2.1.2 Postnatal Brain Development

• The brain weight increases rapidly in the first two years
• What is synaptogenesis?

  Formation of new synaptic connections
• Which process eliminates excess synapses during postnatal brain development?

  Synaptic pruning
• Rapid synaptogenesis occurs in early childhood.


  True
• Myelination improves signal integrity in neural pathways.

  True
• Which hemisphere typically becomes dominant for language processing?

  Left hemisphere
• Brain lateralization allows for more efficient and specialized information processing.


  True
• Brain weight increases rapidly in the first two years
• What is synaptogenesis and when does it occur most rapidly?

  Formation of new synapses, early childhood
• Match each hemisphere with its specialization:

  Left ↔️ Language, logic, analytical processing

  Right ↔️ Spatial awareness, creativity, emotional processing
• What does postnatal brain development involve?

  Growth and refinement of the brain after birth
• Postnatal brain development relies solely on experience-dependent plasticity.

  False
• Synaptogenesis creates an abundance of synapses in early childhood.


  True
• Synaptic pruning refines and optimizes neural connections
• Steps in neural communication involving myelination

  1️⃣ Formation of myelin sheath

  2️⃣ Insulation of nerve fibers

  3️⃣ Increased transmission speed
• Brain lateralization refers to the specialization of the left and right hemispheres
• What happens to the brain's organization during early childhood in terms of hemisphere specialization?

  Becomes increasingly specialized
• What are the three key processes involved in postnatal brain development?

  Growth, pruning, myelination
• Postnatal brain development relies on both experience-dependent and experience-expectant plasticity.


  True
• Myelination improves the speed and accuracy of neural communication.


  True
• Postnatal brain development processes rely on experience-dependent and experience-expectant plasticity
• What is the purpose of synaptic pruning in postnatal brain development?

  Improve efficiency of neural connections
• Synaptic pruning enhances the efficiency of neural communication
• What does myelination improve in neural communication?

  Speed and accuracy
• What is the function of the myelin sheath in myelination?

  Insulate nerve fibers
• What is one effect of myelination on neural plasticity?

  Supports adaptation to new skills
• Brain lateralization enhances cognitive abilities in children.


  True
• The left hemisphere typically becomes dominant for language, logic, and analytical processing
• Steps of postnatal brain development processes

  1️⃣ Growth in brain size

  2️⃣ Synaptic pruning

  3️⃣ Myelination
• Synaptic pruning enhances the efficiency of neural communication
• What is the significance of synaptic pruning in postnatal brain development?

  Improves efficiency of neural signals