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www.thelutheran.org (click on “study guides”).
Neuroscience 101:
on church settings as contexts for neural change, enough studies have shown the impacts of early expo- sure to music, positive social interactions and multi- sensory experiences to suggest that what we do in our churches makes a difference. Next time your congregation welcomes an infant
through baptism, consider all the ways this little one’s brain can be changed by his experiences at your church.
Instrumental music Perhaps your church musician plays organ and piano. Maybe you have a praise band that rocks the sanctuary. Whatever the music style, the acoustic environment of worship is a unique one for an infant. Where else can a little one be surrounded by the sounds, vibrations and sights of a variety of instruments and choral singing? Exposure to music early and oſten ensures that songs
of faith are encoded deeply in the brain, able to be recalled later in life.
Prayers When prayers are offered, a child witnesses how lan- guage and body movements are used for communica- tion and connection with God. Whether it takes the form of table grace, the Lord’s Prayer or sung petitions, a child begins to learn and remember these words. Once expressive language begins, the child can begin
offering her own prayers by heart long before she can read them from a page.
The body of Christ, the blood of Christ An infant or toddler who is present around the table at communion takes in the smells of the elements and the warm touch of a caregiver holding him. As young chil- dren receive the elements, these familiar tastes of bread and drink are associated with an array of faces gathered together. Memories of smell and taste have strong con- nections with emotions. When young children associate this sacrament with
feelings of security, belonging and community, imagine the pathways that have formed.
Smiling faces everywhere Congregational life offers a rich social environment to young children, with smiling faces, encouraging words and gentle touches during the passing of the peace. Te child begins to associate these social interactions with feeling secure, welcome and comfortable.
A crash course
Within the human brain, we have billions of cells called neu- rons that make up the brain’s gray matter. Neurons have several structures called dendrites that resemble the multitude of bare tree branches during winter. Dendrites receive messages from surrounding cells and carry those nerve impulses along the length of the cell to a structure on the other end called an axon.
If the nerve impulse is potent enough, the axon releases neu- rotransmitters into the space between it and the dendrites of neighboring cells. This space is called a synapse. The release of neurotransmitters into synapses leads to other dendrites being activated.
When dendrites are activated repeatedly, they branch out more extensively, strengthening their connections to surrounding cells. Given the treelike appearance of dendrites, this process is called dendritic arborization.
Alternately, when connections between cells aren’t stimulated they are weakened by a process known as synaptic pruning. The phrase “use ’em or lose ’em” is used to describe this phe- nomenon, emphasizing that neural pathways are formed and strengthened by experiences.
These cellular processes—receiving inputs through dendrites and sending outputs through axons, arborization and prun- ing—occur throughout our lifespan. We are born with all the brain cells we’ll ever have—about 100 billion. So instead of babies growing new cells, cellular loss actually begins. Some connections between neurons are pruned away while others are reinforced to form more extensive, or arborized, pathways. The growing infant doesn’t need more brain cells—she needs the cells she has to begin working more efficiently.
Dawn Rundman
32 November 2015 31
CHRIS OCKEN
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