Synaptogenesis

Synaptogenesis is the formation of synapses between neurons in the nervous system. Although it occurs throughout a healthy person's lifespan, an explosion of synapse formation occurs during early brain development, known as exuberant synaptogenesis.[1] Synaptogenesis is particularly important during an individual's critical period, during which there is a certain degree of synaptic pruning due to competition for neural growth factors by neurons and synapses. Processes that are not used, or inhibited during their critical period will fail to develop normally later on in life.[2][further explanation needed]

  1. ^ Huttenlocher, P. R.; Dabholkar, A. S. (1997). "Regional differences in synaptogenesis in human cerebral cortex". The Journal of Comparative Neurology. 387 (2): 167–178. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1096-9861(19971020)387:2<167::AID-CNE1>3.0.CO;2-Z. PMID 9336221.
  2. ^ Comery TA, Harris JB, Willems PJ, et al. (May 1997). "Abnormal dendritic spines in fragile X knockout mice: maturation and pruning deficits". Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 94 (10): 5401–4. Bibcode:1997PNAS...94.5401C. doi:10.1073/pnas.94.10.5401. PMC 24690. PMID 9144249.