Structural Brain Changes in Early Childhood

Here are some key developments in the structure of the brain during early childhood:

• A rapid increase in the number and size of nerve endings.
• Increased concentration of dopamine, the hormone and neurotransmitter associated with reward-oriented behaviour.
• Rapid development of the prefrontal cortex, the part of of the brain which  plays an important role in emotional regulation.
• The brain is constantly reorganising. Rapid growth spurt periods occur in conjunction with 'synaptic pruning' when the brain eliminates connections between neurons [synapses] which are no longer being used. At the time of birth, a baby's brain consists of more than 100 billion neurons, while a fully-grown adult's brain generally has 15% less than that (Sakai, 2020).
• See this article for optional extra reading on the role synaptic pruning plays in development [and, perhaps, neurological disorders].

Check out this video for more on the basics:

How baby brains develop