Many researchers are studying the effects of specific genes on mental disorders, a study that supports the notion that genetics is responsible for brain development. As the human genome project advances, researchers will be able to pinpoint certain genes and what they contribute to development. This research hopes to discover the roles that genetics and environment play in the development of mental disorders. Society for Neuroscience. Evidence suggests that complex environments stimulate certain areas of the brain responsible for processing information.
Discoveries highly suggest that mental capacity can be greatly increased by mental exercise.
Neuron Migration and Brain Disorders . Society for Neuroscience . Neuronal migration from the center of the brain to the outer cortex plays a large factor brain development. Environmental factors such as radiation or drugs can alter the way these neurons migrate and lead to such abnormalities as schizophrenia and epilepsy. By tracking the path of normal neuron migration, scientists can compare this to abnormal paths and perhaps discover the reasons that lie behind these disorders.