SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN REPORTS
Volume 17, Number 2, June 2007
special edition on child development
目录
主编社论：成长中的大脑
Growing Brains
I knew I was being watched. Dark eyes tracked my movements, intent. Impulsively,
I grinned widely. I picked up a stuffed elephant from the menagerie on the
coverlet and hugged and kissed it. Her eyes widened slightly as my baby daughter
registered the idea. Today she is six years old, and “Ellie” is still her favorite plush
companion when she needs a cuddle and mommy is not immediately available.
As the articles in this special issue underscore, a child’s rapid cognitive
development begins from the earliest ages and may continue into young
adulthood. Before they can talk, tots are learning how the world works and how
they can apply that knowledge. “Test Subjects in Diapers,” by Gisa Aschersleben,
reveals how quickly infants learn to think critically—and the ways in which
scientists can “ask” babbling babies to show what they know; turn to page 10.
Knowledge about a child’s rapid mental development also serves to emphasize
the importance of early intervention in cases where children have special needs.
Articles in the issue explore faster detection of disorders and possible therapies for
children with autism (page 14), ADHD (page 36) and Down syndrome (page 42).
When does the brain fi nish “growing up”? Many neuroscientists say that
cognitive development, especially in areas of the brain that are associated with
decision making and other “executive” functions, continues into the second
decade of life, reports Leslie Sabbagh in “The Teen Brain, Hard at Work,”
beginning on page 54. Meanwhile psychologist Robert Epstein warns against
excess reductionism in applying imaging studies of teen and adult brains to
complex human behaviors. We blame teen turmoil on immature brains—but,
he asks, did the brains cause the turmoil, or did the turmoil affect the brains?
His article, “The Myth of the Teen Brain,” starts on page 68.
As you page through the articles in the issue, we hope one thing will be
clear: as we learn more about how the mind operates, we are better able to help
children grow up to lead happy, fulfi lling lives.
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婴儿期
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小孩子给出大答案 >> Big Answers from Little People
In infants, Elizabeth Spelke finds fundamental insights into how men and women think.
尿布中测验-婴儿的观察与社交 >> Test Subjects in Diapers
When do babies recognize the intentions of others—and become capable of deliberate
actions themselves?
自闭症的早期探查-新技术 >> Detecting Autism Early
New techniques could diagnose autism in babies, enabling more effective treatment
while the brain is most malleable.
自闭症-破碎的镜子：镜像神经元系统的理论 >> Broken Mirrors:A Theory of Autism
Studies of the mirror neuron system may reveal clues to the causes of autism and
help researchers develop new ways to diagnose and treat the disorder.
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儿童期
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符号的关注与理解 -象征符号与实际事物的抽象学习过程
Mindful of Symbols
On the way to learning that one thing can represent another, young children often conflate
the real item and its symbol. These errors show how difficult it is to start thinking symbolically.
ADHD的争论：新资料 -神经生物学的研究对治疗方案的影响
Informing the ADHD Debate
The latest neurological research has injected much needed objectivity into the disagreement
over how best to treat children with attention deficit disorders.
唐氏儿：只是有些不同 -早期特殊训练能够帮助他们独立生活
>> Just a Bit Different
With special training early in life, children born with Down syndrome have a higher chance of
developing into independent individuals.
阻止欺侮行为 -弱者在校园中被戏弄的对策
Stopping the Bullies
School can be torture for children who are targeted by abusive students.
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青少年期
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青春期的大脑-难以成事儿？并非如此，它们只是效率不及成人的。
The Teen Brain, Hard at Work -No, really
Under challenging conditions, adolescents may assess and react less efficiently than adults.
青春期大脑理智吗？-发育中的大脑缺乏逻辑性思考。
Is the Teen Brain Too Rational?
With the decision-making areas of their brains still developing, teenagers show poor judgment
in risky situations. Thinking less logically may be the answer.
青春期大脑的传说 -躁动的行为与不成熟的大脑间的关系
>> The Myth of the Teen Brain
We blame teen turmoil on immature brains. But did the brains cause the turmoil, or did
the turmoil shape the brains?
锻炼大脑 -对癫痫、抑郁症、ADHD以及普通人都有效
76 >> Train Your Brain
Mental exercises with neurofeedback may ease symptoms of attention-deficit disorder, epilepsy
and depression—and even boost cognition in healthy brains.
电子游戏：脑力操练 -呵呵，本人钟爱的PSP中就有多个脑力训练的游戏，任天堂好像还送过布什一个。
>> Circuit Training
Computer games for mental workouts.
Articles in this special edition are updated from previous of Scientific American Mind.