The neural "pruning" that takes place during infancy and toddlerhood results in:
A) a loss of about 10% in the weight of the typical brain
B) a loss of many of the neural connections that were present at birth
C) severing the connection between left and right hemispheres that was present during the prenatal period of development
D) the near-total separation of the brain's cortex and other brain structures that lie below it

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Growth and "pruning" occur where, as the result of each child's unique experiences, some synaptic connections develop and others are eliminated, or pruned away. According to Alison Gopnik and her colleagues (Gopnik, Meltzoff, & Kuhl, 1999, 2008), neurons in the brain of a newborn average about 2,500 synapses, increasing to a peak of about 15,000 synapses by age 2 or 3-many more than are present in an adult brain.

The Neural "Pruning" That Takes Place During Infancy and Toddlerhood