Biological and Genetic Perspectives

The emphasis on biological and genetic perspectives in this chapter is intended to underscore the complexity of brain development. The next chapter explores complexity in terms of social and environmental modifications. As both chapters point out, these are not separate topics in individual lives. Individuals who are going to thrive despite genetic, congenital, and developmental conditions require social and environmental responses that meet their needs. Similarly, although an acquired condition is clearly biological and possibly related to genetics or environmental factors, it often creates a social rupture that distinguishes it from a condition one knows from birth and infancy. These topics are expanded on throughout the book.