback, providing opportunities to practice point of mastery, and critical skills.  Another benefit to game playing is practicing social skills and working as a team which can transfer to other situations.  On the downside, violent video games may desensitize players to violence and aggression (Wolfe, 2010).

 Chiang, Y., Arendt, S. W., Zheng, T., & Hanisch, K. A. (2014). THE EFFECTS OF SLEEP ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND JOB PERFORMANCE. College Student Journal, 48(1), Retrieved from  Quick, D. (2008, Jan 14). Sparking the mind;instructors make pitch for vigorous exercise to improve test scores. The Post and Courier Retrieved from  Wolfe, P. (2010). Brain matters: Translating research into classroom practice. (2nd ed.). Alexandria,VA: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development.