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Which of the following is true of how neurons change in the first years of life?Which of the following statements is true of how neurons change in the first years of life? The synaptic connections that are used become strengthened and survive, while the unused ones are replaced by other pathways or disappear.
What are the two significant ways that neurons change during the first years of life?Neurons grow longer dendrites and axons, which allow them to make more connections, or synapses, with other cells. The number and density of synapses increase rapidly during the first years of life. A 2-year-old's brain is about 20% smaller than an adult brain but has 50% more synapses.
What is a neural change that continues throughout life?Neuroplasticity Is an Ongoing Process
Plasticity is ongoing throughout life and involves brain cells other than neurons, including glial and vascular cells. It can occur as a result of learning, experience, and memory formation, or as a result of damage to the brain.
Do synapses decrease dramatically during the first year?New neurons and synapses are formed by the brain at an extremely high rate during this time. During the first year of life, the number of synapses in the brain of an infant grows more than tenfold.
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