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Synaptic pruning, a phase in the development of the nervous system, is the process of synapse elimination that occurs between early childhood and the onset of puberty in many mammals, including humans. [1] Pruning starts near the time of birth and continues into the late-20s. [2]
The process of synaptic pruning known as synapse elimination is a presumably activity-dependent process that involves competition between axons. Hypothetically, a synapse strong enough to produce an action potential will trigger the myonuclei directly across from the axon to release synaptotrophins that will strengthen and maintain well ...
This was observed primarily in the frontal and parietal cortices. Theories as to why this occurs vary. One thought is that the intracortical myelination paired with increased axonal calibre increases the volume of white matter tissue. Another is that synaptic reorganization occurs from proliferation and then pruning. [8]
Myelin is formed by oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system and Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system.Therefore, the first stage of myelinogenesis is often defined as the differentiation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) or Schwann cell progenitors into their mature counterparts, [4] followed by myelin formation around axons.
Brain mapping can show how an animal's brain changes throughout its lifetime. As of 2021, scientists mapped and compared the whole brains of eight C. elegans worms across their development on the neuronal level [ 67 ] [ 68 ] and the complete wiring of a single mammalian muscle from birth to adulthood.
In addition to synaptic pruning, the brain undergoes myelination, which influences the speed of information flow across brain regions. Myelination involves neuronal axons connecting certain brain areas to become insulated with a white, fatty substance called myelin that increases the speed and efficiency of transmission along axons. Myelination ...
[3] [4] [5] Once there, the electrical signal provokes the release of chemical neurotransmitters across the synapse, which bind to receptors on the post-synaptic cell (e.g. another neuron, myocyte or secretory cell). Myelin is made by glial cells, which are non-neuronal cells that provide nutritional and homeostatic support to the axons
The synapse is the primary unit of information transfer in the nervous system, and correct synaptic contact creation during development is essential for normal brain function. Genetic mutations can disrupt synapse formation and function, contributing to the development of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. [ 46 ]